Accessibility & Sustainability Action Plan

2026 Edition

Sundar Prize Film Festival

Where Cinema Meets Social Change

1. Our Commitment

The Sundar Prize Film Festival, presented by Sher Pride, is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable cultural experience where all participants—regardless of ability, background, or circumstance—can fully engage and belong.

 

Accessibility is not a checklist for us; it is a continuous dialogue grounded in empathy, representation, and accountability. Our co-founder, Amar Sangha, identifies as a person with a disability and continues to guide our commitment to accessibility and inclusion at every level of our operations.

 

We are equally committed to environmental responsibility, embedding sustainability into our programming, production, and partnerships. Our belief is that accessibility and sustainability are both acts of care—toward people and the planet.

2. Venue Accessibility

  • All festival venues, including Landmark Cinemas Guildford and community event spaces, are fully wheelchair accessible, with accessible washrooms and barrier-free entrances.
  • Reserved accessible seating and companion spaces are provided for all screenings and panels.
  • Early entry or alternative waiting areas are available for attendees with visible or invisible disabilities.

3. Audio & Visual Accessibility

  • Most films are presented with open captions or English subtitles.

4. Quiet & Decompressing Spaces

  • A dedicated Quiet Room is available at each major venue to provide a calm, low-stimulation environment for those who need to rest, self-regulate, or decompress.
  • This space includes comfortable seating, dim lighting, and sensory aids.

5. Financial & Ticketing Accessibility

  • Community Ticketing Program: Complimentary tickets distributed to partner organizations serving low-income, Deaf, and disabled communities.
  • Pay-What-You-Can (PWYC) options for select community screenings and discussions.

6. Digital & Communication Accessibility

We strive to ensure our digital communications are accessible, legible, and inclusive across all platforms.

  • Our website listings are designed with enhanced readable fonts and clear layouts to improve readability and navigation.
  • Social media videos and digital promotional content are subtitled in English whenever possible to support Deaf and hard of hearing audiences.
  • Wherever platform tools allow, we include alt text descriptions for social media images. These descriptions aim to convey the visual content of each post so that people using screen readers can meaningfully engage with the material. We write these descriptions to the best of our ability within the character limits permitted by each platform.
  • Our graphic and digital materials are designed with accessibility in mind. We strive to maintain strong text contrast, colour blindness friendly palettes, and clear visual hierarchy so that text placed over our brand colours remains readable. Our design approach aims to follow widely recognized accessibility practices such as ADA and WCAG 2.0 Level AA guidelines wherever possible.

7. Representation & Inclusive Leadership

  • Our leadership reflects lived experience and advocacy:
    • Amar Sangha (He/Him) Co-Founder identifies as a person with a disability and has been instrumental in integrating accessibility and equity practices into the festival’s foundation.
    • Akshay Sachdeva (He/Him) serves on our Shortlist Jury and provides accessibility-informed insights through his background in social advocacy and film education.  Akshay also lives with a permanent disability and is a disability advocate.

8. Service Animals

  • Service animals are welcome at all festival venues.

9. Sustainability Commitments

  • We view sustainability as a form of accessibility—creating an environment that supports both people and the planet.
     Our initiatives include:
    • Eco-Friendly Trophies: Our signature bamboo trophies are handcrafted locally from sustainable materials, symbolizing renewal and community growth.
    • Waste Reduction: Digital-first marketing and ticketing to minimize printed materials.
    • Local Partnerships: Collaboration with local vendors and caterers.
    • Sustainable Venues: Preference for venues accessible by public transit.

10. Training, Consultation & Continuous Improvement

  • A post-festival feedback survey to collect attendee input and identify areas for growth.

We will consult with the Disability Screen Office (DSO) and allied film organizations to improve best practices.