Entertainment / The Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival Brought Celebrated Global Desi Stories To The Big Screen

The Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival Brought Celebrated Global Desi Stories To The Big Screen

Entertainment Aug 09, 2019

by Marriska Fernandes

The internationally acclaimed festival boasted South Asian cinematic works which captured the hearts of the Desi cinephile.

The Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival (MISAFF) returned for its 7th year, taking place from August 1st through August 4th. This year festival’s focus was Bengali cinema which is also celebrating their 50th anniversary.

The opening night film Bangla made its North American premiere at the festival. Bangla takes place in Rome and follows the story of an Bengali-Italian young man who falls madly in love. However, according to his traditional parents, he must marry a Bengali woman. The film showcases a clash of cultures — an everyday reality for many second-generation immigrants.

The festival showcased 18 films which were screened at the Cineplex Cinemas Mississsauga and included feature length fiction films, documentaries as well as cinematic shorts from a global roster including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Italy, Australia and Canada.

“MISAFF takes the liberty of showcasing courageous and ground-breaking films,” Festival Director Arshad Khan noted. “We welcome audiences from Mississauga and the [Greater Toronto Area], and while it is a South Asian film festival, the stories and movies are for everyone irrespective of ethnicity or background.”

Khan continued “We are showcasing films that address the human condition but also relate to our lives in so many epic ways. MISAFF is the only film festival in Mississauga and it has built a reputation to showcase the best cinema South Asian filmmakers have on offer from around the world. We stand apart because as filmmakers ourselves we understand the needs of other film professionals. That is why we include opportunities for emerging filmmakers and talent to network with other industry professionals.”

The closing film was the hilarious and incredibly crafted debut feature from India called Kaamyaab, directed by Hardik Mehta.

Some of the notable celebs who attended include Mayor Bonnie Crombie, director Phaim Bhuiyan (Bangla), director Saqib Malik (Baaji), actor Hamza Haq, cricket player Shoaib Malik, actor Ali Kazmi, and Hardik Mehta (Kaamyaab).

The feature films that were screened at MISAFF included showcased the global roster that this festival is known for:

Bangla
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE | Italy | 80 min | Italian/Bengali with English subtitles | PG

Baaji
SPECIAL PRESENTATION | Pakistan | 120 min | Urdu/English with English subtitles

Indus Blues
ONTARIO PREMIERE | Pakistan | 60 min | Urdu/Pashtu/Sindhi with English subtitles | Documentary

Jirga
MISSISSAUGA PREMIERE | Australia | 79 min | English/ Pashtu

Kaamyaab
SPECIAL SCREENING | India | 107 min | Hindi with English subtitles

Mehsampur
SPECIAL SCREENING | India | 86min | Punjabi with English subtitles | A

Photograph
MISSISSAUGA PREMIERE | India | 110 min | Hindi with English subtitles

SA
CANADIAN PREMIERE | India | 110min | Bengali with English subtitles

Sindhustan
CANADIAN PREMIERE | India | 60 min | English | Documentary

The Without The Him (Runanubandha)
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE | India | 110 min | Bengali

Untying The Knot
MISSISSAUGA PREMIERE | Canada | 78 min | English/Bengali | Documentary

Venus
MISSISSAUGA PREMIERE | Canada | 95 min | English

As part of MISAFF’s festival tradition, their carefully selected jury handed out various awards as well!

**The Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival Brought Celebrated Global Desi Stories To The Big Screen: The list of MISAFF 19 award winners**. Photo Credit: www.misaff.com

Scroll down to see key photo highlights!

**MISAFF 2019: Phaim Bhuiyan, Mayor Bonnie Crombie, Hardik Mehta**. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tisdelle-Macias

Main Image Photo Credit: Rebecca Tisdelle-Macias

Marriska Fernandes

Author

Marriska (@marriska.fernandes) is an entertainment expert who has been creating celebrity, movies and pop culture content for digital outlets for over ten years. From reporting headline-grabbing celebrity news to reviewing movies to interviewing Hollywood and Bollywood’s finest actors and industry...

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The Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival Brought Celebrated Global Desi Stories To The Big Screen

by Marriska Fernandes

Marriska Fernandes

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