VISAFF is the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival. Its purpose and vision is to "bridge the gap" between South Asian talent and mainstream audiences. VISAFF is instrumental in breaking the South Asian stereotype, and expanding North American views on the artists within the culture. The festival serves as a launching pad for integration through celebration and education.

VISAFF will take place July 15,16,17 2011 at the SFU Woodwards Building in Gastown, and incorporate films (features, shorts, documentaries), a panel discussion by some of the most prestigious film industry professionals, and galas every night.

The 2nd Annual Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival has collaborated with Indian Summer, a 10 day festival that will bring the best of Indian arts and culture to Vancouver. (indiansummerfestival.ca)


VISAFF 2011 FILMS (click on film title for more info)

Day 1: July 15, 2011

    OPENING NIGHT FILM: 7pm-9pm
    presented by Nanak Foods

• West is West

  West is West (2010) Trailer 103 minutes England Director: Andy DeEmmony Writer: Ayub Khan-Din Cast: Aqib Khan, Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Jimmi Mistry Manchester, North of England, 1976. The now much diminished, but still claustrophobically cohesive and desperately dysfunctional Khan family continues to struggle for survival. Sajid, the youngest Khan, the runt of the litter, is deep in pubescent crisis under heavy assault both from his father's tyrannical insistence on Pakistani traditions, and from the fierce racist bullies in the schoolyard. Isolated and bored, he resorts to bunking off school and shoplifting useless items to spice up his dull and lonely little life. In a last attempt to make a good son of him, his father decides to pack him off to family in the Punjab. But although resolved to teach Sajid a lesson, the tables are turned on George when he comes face to face with his own transgressions, and realizes that it is he himself who has much to learn. South Asian Element: Writer, Cast, Setting

Day 2: July 16, 2011

    OLD WORLD MELANCHOLY (Short film lineup): 2:45pm-4pm
    presented by Nanak Foods

• Mokhtar

  Mokhtar (2010) Part of OLD WORLD MELANCHOLY (Short Film Lineup) 15 minutes Montreal/Morocco Director: Halima Ouardiri Writer: Halima Ouardiri Cast: Abdallah Ichiki, Omar Belarbi, S’fia Massi Based on a true story, Mokhtar recounts the tale of a young boy who lives with his family of goatherds in a remote, Moroccan village. One day, the boy finds a fallen owl and decides to keep it, despite the fact that the owl is considered a bad omen. Mokhtar’s new pet becomes a symbol of rebellion against his family and an icon of his fledgling independence. Kinship, religion and spirituality are all confronted in this film that celebrates inner and outer strength. South Asian Element: Cast, Setting

• Poshak

  Poshak (2010) Part of OLD WORLD MELANCHOLY (Short Film Lineup) 12 minutes Pakistan Director: Iram Parveen Bilal Cast: Mohsin Babar, Joshinder Chaggar, Sheema Kermani Uninspired writer, DUA TARIQ, realizes that the search for uninhibited creativity and her true self requires freedom from society's harsh judgements and facades. Her inner soul must be lured out to fulfill her manifestation. South Asian Element: Writer, Director, Cast, Setting

• Televisnu

  Televisnu (2010) Part of OLD WORLD MELANCHOLY (Short Film Lineup) 15 minutes USA/India Director: Prithi Gowda Writer: Prithi Gowda Cast: Shrunga B.V., Ravi Bhat, Anusha Cheluvaraj A surreal tale of a young Indian women who tries to fix her computer but ends up fixing her life. South Asian Element: Cast, Setting, Writer, Director

• Roots of Love

  Roots of Love (2010) (Documentary) Trailer Part of OLD WORLD MELANCHOLY (Short Film Lineup) 26 minutes USA Director: Harjant Gill Told through the stories of six different men ranging in age from fourteen to eighty-six, Roots of Love documents the changing significance of hair and the turban among Sikhs in India. We see younger Sikh men abandoning their hair and turban to follow the current fashion trends, while the older generation struggles to retain the visible symbols of their religious identity. The film is a timely and relevant exploration of the inherent conflict between tradition and modernity, between pragmatism and faith. The choice of cutting one's hair is one that not only concerns the individual and his family, but an entire community. South Asian Element: Director, Topic

    NEW WORLD HOPE (Short film lineup): 4:30pm-6pm
    presented by Kuchh Nai

• Prita Chhabra - "Roots" (Music Video)

  Prita Chhabra - "Roots" (Music Video) (2011) Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 5 minutes Toronto, Canada Director: Umar Syed Producer: Raoul Juneja Starring: Prita Chhabra South Asian Director, Producer, Cast

• The Return Address

  The Return Address (2010) (Documentary) Trailer Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 15 minutes USA Director: Abi Varghese Writers: Matt Grubb, Abi Varghese Cast: Jim Donovan, Jon Crefeld, Mary-Nicole Dorn A young boy plays cupid in a small, sleepy town. South Asian Element: Director, Writer

• Collide

  Collide (2009) Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 7 minutes Vancouver, Canada Director: Rob Hayter Writer: Ian Tang Cast: Rekha Sharma, Alessandro Juliani, Ryan Robbins Two ex-lovers examine their relationship as a choice between love and pride is made. South Asian Element: Cast

• Seeking Single White Male

  Seeking Single White Male (2010) Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 2 minutes Toronto, Canada Director: Vivek Shraya Writer: Vivek Shraya Vivek Shraya’s first short film, a study of a brown body in (queer) white spaces. South Asian Element: Writer, Director

• Grant St. Shaving Co.

