Sundar Prize Film Festival Press Kit
Welcome to the official press kit for the Sundar Prize Film Festival.
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a social impact film festival based in Surrey and Delta, British Columbia, Canada. Our motto is Where Cinema Meets Social Change. We showcase bold, beautiful, and meaningful films that use storytelling to raise awareness, deepen understanding, and inspire action on important social causes and issues.
This page provides journalists, media outlets, festival partners, sponsors, filmmakers, community organizations, educators, and industry professionals with official information, downloadable assets, background materials, and contact details for media inquiries.
For interviews, press accreditation, media requests, images, quotes, or additional information, please contact:
Media Inquiries
Amar Sangha
Co-Founder, Sundar Prize Film Festival
info@sherpride.ca
Programming Inquiries
Sidartha Murjani
Executive Director and Senior Programmer, Sundar Prize Film Festival
programming@sundarprize.com
Quick Facts
Festival Name: Sundar Prize Film Festival
Motto: Where Cinema Meets Social Change
Location: Surrey and Delta, British Columbia, Canada
Parent Organization: Sher Pride, a registered Canadian charity
Festival Founded By: Amar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar
Festival Focus: Social impact cinema
Festival Status: IMDb qualifying festival and Film Festival Alliance member
Current Edition: 4th Annual Sundar Prize Film Festival, April 22 to 25, 2027
Primary Audiences: Film lovers, filmmakers, students, educators, social justice advocates, nonprofit leaders, community organizations, cultural workers, and audiences interested in cinema that advances empathy, understanding, and change
Official Website: sundarprize.com
Submissions: Hosted through FilmFreeway
About the Sundar Prize Film Festival
Short Version
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a social impact film festival based in Surrey and Delta, British Columbia. A project of Sher Pride, the festival celebrates films that use powerful storytelling to raise awareness, inspire empathy, and encourage action on critical social causes and issues.
Medium Version
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a social impact film festival based in Surrey and Delta, British Columbia, Canada. Founded by Amar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar, the festival was created to connect filmmakers and audiences through cinema that explores human rights, health and wellness, immigration, social justice, Indigenous stories, racial equity, gender equity, 2SLGBTQ+ experiences, environmental issues, and the lives of vulnerable and marginalized communities.
A project of Sher Pride, a registered Canadian charity, the Sundar Prize Film Festival provides a professional platform for local, national, and international films that promote empathy, understanding, representation, and social change.
Long Version
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a growing social impact film festival based in Surrey and Delta, British Columbia, Canada. Guided by the motto Where Cinema Meets Social Change, the festival recognizes and showcases films that use impactful and informative storytelling to raise awareness and inspire action on critical social causes and issues.
The festival was founded by documentary producer Amar Sangha and filmmaker Vinay Giridhar to create a professional, inclusive, and accessible platform for films that move audiences and contribute to a more just and compassionate world. Sundar means “beautiful” in Sanskrit, reflecting the festival’s belief that cinema can reveal beauty, truth, complexity, and humanity even when addressing difficult social issues.
The festival welcomes films of any theme while especially encouraging work that speaks to human rights, health and wellness, immigrants and refugees, social justice, Indigenous peoples, people of colour, gender equity, the 2SLGBTQ+ community, vulnerable and marginalized peoples, environment and climate change, and educational storytelling.
As a project of Sher Pride, a registered Canadian charity, the Sundar Prize Film Festival is rooted in community leadership, cultural inclusion, and social change. The festival brings together filmmakers, audiences, nonprofit organizations, educators, students, funders, industry professionals, and community partners for screenings, awards, conversations, mentorship, youth engagement, and meaningful public dialogue.
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 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 toward a more just and equitable society.
What Makes Sundar Prize Distinct
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is built at the intersection of cinema, community, and social change.
The festival is distinctive because it:
- Focuses on social impact storytelling across multiple causes and communities
- Is rooted in Surrey and Delta while welcoming films from across Canada and around the world
- Is connected to Sher Pride, a registered Canadian charity with a long history of community service
- Supports emerging and established filmmakers through awards, mentorship, visibility, and professional recognition
- Creates space for stories about communities that are often underrepresented in mainstream cinema
- Brings together filmmakers, educators, nonprofit leaders, artists, youth, funders, and audiences
- Maintains low-barrier, community-centred access to meaningful cinema
- Celebrates both artistic excellence and the power of film to move people toward understanding and action
Key Themes and Areas of Focus
The Sundar Prize Film Festival welcomes films with any theme, while especially encouraging films connected to:
- Human Rights
- Health and Wellness
- Immigrants and Refugees
- Social Justice Issues
- Indigenous Peoples
- People of Colour
- Gender Equity
- 2SLGBTQ+ Communities
- Vulnerable and Marginalized Peoples
- Environment and Climate Change
- Educational Films
- Spirituality, Healing, and Personal Transformation
- Youth Voices and Emerging Filmmakers
- British Columbia Stories
- Diaspora and Cross-Cultural Experiences
Festival Story Angles for Media
Journalists and media outlets may be interested in the following story angles:
Cinema as Social Change
How the Sundar Prize Film Festival uses film to spark dialogue on human rights, justice, identity, health, migration, belonging, and community transformation.
