The 2024 Sundar Prize Film Festival was the inaugural Sundar Prize Film Festival, held from June 15 to 16, 2024, at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.Vicki Duong, "Inaugural Sundar Prize Film Festival reveals lineup". The Georgia Straight. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026."Sundar Prize Film Festival". Canadian Media Producers Association. Retrieved June 4, 2026. Presented by Sher Vancouver, the festival's theme was "Celebrating Human Resilience"."Human resilience in 9 prize-winning films at Surrey's new Sundar festival". Surrey Now-Leader. April 5, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026.Charlie Smith, "Sundar Prize Film Festival announces this year's winners". Pancouver. April 2, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
Unlike later editions, the inaugural festival screened only the nine award-winning films. The festival announced its finalists on March 1, 2024, and announced the award winners on April 2, 2024, ahead of the June in-person screenings."Official Press Releases". Sundar Prize Film Festival. Retrieved June 4, 2026. Reporting on the festival noted that the nine winning films were selected from 228 submissions and were screened across four screening blocks at Surrey City Hall.Emily Lyth, "Winners announced for screenings at inaugural Sundar Prize Film Festival". Stir. April 30, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026. The program included red carpet interviews, panel discussions, opening remarks, receptions, and presentations of awards to attending filmmakers during the festival screenings."PROGRAMME". Sundar Prize Film Festival. June 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026."Sundar Prize Film Festival launches in Surrey". The Runner. June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
Sidartha Murjani served as the festival's Executive Director and Senior Programmer for the inaugural edition.
Program The festival was held over two days at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall. The program was organized into four screening blocks, each built around the festival's nine award-winning films and accompanying panel discussions.
Jury The 2024 program guide listed jury members for the inaugural festival.
Finalist Jury Alex Sangha Vinay Giridhar Susan Ruzic Sidartha Murjani Greg Chan
Shortlist Jury Rami Kahlon Nic Altobelli
Awards The winners were announced on April 2, 2024."Sundar Prize Winners 2024". Sundar Prize Film Festival. Retrieved June 4, 2026."#WatchBC Sundar Prize Film Festival 2024 Winners". BC Creates. May 1, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026. The 2024 edition presented cash prizes across nine categories, including sponsored awards from the Rogers Group of Funds and KDocsFF.
Award Film Director or recipient Prize Best Feature Film Rosie Gail Maurice $5,000 CAD Rogers Group of Funds Best Canadian Documentary Eternal Spring Jason Loftus $2,500 CAD Best International Documentary Swallow Flying to the South Mochi Lin $2,500 CAD Best British Columbia Film Dil Rakh: Gloves of Kin Dalj Brar $1,500 CAD Best Short Film A Good Day Will Come Amir Zargara $1,500 CAD Best Environmental Film Rematriation Alexi Liotti $1,500 CAD Best Animation Unstoppable Beat Luke Dye-Montefiore and Rufus Dye-Montefiore $1,000 CAD Best Student Film DOSH Radha Mehta $500 CAD KDocsFF Best Emerging Filmmaker Residency Prize Cash Cows Shubham Chhabra $1,000 CAD
Following the inaugural edition, the festival expanded its award categories for the 2025 festival.
Films The 2024 festival screened the nine award-winning films over four screening blocks.
Building Empathy through Film: Fostering Understanding and Connection This opening screening block was screened on June 15, 2024, at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country Unstoppable Beat
Luke Dye-Montefiore and Rufus Dye-Montefiore United Kingdom Dil Rakh: Gloves of Kin
Dalj Brar Canada
Empowerment through Art: The Resilience of Creative Expression This screening block was screened on June 15, 2024, at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country Cash Cows
Shubham Chhabra Canada Eternal Spring
Jason Loftus Canada
Hope in Times of Crisis: Finding Resilience Amidst Adversity This screening block was screened on June 16, 2024, at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country A Good Day Will Come
Amir Zargara Canada Swallow Flying to the South
Mochi Lin United States Rematriation
Alexi Liotti Canada
Celebrating Human Resilience: How do we build genuinely strong communities? This closing screening block was screened on June 16, 2024, at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country DOSH
Radha Mehta United States Rosie
Gail Maurice Canada
References
External links
2024 Program Guide 2024 Winners