  Grant St. Shaving Co. (2010) Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 15 minutes USA Director: Payal Sethi Writer: Payal Sethi Cast: Ankur Bhatia, Adya Bedi, Pia Shah An elderly Indian widower journeys through New York to replace an antique razor given to him by his late wife on their first anniversary trip to the city. Along the way he relives his memories of their trip and stumbles upon a revelation that softens his strained relationship with his daughter. South Asian Element: Writer, Director, Cast

• In That Moment

  In That Moment (2010) Trailer Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 5 minutes USA Director: Shripriya Mahesh Writer: Shripriya Mahesh Cast: David Arden Engel, Jennifer Laine Williams A living statue and a park visitor share a moment of intimacy in the heart of New York's Central Park. South Asian Element: Director, Writer

• Shiva

  Shiva (2010) Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 9 minutes Vancouver, Canada Director: Tony Dean Smith Writer: Julie Brar, Tony Dean Smith Cast: Frank Cassini, Lisa Stadnykova, Julie Brar Based on Gandhi's notion that an eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind, SHIVA explores the destructive cycle of violence in politics, religion and relationships. On the surface, Senator Gainsworth and Chantal Gainsworth are a picture perfect power couple. Yet underneath the successful facade, dark obsessions threaten to destroy their “happy” marriage - culminating in a twist that brings new insight into Gandhi's prophetic words. South Asian Element: Writer, Producer, Actor

• 720 Degrees

  720 Degrees (2010) Part of NEW WORLD HOPE (Short Film Lineup) 5 minutes Bangladesh Director: Ishtiaque Zico Writer: Ishtiaque Zico Cast: Ashique Mostafa, Rubaiyat Hossain A one-take journey to discover the layers of relationships and our perception of reality within two circular panoramas. South Asian Element: Director, Writer, Theme

    SATURDAY NIGHT FILM: 7pm-9pm (VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED)
    presented by Nanak Foods

• The Taqwacores

  The Taqwacores (2010) Trailer SATURDAY NIGHT FILM 83 minutes USA Director: Eyad Zahra Writer: Eyad Zahra, Michael Muhammad Knight Cast: Bobby Naderi, Noureen DeWulf, Dominic Rains Yusef, a first-generation Pakistani engineering student, moves off-campus with a group of Muslim punks in Buffalo, New York. His new "un-orthodox" house mates soon introduce him to Taqwacore- a hardcore, Muslim punk rock scene that only exists out west. As the seasons change, Taqwacore influences the house more and more. The living room becomes a mosque during the day, while it continues to host punk parties at night. Ultimately, Yusef is influenced by Taqwacore too, as he begins to challenge his own faith and ideologies. The Taqwacores deals with the complexities of being young and Muslim in modern-day America. South Asian Element: Director, Writer, Theme, Cast

Day 3: July 17, 2011

    Acting Ethnic: Negotiating Storytelling and Stereotype Onscreen. 2pm-4pm
    Curated by Kara Eide

• Panel Discussion

  Guests:
  Veena Sood: Veena Sood is an award-winning actress, known for her versatility in theatre, film, television, radio, improv comedy, and hosting. www.veenasood.com
  Anosh Irani: Anosh Irani was born and brought up in Bombay, India and moved to Vancouver in 1998. He is a an best selling novelist and acclaimed playwrite. www.anoshirani.com
  Nimisha Mukerji: Nimisha Mukerji is a Gemini-nominated director based out of Vancouver, British Columbia whose passion is documentary films. www.shotglassproductions.com
  Mel Damski: Mel Damski is an Oscar nominated, 2 time Emmy nominated director and producer. IMDB Link
  Hosted by Mo Dhaliwal Mo Dhaliwal is a freelance marketing specialist, technology consultant and event producer, Mo collaborates with creative minds across the country and continues to create moving experiences for clients and community. He is most notably the founder of the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society.

    CLOSING NIGHT FILM: 7pm-9pm
    presented by Nanak Foods

• Peepli Live

  Peepli Live (2010) Trailer CLOSING NIGHT FILM 104 minutes India Directors: Anusha Rizvi, Mahmood Farooqui Writer: Soham Mehta Cast: Omkar Das Manikpuri, Raghuvir Yadav, Shalini Vatsa n the lead up to state elections in the Indian village of Peepli, two poor farmers, Natha and Budhia, face losing their land over an unpaid bank loan. Desperate, they seek help from an apathetic local politician, who scornfully suggests they commit suicide to benefit from a government program that aids the families of indebted deceased farmers. When a journalist overhears Budhia urge Natha to "do what needs to be done" for the sake of their families, a media frenzy ignites around whether or not Natha will commit suicide. South Asian Element: Director, Writer, Cast, Setting