SURREY – The Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival  (VISAFF)  is moving to Surrey this year and bringing their line-up of local and international films to where the audience is.

 VISAFF runs from Nov. 16-19 and will screen a host of international and Canadian films through the four day event. 

 “VISAFF has been an excellent platform for filmmakers from around the world to showcase their work related to the South Asian Diaspora and South Asian themes, the festival has grown tremendously since the past 7 years as there is an increasing demand for South Asian movies and talent. I’m very thankful for the support and appreciation that the community has given us,” states Festival Director,  Mannu Sandhu. 

 VISAFF’s opening night will commence at the Centre Stage, Surrey City Hall on Nov. 16 and the doors will open at 7 p.m. The opening night gala is THE event to attend with the promise of mind-blowing music, distinctly Indian delicacies and a night to remember as you get set for some incredible screen entertainment. 

 Bollywood beauty Huma Qureshi will headline the festival with a Q&A session on Nov 16. She will talk about her work, provide some tips and career advice for local talent and also shed light on her experience on the sets of Viceroy’s House, her International debut.

 Some of our top film picks this year are Actor in Law, Cinema Travellers, The Valley, The Snake Charmer, Abu, The Union Leader and international short, Sisak. We also have a line of local short films, features and documentaries. The most awaited films are Maple the Documentary, Welcome to Surrey (Web Series), Help Wanted, Ranvir, and No way to Return.

 VISAFF Picks this year:

No way to Return: A Punjabi inspirational short movie, "No Way To Return" is about life and drug addiction.

 Actor in Law: Estranged from his attorney father, an aspiring actor poses as a lawyer who becomes a celebrity for taking on difficult cases.

Help wanted: Pavan, a Punjabi teenager, gets involved in his local gang in order to support his fragmented family when his unemployed and abusive father fails to do so.

Maple: A documentary profiling the life and loss of Maple Batalia, a 19-year-old health sciences student, aspiring actress and model from B.C., who was gunned down at the Simon Fraser University parking lot on September 28, 2011.

 Bout Us: It is a real-life “Romeo and Juliet” story that highlights cultural stigmas in Canada.

The Snake Charmer: The documentary follows Bollywood actor Amir Khan on a journey from the sets of ‘Satyamev Jayate’, to the filming of his blockbuster ‘Dangal’, the biopic of a father who encourages his young daughters to take up wrestling and make their own choices in life.

 Ranvir: It’s a drama about a young Indo-Canadian man who must enter the racist, white supremacist underworld in order to save a loved one.

 Welcome to Surrey: When Suneet graduates medical school, she's sent to work in the one place she's trying to avoid: back home to the suburban town of Surrey.

Sisak: A first-of- its-kind silent LGBTQ film in India, Sisak makes waves before the visuals of this short hit the shore. 

Abu: Arshad always knew he was different. Soon after emigrating from Pakistan to Canada with his family, Arshad realized he was gay. Merging clips from Bollywood films, animation, and home movies that capture awkward teen phases as well as significant life revelations, Arshad narrates his own cathartic journey, alongside his entire family’s.

 For tickets and more information please visit https://visaff.ca/