The Sundar Prize Film Festival is an IMDb qualifying festival

The Sundar Prize Film Festival is an international film awards competition with $17,000 CAD in cash prizes for the top films in the select categories.

The winning films will be screened in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

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. Sundar means "beautiful" in Sanskrit which is the ancient language of India.

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
• 2SLGBTQ+ Community
• Vulnerable and Marginalized Peoples
• Environment 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. For more information check out: https://www.shervancouver.com/

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

• Vancouver International Film Festival - A Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival
• Vancouver Asian Film Festival - A Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival
• International South Asian Film Festival Canada - A Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival
• KDocsFF - Metro Vancouver's Premiere Social Justice Documentary Film Festival
• Vancouver Queer Film Festival - A Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival
• Vancouver Latin American Film Festival - Established since 2003
• DOXA Documentary Film Festival - A Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival
• Crazy8s - A short film festival established since 1999
• GEMS - Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver - A Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival
• Vancouver Island Short Film Festival

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.

SUNDAR PRIZE FILM FESTIVAL

MOTTO
Where cinema meets social change

MISSION
Our mission is to recognize and showcase films that use impactful and informative storytelling to raise awareness and inspire action on critical social causes and issues. We aim to celebrate filmmakers who are committed to creating positive social impact and promoting empathy, understanding, and social justice.

VISION
Our vision is a world where film is a powerful tool for social change, where diverse communities and causes are represented and celebrated, and where impactful storytelling inspires action towards a more just and equitable society.

The winners of the inaugural Sundar Prize will be screened on June 15 and 16, 2024 at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall.

• Best Feature Film - $5000
• Best International Documentary - $2500
• Best Canadian Documentary sponsored by Rogers Group of Funds - $2500
• Best British Columbia Film - $1500
• Best Environmental Film - $1500
• Best Short Film - $1500
• Best Animation - $1000
• Best Student Film - $500
• Emerging Filmmaker Residency Award sponsored by KDocsFF - $1000

The winners will also receive:

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

EMERGING FILMMAKER RESIDENCY PRIZE IN VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA

KDocsFF is offering a filmmaker’s residency program in the KDocsFF Social Justice Lab located on the Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, BC.

The four-month residency will give the emerging local filmmaker a dedicated workspace with editing equipment and access to the University’s film studies faculty and students as test audiences, as well as consultation and expertise.

The winner will also receive a $1000 CAD cash prize.

Please note only emerging filmmakers with less than five professional credits who are willing to reside in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada are eligible to apply. Please note applicants need to be a Permanent Resident or have Canadian Citizenship.

Submissions from BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+, Indigenous, and marginalized communities are strongly encouraged.

The KDocsFF Filmmaker’s Residency will be awarded at the inaugural Sundar Prize Film Festival in June 15 to 16, 2024. For more information contact: greg.chan@kpu.ca

FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

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

FILM REVIEW AND JUDGING PROCESS

Every film submitted to the Sundar Prize is viewed 1 to 3 times.

To ensure a meticulous evaluation, every film is watched by a qualified juror member who is compensated with a living wage. Our jurors possess extensive experience in the film industry, and some of them are also passionate social activists or advocates with diverse community-driven backgrounds. This diverse range of expertise allows us to approach each film from different perspectives, ensuring a comprehensive and insightful evaluation.

FINALISTS

For films that become finalists and are in the running for awards, we take the process even further. These films undergo a minimum of three viewings, guaranteeing a thorough analysis and consideration of their artistic merits.

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 after December 1, 2020.

Cash Prizes
Cash prizes are issued in Canadian currency only. Payment is made via email transfer or PayPal in Canada, and via PayPal or Western Union 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.

Decisions made by the jury are final and are not open to arbitration.

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 programming@sundarprize.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 programming@sundarprize.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 programming@sundarprize.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 programming@sundarprize.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 after December 1, 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.