Storyteller's Contest

Calling Emerging Storytellers who are 16+!

Submit your film treatment or project outline to bring compelling social justice concepts to life – showcasing creativity, purpose, and impact. For more information on content requirements and how to submit, keep scrolling down this page!

Please note this contest is only for BC Residents.

Prizes

Filmmaker Mentorship
First Prize: $300
Second Prize: $200
Third Prize: $100

About the Youth Storytelling Contest

The BC Youth Storytelling Contest is an initiative of the Sundar Prize Film Festival Luminaries Program. Its purpose is to identify and support young creators who are passionate about storytelling and filmmaking. By providing mentorship, learning opportunities, and public recognition, the program helps youth develop both their creative voice and their confidence.

Read Past Contest Announcement (2025)

Winners of the 2025 BC Youth Storytelling Contest

The grand prize winner received a $300 award and a mentorship with a local filmmaker. The second prize winner received $200, and the third prize winner received $100. All three winners will be offered mentorship opportunities and will be honoured during the Sundar Prize Film Festival Awards Ceremony in April 2026.

“The talent and vision shown by these young creators reaffirm why we launched the Luminaries Program,” said Sundar Prize Co-Founder and Sher Pride Founder Alex Sangha. “When youth have the chance to be seen, supported, and celebrated, they rise in remarkable ways. Their stories remind us of the power of courage, imagination, and lived experience in shaping the future of film and storytelling.”

Content Requirements

Anonymous Submission: Do not include your name, email, or address on the script. The title page should contain only the project title.
Document Length: Maximum 2 pages
Format: PDF, Microsoft Word, or Google Docs
Must be an original concept (no adaptations unless you own the rights)

Include the following:

Project Title
Log Line: A short genre-based summary (40 words or less)
Genre, Format, Length, Language, and Target Audience (e.g., Short Documentary / 10 minutes / English / ages 14+, educational/festival circuit)
Synopsis or Treatment: Introduction of characters, subjects, setting, and location
Story arc, key moments, and emotional turning points
Resolution, conclusion, or call to action
Style and creative vision (e.g., camera techniques, tone, music, sound design)
Optional: up to 3 images
Please put “Storytellers Contest Submission – YOUR NAME” as the email subject

Multiple Entries: Allowed, but each must be submitted separately.

Jury for the 2025 BC Youth Storytelling Contest

Read Sidartha's Full Bio

Acting Career:

Sidartha‘s acting career includes a role in the television series Legion (2017), created by Noah Hawley, where he portrayed Wild Rusty Combs in the pilot episode. He also starred as Isaac Maffoud in Imposter (2023), a short film directed by Rafael Millán, which was featured at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival. His early work includes a supporting role in The Specials (2015), which won Best North American Short at the International South Asian Film Festival (ISAFF), a Canadian Screen Award Qualifying Festival. He was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Coffee at Laundromat (2016).

Filmmaking Career:

Transitioning into filmmaking, Sidartha wrote, directed, and starred in The Interview (2019), a drama exploring the pursuit of happiness, which won Best Short Film at ISAFF. In 2020, he created Gratitude, a heartfelt comedy that won Best Comedy. The following year, he co-directed, co-produced, and acted in the heist-comedy Remnants (2021), which played to a sellout crowd at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival. His animated short, Embrace (2021) was also selected for the festival, addressing men’s mental health through a creative lens.

In 2023, Sidartha expanded his international footprint with Tarian Tresna (Dance of Love), shot in Bali, Indonesia. The film, currently in post-production, follows a 12-year-old girl who believes she is the reincarnation of the goddess Sita. He also completed Chaturanga, a thriller inspired by his love for chess and strong visuals, serving as a proof of concept for his first feature film. Chaturanga has been recently selected for CAAMFest, the largest showcase for Asian American media in North America, and the Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival, a Canadian Screen Award Qualifying Festival that highlights culturally diverse filmmakers.

Industry Involvement:

Beyond his filmmaking endeavors, Sidartha is deeply involved in the festival circuit. He serves as the Executive Director and Senior Programmer of the Sundar Prize Film Festival and the Director of Feature Programming at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, championing diverse voices in cinema. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival, further showcasing his commitment to supporting multicultural storytelling.

Currently, Sidartha is developing his debut feature film and a TV series, continuing to create thought-provoking, visually rich, and culturally resonant stories.

Read Ian's Full Bio

Ian first began to seek a career in storytelling from a young age leading his local community in games. As he grew, he learned more about the world through the pursuit of an acting career and quickly rose in the ranks at his community theatre. At his high school in Walnut Grove, he achieved one of the positions as top student in his writing class. After secondary school he wrote, produced, and started in numerous short films around Vancouver where he also works as a professional actor in TV. Ian recently graduated from Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s BA of Creative Writing and English program with distinction and now is studying to achieve his Masters in Classic and Contemporary Text at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

During that time, he had been studying acting part time across Metro Vancouver and with Deborah Aquila at the Aquila Studio. His work in the indie film world led him to become a founding member of the Sundar Prize Film Festival, where he currently assists as a juror and coordinator of the Student & Youth Luminaries program.

His credits cover his community theatre experience (2010-2016) that led him to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (2016) and Beauty and the Beast (2017) at WGSS. Ian’s professional TV credits include Sacred Lies (2019), Riverdale (2020), and Animal Control (2023), along with indie community films as an actor, writer, and producer. Most notably, Ian stared in Nightswimming (2021), co-wrote for RunNGun (2022), and is the creative lead of the Kingkiller Fanfilms (2020-2025).

Ian’s full CV can be found on his website: ianfrayne.com

Read Karen's Full Bio

Karen holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia and began her career in accounting before moving into film and television. Starting in production accounting, she soon expanded into producing, working across short films, web series, television, documentaries, and feature films. This unique pathway allows her to combine strong financial expertise with creative vision, making her a trusted collaborator.

Karen is deeply committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, consistently championing underrepresented voices and ensuring that independent artists have the opportunity to share their stories. Her work reflects a respect for artists and a belief in the power of film to inspire dialogue, foster empathy, and spark meaningful social change. Through her role at Moving Images, Karen continues to create space for Canadian media artists to thrive, while helping audiences engage with stories that matter.