Community Spotlight / Why The South Asian Film Festival of Montréal Is the Cultural Event You Can’t Miss

Why The South Asian Film Festival of Montréal Is the Cultural Event You Can’t Miss

Community Spotlight Apr 25, 2025

by Team ANOKHI LIFE

As spring blooms in Montréal, so too does a vibrant celebration of storytelling. The 14th edition of the South Asian Film Festival of Montréal (SAFFMontréal) returns this April 25 to May 10, offering a powerful lineup of over 50 films from 11 countries, rich in language, culture, and artistic vision.

Organized by the Kabir Cultural Centre and led by Festival Director and Head of Programming Syeda Nayab Bukhari, this beloved cultural event has cemented its place as Quebec’s only South Asian film festival.

BUY FESTIVAL PASS HERE

Screenings will take place at the state-of-the-art DeSève Cinema in the heart of Concordia University, as well as online, with many films followed by engaging Q&As (live and virtual) featuring filmmakers, professors, critics, and other industry voices. This hybrid format brings the festival to a global audience while deepening local community ties.

A Global Lens on South Asian Stories

From Bangladesh to Bhutan, Canada to the UK, the films featured at SAFFMontréal offer a kaleidoscopic look at the South Asian experience. With entries spanning Telugu, Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Pashto, French, and even First Nations languages, this year’s festival exemplifies the inclusive, boundary-crossing nature of storytelling.

In keeping with its mission to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and artistic excellence, the 2025 edition brings an eclectic mix of full-length features, shorts, documentaries, and experimental films. Jury-selected awards will honor cinematic merit across these categories, with many Canadian premieres providing rare access to stories not found on mainstream platforms.

Opening and Closing with Impact

The festival opens with the stunning Himalayan-set drama Shambala, a story of love, loss, and liberation. Following newly married and pregnant Pema as she braves the wilderness in search of her missing husband, the film evolves into a stirring tale of self-discovery set against a rarely-seen backdrop of polyandrous tradition.

Bookending the festival is Village Rockstars 2, a coming-of-age sequel that captures the trials and triumphs of Dhunu, a teenage girl pursuing her dream of becoming a musician amid life’s unrelenting realities. Directed by Rima Das, the film continues the spirit of its predecessor while exploring themes of identity, resilience, and the transformative power of music.

Timely Themes and Powerful Panels

This year’s lineup dives deep into urgent, thought-provoking topics: women’s rights, LGBTQ+ narratives, the caste system, climate change, Indigenous solidarity, free speech, and intergenerational trauma, to name just a few. The films are as stylistically diverse as they are thematically rich – ranging from musicals and dramas to documentaries and experimental shorts.

The programming also includes unique pairings of feature films with shorts, enhancing the viewing experience and creating dynamic conversations. One standout addition this year is a series on First Nations films, followed by discussions centered on Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. This initiative invites reflection on shared experiences across Indigenous and South Asian communities and fosters cross-cultural understanding.

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Voices Behind the Vision

Festival Director Syeda Nayab Bukhari, also an affiliate professor at Concordia’s Simone de Beauvoir Institute, shares her passion for spotlighting women’s stories:

“I’m looking forward to this year’s SAFFMontréal which celebrates the incredible resilience of women facing social, cultural, economic and environmental challenges worldwide and in South Asia specifically.” – Syeda Nayab Bukhari

From Pema’s rugged journey in Shambala to the aspiring cricketer’s struggle in Nayab, to the mother-daughter bond rooted in rural love in Village Rockstars 2, the festival places women’s courage at its core.

TK Raghunathan, president of SAFFMontréal and General Manager of the Kabir Cultural Centre, highlights the festival’s spiritual and cultural breadth:

“We promote multi-faith expressions in art. This year we’re proud to present films like Guru Nanak’s verses and The Dalai Lama’s Gift—cross-cultural stories with universal messages.” – TK Raghunathan

Raghunathan also spotlights Agent of Happiness, the first Bhutanese film in the festival’s history, calling it a “heart-opening look into why Bhutan is considered one of the happiest nations.”

Accessible and Community-Focused

SAFFMontréal is committed to keeping cinema accessible. All in-person and online screenings are offered by donation, with festival passes available for just $35 (early bird). English and French subtitles ensure that audiences from all backgrounds can enjoy the films.

Festival-goers can expect a deeply rewarding experience, whether attending a live screening, tuning into a filmmaker talkback, or discovering a hidden gem online. The South Asian Film Festival of Montréal continues to be not only a cultural highlight but a crucial space for empathy, education, and empowerment through the cinematic arts.

SAFFMontréal 2025 Schedule:

In-cinema screenings: April 25–27 & May 2–4
Online access: May 1–10
Location: DeSève Cinema, Concordia University
Tickets: Suggested donation $10 | Festival Pass $35 (until April 20)

saffm.centrekabir.com
[email protected]
Facebook.com/saffmtl

BUY FESTIVAL PASS HERE

Suggested Reading:

Over 50 Films From 9 Countries At The Eclectic South Asian Film Festival Montreal (May 24 – June 3)

Here’s Why You Can’t Miss The 12th South Asian Film Festival Of Montréal

This Is Why The South Asian Film Festival Of Montreal (SAFF Montreal) Should Be On Your List

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Why The South Asian Film Festival of Montréal Is the Cultural Event You Can’t Miss

by Team ANOKHI LIFE

A Global Lens on South Asian Stories

Opening and Closing with Impact

Timely Themes and Powerful Panels

Voices Behind the Vision

Accessible and Community-Focused

SAFFMontréal 2025 Schedule:

COMMENTS

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