Sundar Prize Film Festival
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| Location | Surrey, British Columbia, Canada |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2023 |
| Founded by | Amar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar |
| Most recent | 2026 |
| Hosted by | Sher Pride |
| Festival date | April 23 to 26, 2026 |
| Language | International |
| Website | sundarprize |
The Sundar Prize Film Festival is an annual film festival in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2023 by Amar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar, the festival presents films focused on social impact and underrepresented perspectives.[1] According to the festival's official website, it is an IMDb-qualifying festival.[2]
The festival's programming has included narrative, documentary, animation, student, and British Columbia film categories, as well as panel discussions and networking events.[3][4]
The Sundar Prize Film Festival was announced in 2023 as a new Surrey-based film festival and prize program organized through Sher Vancouver, now Sher Pride.[1] Early coverage described the event as a new international film competition intended to bring socially impactful films to Surrey.[1]
The inaugural edition took place on June 15 and 16, 2024, in Surrey City Hall.[3] Coverage of the first festival highlighted its theme of "celebrating human resilience" and its emphasis on socially engaged filmmaking and underrepresented voices.[3]
The second edition was held in April 2025 and expanded to multiple venues, including Simon Fraser University Surrey and Landmark Cinemas Guildford.[5] Reporting on the 2025 event described it as a multi-day festival with screenings, discussions, and an awards presentation.[6]
The festival's official website lists the 2026 event as its third annual edition, scheduled for April 23 to 26, 2026. According to the festival's venue information, the first two days are scheduled for the North Delta Centre for the Arts and the final two days for Landmark Cinemas Guildford.[7][2]
Programming
The festival focuses on films addressing social issues and communities including human rights, migration, social justice, environmental concerns, and marginalized groups.[1][3] Coverage of the inaugural edition noted a lineup of films from Canada and other countries alongside panel discussions and networking receptions.[4]
In 2025, festival coverage reported increased Canadian and British Columbia representation in the lineup, including documentary, narrative, and short film programming.[5] Articles on the 2025 edition also highlighted the event's emphasis on women directors, BIPOC filmmakers, and queer representation.[6]
Awards
The festival presents juried awards in multiple categories. Early reporting on the festival described cash prizes for categories including feature film, documentary, short film, animation, and student film.[1] Coverage of the inaugural festival also referenced British Columbia film recognition among its award offerings.[8]
Coverage of the 2025 edition reported that multiple films received awards and that the festival distributed both cash prizes and in-kind support.[9][10]
As of 2026, the festival's juried award categories include:
- Best Feature Film (Narrative Live Action) – $2000
- Best Short Film (Narrative Live Action) – $1000
- Best Feature Documentary – $2000
- Best Short Documentary – $1000
- Best Short Animation – $1000
- Best Environmental Film – $1000
- Best Spiritual, Health, and Wellness Film – $1000
- Best 2SLGBTQ+ Film- $2000
- Best Youth Film (19 and under) – $500
- Best Student Film – $500
- Best British Columbia Feature Film – $2000
- Best British Columbia Short Film – $1000
- BC Student Film Showcase – $1000, $750, and $500
- KDocsFF Best Emerging Filmmaker Residency Award – $1000
- The Performer’s Mastery Award for Outstanding BC Performance – $500
Venues
The inaugural 2024 edition was held at Surrey City Hall.[3] By 2025, the festival had expanded to Simon Fraser University Surrey and Landmark Cinemas Guildford.[5][6] For its 2026 edition, the festival's official venue information states that events on April 23 and 24 are scheduled for the North Delta Centre for the Arts, while events on April 25 and 26 are scheduled for Landmark Cinemas Surrey, Guildford.[7]
