DESI DIARY
SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF MONTREAL
A still from the film Balakrishna.
Kabir Centre for Arts & Culture presents SAFFMontreal with films from the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora.
Now celebrating its 10th year, the South Asian Film Festival of Montréal (SAFFM) is committed to showcasing new artistic work that fosters discussion and delves into universal issues.
The Festival is a platform for filmmakers worldwide whose films have a focus on South Asia and the South Asian diaspora.
This year’s Festival will take place online with panellists from all over the world. With separate film streams subtitled in French and English, along with Q&A sessions accessible across borders, this online Festival will be more notable than ever.
The opening night will present two Canadian Films, one short (Balakrishna) and one feature length (Behind the Bhangra Boys). The closing film is Because We Are Girls.
Balakrishna. 15 mins, directed by Colin MacKenzie, Aparna Kapur. Based on a true story, and blending animation and archival material, Balakrishna is the bittersweet love story of a boy and an abused creature in a foreign land. Winton, a thirteen-year-old boy living in small town Nova Scotia in 1967, falls in love with an elephant (Balakrishna) that has been brought over by an Indian industrialist who has built a giant plant in the small town, he wants to impress. What becomes clear is that Winton is the only one who seems to care for the elephant’s well-being.
A still from the film Behind the Bhangra Boys.
Behind the Bhangra Boys. 53 mins, directed by Nance Ackerman. A joyous look at culture, immigration, activism and community through the experience of the Maritime Bhangra Group – a Bhangra dancing team of five Sikh immigrants on Canada’s East Coast – who dance to fundraise for charities. Going beyond the dance and viral videos, we follow the group as they seek connections in First Nations communities to raise awareness for Climate Change and our planet.
Because We are Girls. 85 mins, directed by Baljit Sangra. A conservative Indo-Canadian family in small-town British Columbia must come to terms with a devastating secret: three sisters were sexually abused by an older relative beginning in their childhood years. After remaining silent for nearly two and a half decades, the sisters finally decide to come forward – not only to protect other young relatives – but to set an example for their daughters as well.
From November 19-29, 2020. Free, donations appreciated.
Visit www.saffm.centrekabir.com, www.facebook.com/saffmtl for more info and listings.