The Sundar Prize Film Festival is an international film awards competition with over $10,000 in cash prizes for the Top 5 films in the select categories.

The winning films will be screened at the iconic, landmark Centre Stage Theatre at Surrey City Hall in Surrey, British Columbia.

The Sundar Prize Film Festival seeks to recognize beautiful films that uplift our world through impactful and informative storytelling about social causes and social issues that have social impact.

Films with any theme are welcome but we encourage filmmakers who showcase the following communities and causes:

• Human Rights
• Immigrants and Refugees
• Social Justice Issues
• Indigenous Peoples
• People of Color
• LGBTQ+ Community
• Vulnerable and Marginalized Peoples
• Environmental and Climate Change
• Educational Films

SHER VANCOUVER

The Sundar Prize Film Festival is an initiative of Sher Vancouver which is a registered charity in Canada, and was originally founded as a social welfare group in 2008. For more information check out: https://www.shervancouver.com/

FILM FESTIVAL ALLIANCE

The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a proud member of the Film Festival Alliance which aims to create a collaborative global community for mission-driven film festivals. Film Festival Alliance is home to more than 230 members from 40 states, Canada, and the UK, including large, mid-size & start-up festivals, festival consultants, and programmers.

FOUNDERS OF THE SUNDAR PRIZE FILM FESTIVAL

Alex Sangha is an award-winning social worker and documentary film producer. He produced a short documentary, My Name Was January, about transgender people of color, and a feature documentary, Emergence: Out of the Shadows, about coming out in the South Asian community of Metro Vancouver. He received the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada for founding Sher Vancouver which is a registered charity for LGBTQ+ South Asians and their friends, families, and allies. Alex is a member of the Documentary Organization of Canada and is a graduate of the Business for Producers program at the National Screen Institute.

Vinay Giridhar is an award-winning director, editor, and visual artist. His debut feature documentary, Emergence: Out of the Shadows, was an official selection at nearly 50 established film festivals around the world including Out On Film in Atlanta which is an Academy Award qualifying festival, Frameline in San Francisco which is a BAFTA qualifying festival, and five Canadian Screen Award qualifying festivals. The film was also broadcast on Knowledge Network in British Columbia, TVO in Ontario, and OUTtv across Canada. Vinay is a graduate of the Classical Animation program at the Vancouver Film School.

FESTIVAL VALUES

The official film festival for the Sundar Prize is based on the following core values:

FILMS – To bring the best films from around the world to the heart of Surrey City Centre

FILMMAKERS – To compensate the winning filmmakers fairly and recognize and acknowledge their work

TICKETS – To ensure low-barrier access with affordable ticket pricing

VENUE – To host the event at a public venue at the iconic, landmark Centre Stage Theatre at Surrey City Hall

LOCATION – To host the event at a central location near public transportation and Skytrain

ACCESSIBILITY – To ensure the event is as accessible as possible for people with disabilities

SUBTITLES – To ensure films that are screened at the festival that are not in English have English subtitles

SUSTAINABILITY– To aim to make the festival as eco-friendly as possible

Awards & Prizes

The winners of the inaugural Sundar Prize are announced at the film festival in June 2024.

Shortlisted submissions will be submitted to a jury that will watch, rank, and score the films.

Films released within the last two years after December 25, 2020 are eligible for the following cash prizes in Canadian dollars:

• Best Feature Film - $5000
• Best Documentary - $2500
• Best Short Film - $1500
• Best Animation - $1000
• Best Student Film - $500

The winners will also receive:

• Official Laurel for the winners, finalists, and official selections
• Digital Certificate for the winners
• Letter of Congratulations for the winners
• Trophy mailed to the winners

CENTRE STAGE THEATRE AT SURREY CITY HALL

The winners are announced in June 2024 and the winning films will be screened at the iconic, landmark Centre Stage Theatre at Surrey City Hall in Surrey, British Columbia over two days before a live audience.

SELECTION PROCESS

Official Selections are shortlisted by a jury from all the films submitted.

Out of the official selections, five films in each category that rank and score the highest by the jury become a Finalist.

Of those finalists, one Award Winner is selected in each category by a separate independent jury.

FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

Only the Award Winners in each of the five categories are screened at the film festival.

Rules & Terms

REQUIRED SUBMISSION MATERIALS AND RULES

Entry Fee
Entry fees are not refundable.

Multiple Entries
Multiple entries are permitted in all categories as long as the film has been released within the last two years after December 25, 2020.

Cash Prizes
Cash prizes are issued in Canadian currency only. Payment is made via email transfer or PayPal in Canada, and via PayPal only outside of Canada. Neither Sher Vancouver LGBTQ Friends Society (“Sher Vancouver”) nor its affiliates are responsible for any government taxes or withholdings related to the allocation of prize money; such responsibility is solely that of the prize winner.

Selection Process
Official Selections are shortlisted by a jury from all the films submitted. Out of the official selections, five films in each category that rank and score the highest by the jury become a Finalist. Of those finalists, one Award Winner is selected in each category by a separate independent jury. Decisions made by the jury are final and are not open to arbitration.

Festival Screenings
Only the five Award Winners in each of the five categories are screened at the film festival.

Alumni
Alumni of the Sundar Prize can request a full fee waiver code by emailing sundarprize@gmail.com if they have previously been an official selection, finalist, or winner.

Films
All films must be uploaded to FilmFreeway. Award winners must provide download access of their film on FilmFreeway. A download link to the film can also be emailed to sundarprize@gmail.com.

Subtitles
All non-English films must have burned in English subtitles

Film Assets for Finalists and Award Winners
The official trailer (YouTube link preferred), official poster, synopsis, and producer and director bio and photo must be emailed to sundarprize@gmail.com for marketing and promotion purposes. This requirement is for finalists and award winners only.

Social Media and Website for Finalists and Award Winners
Please also send your film’s social media handles for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as the film’s official website by emailing sundarprize@gmail.com. This requirement is for finalists and award winners only.

Thank You Videos for Award Winners
The winners are required to submit a thank you video approximately 60 seconds long that is an MP4 file that can be used for marketing and promotion purposes. Please email sundarprize@gmail.com. This requirement is for award winners only.

Student Films
The director must currently be a student or submit a student film that was released within the last two years after December 25, 2020.

Copyright
All entrants must ensure that appropriate clearances for copyright and personal rights required for public exhibition, marketing, and promotion of the official trailer and submitted film have been obtained. Failure to do so will result in the entry being disqualified. Upon selection, the entrant grants the Sher Vancouver, and its sponsors, supporters, community partners, and festival partners, the right to utilize publicity materials related to the film (i.e., press kits, posters, filmmaker profiles, stills, trailers, preview tapes, etc.) for promotional purposes in all mediums, including broadcast, print, and internet. By submitting a film, you indemnify Sher Vancouver and its affiliates, directors, officers, sponsors, community partners, festival partners, and other related persons from any and all liability resulting from your failure to comply with this section or any other such breach of the rights of a third party.  Furthermore, by submitting to Sundar you release Sher Vancouver from all risk and liability in the event of theft or breach of copyright of your materials while on Festival premises. The official trailer and clips from the film may be used in media interviews and other marketing and promotion of Sher Vancouver, the festival, sponsors, and community partners. The winning films will be screened at City Centre Library in Surrey, British Columbia before a live audience over two days.

The film has been submitted for consideration with the knowledge and consent of the Producer(s) and/or rights holders listed in the submission.

Participation in the Sundar Prize implies an understanding and acceptance of these regulations. Sher Vancouver reserves the right to change or modify these rules and regulations at any time without prior notice.