Huge Film Festival Set to Hit Brampton Soon

Published April 18, 2018 at 6:20 pm

Calling all movie-lovers, artists, and anyone looking for a fun and unique activity to kick off the warmer months!

Calling all movie-lovers, artists, and anyone looking for a fun and unique activity to kick off the warmer months!

It might not look or feel like spring just yet, but the largest South Asian film festival in all of North America, the International Film Festival of South Asia Toronto (IFFSA), is set to screen films and bring major events to Brampton from May 10-21, 2018.

The entire event screens over 150 films in over 15 languages across seven different cities in the GTA, so it’s kind of a big deal.

Along with films, the festival features concerts, gala events, lounge parties, seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities with government representatives, business leaders, local organizations that support film development, film stars, producers, directors, members of the media and more.

Venues in Brampton include Cineplex at Trinity Common, Lester B. Pearson Theatre, the Courtyard Marriott, Cineplex at Orion Gate, Sheridan College, and the Rose Theatre for closing ceremonies.

Films are also being screened in closeby cities Mississauga, Toronto, Oakville, and Caledon (there’s actually an outdoor movie planned there!). 

What kinds of films can you expect from the entire festival? 

The Song of Scorpions is having its North American premiere on the first day at 6:30 p.m. at Orion Gate with a talented cast, starring Irrfan Khan, Golshifteh Farahani and Waheeda Rehman. This film has been called “one of the most poetic and inspirational of contemporary world cinema” reads a recent release from IFFSA, and it’s written and directed by Anup Singh. 

“Hansal Mehta’s biographical crime thriller Omerta starring Rajkumar RaoBornila Chatterjee’s vengeance drama The Hungry starring Naseeruddin Shah and Dipesh Jain’s In The Shadows starring Manoj Bajpayee are the other thought provoking films that are making their premiere at the festival,” reads the release.

A range of films are set to hit the screens across the GTA.

“Roya Sadat’s Afghan feminist drama A Letter To The President focuses on corrosive misogyny that pervades all levels of social system. The film was selected as the Afghan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.”

“Devashish Makhija’s revenge saga Ajji bitterly and scathingly looks at the ongoing struggle with violence against women and turns a grim light on the institutional and cyclical poverty, inequality, indifference and entitlement.”

Last year, renowned international star Priyanka Chopra showed up in Toronto as part of IFFSA to promote the film she produced that was part of the festival, Sarvaan. Let’s see which stars show up this year!

IFFSA has showcased hundreds of award-winning films over the past six years while playing host to filmmakers, actors, industry professionals, and press from around the globe. The festival has become an international icon and a strong voice in South Asian cinema in Canada. This is their seventh year running.

Tickets range start at $5 to catch a film.

Click here to check out the full schedule and get tickets.

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