A Growing Film Festival in Surrey and Delta
How Sundar Prize is helping build film culture outside Vancouver’s downtown core by bringing high-quality social impact cinema to Surrey and Delta.
Community-Led Film Festival Model
How a registered charity created a professional film festival that blends arts programming, public education, youth engagement, mentorship, awards, and community partnerships.
Diverse Voices on Screen
How the festival creates space for films by and about Indigenous, racialized, immigrant, refugee, queer, women, youth, disabled, and other underrepresented communities.
Youth, Mentorship, and Emerging Filmmakers
How Sundar Prize supports emerging filmmakers through mentorship, youth jury opportunities, student showcases, and recognition for new creative voices.
Local Stories, Global Relevance
How films from British Columbia, Canada, and around the world connect audiences through shared themes of home, resilience, justice, identity, and belonging.
Queer and South Asian Leadership in Canadian Film Culture
How the festival’s founders and parent charity bring lived experience, community leadership, and social impact filmmaking into the Canadian festival landscape.
Downloadable Media Assets
Please use the official assets below for media coverage, partner promotion, sponsorship recognition, and festival publicity.
Official Program
Download the current Sundar Prize Film Festival program guide.
Sponsorship Package
Download the current sponsorship package for partners, funders, sponsors, and community supporters.
Official Brand Guide
Download the official brand guide for guidance on logo use, brand colours, etc.
Official Logos
Download high-resolution Sundar Prize Film Festival logos for media, partner, sponsor, and promotional use.
NOTE:
Please do not stretch, distort, recolour, crop, or alter the official Sundar Prize Film Festival logo. When possible, leave sufficient spacing around the logo and use the version that provides the strongest contrast against the background.
Festival Photos
Download approved festival photos for media coverage and promotional use.
NOTE:
Photo credit must be included when provided. Please do not use festival photos in a misleading context or in a way that suggests endorsement without written permission.
Founder and Team Headshots
Download approved headshots of festival founders, leadership, team members, and key spokespeople.
Trailers and Video Assets
View and share official festival trailers, recap videos, filmmaker interviews, and promotional videos.
Approved Boilerplate
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a social impact film festival based in Surrey and Delta, British Columbia, Canada. Guided by the motto Where Cinema Meets Social Change, the festival recognizes and showcases films that use impactful storytelling to raise awareness, build empathy, and inspire action on critical social causes and issues. A project of Sher Pride, a registered Canadian charity, the festival brings together filmmakers, audiences, educators, nonprofit organizations, industry professionals, and community leaders to celebrate cinema that advances understanding, representation, and social change.
Founder Bios
Amar Sangha
Co-Founder, Sundar Prize Film Festival
Amar Sangha is an award-winning social worker, documentary film producer, and community leader. He is the Founder of Sher Pride, a registered Canadian charity supporting LGBTQ+ South Asians and friends, families, and allies. Through his work in community development, mental health, social justice, and documentary film, Amar has helped create platforms for underrepresented communities to share their stories with dignity, care, and impact.
Amar produced the award-winning short documentary My Name Was January, about transgender people of colour, and the 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 Pride.
As Co-Founder of the Sundar Prize Film Festival, Amar focuses on partnerships, community engagement, sponsorship, social impact, and the long-term vision of building a festival where cinema supports justice, healing, representation, and public dialogue.
Vinay Giridhar
Co-Founder and Creative Director, Sundar Prize Film Festival
Vinay Giridhar is an award-winning filmmaker, director, editor, animator, visual artist, and creative leader. His feature documentary Emergence: Out of the Shadows screened at nearly 50 established film festivals around the world and was broadcast on Knowledge Network, TVO, and OUTtv.
As Co-Founder and Creative Director of the Sundar Prize Film Festival, Vinay brings a filmmaker’s eye to the festival’s creative direction, programming identity, trailer production, visual storytelling, and overall artistic vision. His work helps shape Sundar Prize as a festival created by filmmakers for filmmakers, film lovers, and communities seeking stories that matter.
Executive Director and Senior Programmer Bio
Sidartha Murjani
Executive Director and Senior Programmer, Sundar Prize Film Festival
Sidartha Murjani is a filmmaker, programmer, and arts leader who serves as Executive Director and Senior Programmer of the Sundar Prize Film Festival. He supports the festival’s programming vision, filmmaker relations, festival operations, jury coordination, and public presentation.
Through his leadership, Sundar Prize continues to grow as a professional, community-rooted platform for films that explore social issues, amplify diverse voices, and bring audiences together for meaningful dialogue.
