With a 鈥淏est B.C. Film鈥� award heading into the inaugural in 性视界传媒, feels momentum building for his second feature film.

A longtime South 性视界传媒 resident who acts, directs and produces movies, Brar鈥檚 Dil Rakh: Gloves of Kin will be among nine prize-winners screened at the very first Sundar festival, June 15-16 at 性视界传媒 City Hall鈥檚 Centre Stage theatre.

鈥淚 was just nominated for and I鈥檓 up against Cocaine Bear (actor Christian Convery),鈥� Brar reported with enthusiasm.

A boxing-themed action/drama, Dil Rakh: Gloves of Kin has been picked up for worldwide distribution by Buffalo 8 and Northern Banner Releasing for Canada.

The movie stars Brar as a father who鈥檚 spent 20 years in prison and attempts to reconcile with his estranged son while they battle racism in a small town. The Kitimat-raised Brar originally wrote hockey into the script of Dil Rakh, but swapped that sport for boxing to make the story 鈥渕ore universal,鈥� he explained.

Trailer for boxing drama "Dil Rakh: Gloves of Kin" by 性视界传媒's Dalj Brar, who stars as a father who spent 20 years in prison and attempts to reconcile with his son while they battle racism in a small town.
It's at fest mid-June.

Story:

鈥� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)

So far, only festival-going audiences have seen Brar鈥檚 film, including at the in 性视界传媒 last September.

鈥淪undar will be the third festival for this film,鈥� Brar noted, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 great because this festival is more about diversity, human stories, and it includes queer films. There is a queer character in my film, a lead character 鈥� but it鈥檚 not about that. I think that鈥檚 what attracted Alex (Sangha) to it, the founder of Sundar. It鈥檚 a story about fighting racism, where a character just happens to be gay. Alex saw it at iSAAF and encouraged me to submit it for Sundar.鈥�

鈥� RELATED: Human resilience celebrated in 9 prize-winning films at 性视界传媒鈥檚 new Sundar festival.

The festival鈥檚 nine prize-winning films were announced two months ago with the theme of 鈥淐elebrating Human Resilience.鈥� City hall is where 鈥渃inema meets social change鈥� during the two-day gathering, a project of , a charity for queer South Asians and allies in Metro Vancouver.

Festival organizers say 228 films from around the world were entered for awards totalling more than $15,000. Of the nine winning films, six are Canadian-made including three in the categories of Best B.C. Film, Best Canadian Documentary and Best Emerging Filmmaker.

The other prize winners, from the U.S. and U.K., 鈥渃ontribute to the rich tapestry of storytelling, ensuring an unforgettable cinematic experience,鈥� festival organizers say in a news release posted on , where tickets are sold and schedule posted.

Hype video for 性视界传媒's new film festival, to debut June 15-16 at Centre Stage.
One of 9 prize-winners is a 性视界传媒 director's boxing drama, named Best B.C. Film & up for .

STORY HERE:

鈥� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)

The festival鈥檚 Best Feature Film is Rosie, the story of an orphaned Indigenous girl forced to live with her reluctant, street-smart Aunty Fred in 1980s Montreal.

Sundar is divided into four 鈥渟ections鈥� over the Saturday and Sunday, with film screenings, panel discussions, receptions and more. 鈥淲e are 70 per cent sold out at this time,鈥� organizers said June 2 in an email to fest attendees.

The festival trailer was edited by Vinay Giridhar, an award-winning director, animator and graphic designer from 性视界传媒 and co-founder of Sundar Prize Film Festival. 鈥淕iridhar鈥檚 expertise has brought a compelling preview of the festival鈥檚 offerings, ensuring audiences are eager for the upcoming screenings,鈥� fest organizers rave.

The festival鈥檚 category winners, cash awards and film details:

Best Feature Film, $5,000: 鈥淩osie鈥� (Canada, 2022), directed by Gail Maurice, produced by Gail Maurice, Jamie Manning and M茅lanie Bray. 鈥淭ells the story of a young, orphaned Indigenous girl who is forced to live with her reluctant, street-smart Aunty Fred (Fr茅d茅rique). Rosie is thrust into the fringes of 1980鈥檚 Montr茅al into the care of Fred, who just lost her job, is on the verge of eviction and who looks and sounds nothing like her.鈥�

Best B.C. Film, $1,500: 鈥淒il Rakh: Gloves of Kin鈥� (Canada, 2023), directed and produced by Dalj Brar. 鈥淎fter spending 20 years in prison, an Indian father attempts to reconcile with his estranged son while they battle racism in a small town.鈥�

Best Animation, $1,000: 鈥淯nstoppable Beat鈥� (U.K., 2023), directed by Luke Dye-Montefiore and Rufus Dye-Montefiore, produced by Benjamin Worku-Dix. 鈥淭ells the story of a Haitian migrant in Brazil fighting for his rights to work, buy a house and, most importantly, reunite with his family from Haiti.鈥�

Best Student Film, $500: 鈥淒osh鈥� (U.S., 2023), directed by Radha Mehta, produced by Gabriel Gutierrez. 鈥淲hen her son鈥檚 life is put at risk at their family鈥檚 pre-wedding ritual, a hard-of-hearing mother must decide how to seek help for her husband in order to keep her family safe.鈥�

Best Emerging Filmmaker, $1,000: 鈥淐ash Cows鈥� (Canada, 2023), directed by Shubham Chhabra, produced by Kaileigh Coles. 鈥淔ollow the journey of an Indian immigrant who falls victim to an employment scam. Desperate to secure a permanent residency and a better life, he must confront the true cost of the sacrifices he鈥檚 made.鈥� Prize sponsored by KDocsFF.

Best Short Film, $1,500: 鈥淎 Good Day Will Come鈥� (Canada, 2023), directed by Amir Zargara, produced by Amir Zargara and Iman Tahsin. 鈥淎rash is a professional wrestler with dreams of representing his country and winning gold medals. The country is in turmoil and its people are suffering. Arash must decide between using his platform to stand up to tyranny, or put his head down and remain silent.鈥�

Best Canadian Documentary, $2,500: 鈥淓ternal Spring鈥� (Canada, 2022), directed by Jason Loftus, produced by Jason Loftus, Masha Loftus, Kevin Koo and Yvan Pinard. 鈥淐onfronted with government denunciations and human rights violations against their spiritual practice, a group of Chinese activists executes a bold and perilous plan to hack into state television.鈥� Prize sponsored by Rogers Group of Funds.

Best International Documentary, $2,500: 鈥淪wallow Flying to the South鈥� (U.S., 2022), directed and produced by Mochi Lin. 鈥淪pring 1976, five-year-old Swallow is abandoned at a public boarding preschool in central Beijing. When the persimmons are ripe, Swallow masters how to cry, but doesn鈥檛 forget how to fly.鈥�

Best Environmental Film, $1,500: 鈥淩ematriation鈥� (Canada, 2022) directed by Alexi Liotti, produced by David Kiess and Derek Pedersson. 鈥淓xplores scientific, cultural, economic and sociopolitical perspectives, as citizens fight to protect the last big trees in British Columbia from being felled. The lessons we take away permeate the fabric of Canadian identity.鈥�

Film trailers are posted on .