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.