Suggested Quotes
Amar Sangha
“The Sundar Prize Film Festival was created because we believe cinema can do more than entertain. Film can open hearts, challenge assumptions, honour lived experience, and inspire people to care about one another and the world around them.”
Vinay Giridhar
“As filmmakers, we know how powerful it is when a story finds the right audience. Sundar Prize is about creating that bridge between artists and communities, especially for stories that carry social meaning, emotional truth, and the possibility of change.”
Sidartha Murjani
“Our festival celebrates films that ask important questions about who we are, where we belong, and how we can build a more compassionate society. We are proud to support filmmakers whose work sparks conversation and connection.”
Awards and Recognition
The Sundar Prize Film Festival presents awards across multiple categories that recognize excellence in social impact cinema, including feature films, short films, documentaries, animation, environmental storytelling, 2SLGBTQ+ stories, youth films, student films, British Columbia films, and emerging filmmakers.
Award categories may include:
- Best Feature Film
- Best Short Film
- Best Feature Documentary
- Best Short Documentary
- Best Short Animation
- Best Environmental Film
- Best Spiritual, Health, and Wellness Film
- Best 2SLGBTQ+ Film
- Best Youth Film
- Best Student Film
- Best British Columbia Feature Film
- Best British Columbia Short Film
- BC Student Film Showcase
- KDocsFF Best Emerging Filmmaker Residency Award
- Special Jury or Performance Recognition, when applicable
The festival also supports filmmakers through cash prizes, industry support, mentorship, partnerships, and community visibility.
Land Acknowledgement
The Sundar Prize Film Festival takes place on the unceded traditional territories of the Semiahmoo, Musqueam, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt, and Tsawwassen First Nations.
We acknowledge these lands with gratitude and respect, and we recognize the ongoing relationships, stewardship, cultures, and rights of Indigenous peoples. As a festival committed to social change, we understand that storytelling, justice, reconciliation, and responsibility are deeply connected.
About Sher Pride
Sher Pride, legally known as Sher Vancouver LGBTQ Friends Society, is a registered Canadian charity established in 2008. The organization supports LGBTQ+ South Asians and friends, families, and allies through peer support, outreach, counselling referrals, arts and culture, youth engagement, media projects, film programming, community education, and social justice initiatives.
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a project of Sher Pride and reflects the organization’s broader commitment to human rights, inclusion, community care, and storytelling as a tool for social change.
Media Interview Topics
Sundar Prize representatives are available to speak about:
- The role of cinema in advancing social change
- Building a social impact film festival in Surrey and Delta
- Representation in Canadian and international film
- Queer, South Asian, immigrant, and racialized storytelling
- Youth and emerging filmmaker development
- Community partnerships and nonprofit-led arts programming
- The importance of accessible film festivals
- Film as a tool for education, empathy, and public dialogue
- The growth of social impact cinema
- How festivals can support filmmakers beyond screenings
Sample Media Description
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a social impact film festival based in Surrey and Delta, British Columbia. The festival showcases films that explore human rights, health and wellness, immigration, social justice, Indigenous stories, racial equity, gender equity, 2SLGBTQ+ experiences, environmental issues, and other urgent social causes. A project of Sher Pride, Sundar Prize brings together filmmakers, audiences, educators, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders to celebrate cinema that inspires empathy, understanding, and action.
Media FAQ
What does “Sundar” mean?
Sundar means “beautiful” in Sanskrit, an ancient language of South Asia. The name reflects the festival’s belief that film can reveal beauty, humanity, truth, and connection, even when addressing difficult and complex social issues.
What kind of films does the festival showcase?
The festival welcomes films of any theme, while especially encouraging films connected to social causes and social impact, including human rights, health and wellness, immigration, Indigenous peoples, people of colour, gender equity, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, vulnerable and marginalized peoples, environmental issues, and educational storytelling.
Is the festival only for South Asian films?
No. Sundar Prize welcomes films from all communities, cultures, and countries. The festival has strong South Asian and social justice roots through its founders and parent organization, but its programming is broad, international, and inclusive.
Is the festival only for documentary films?
No. Sundar Prize showcases narrative films, documentaries, animation, shorts, features, student films, youth films, and other forms of cinematic storytelling.
Where does the festival take place?
The festival takes place in Surrey and Delta, British Columbia, Canada.
Who organizes the festival?
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a project of Sher Pride, a registered Canadian charity. The festival was founded by Amar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar and is supported by a team of filmmakers, programmers, artists, volunteers, community leaders, and advisors.
How can media request interviews or images?
Media can contact Amar Sangha, Co-Founder, at info@sherpride.ca for interview requests, images, quotes, background information, and press access.
Media Inquiries
For interviews, press requests, media accreditation, images, quotes, or further information, please contact:
Amar Sangha
Co-Founder, Sundar Prize Film Festival
info@sherpride.ca
Programming Inquiries
Sidartha Murjani
Executive Director and Senior Programmer, Sundar Prize Film Festival
programming@sundarprize.com