Themes and award details have been announced for , new to 性视界传媒 next spring.

The fledgling festival is founded by Alex Sangha and Vinay Giridhar, who made the 2021 documentary 鈥淓mergence: Out of the Shadows,鈥� an award-winning look at three South Asian adults and their stories of growing up gay.

The Sundar festival will offer more than $15,000 in cash prizes to makers of films that 鈥渦plift our world through impactful and informative storytelling about social causes and social issues.鈥�

The movies will be screened June 15-16, 2024, at 性视界传媒 City Hall鈥檚 Centre Stage theatre, according to details on .

Billed as 鈥渁 momentous celebration of cinema, culture and social change,鈥� the festival focuses on themes of human rights, immigrants and refugees, social justice issues, Indigenous people, the marginalized, environment and more.

Sundar means 鈥渂eautiful鈥� in the ancient Sanskrit language.

Festival awards include Best Feature Film ($5,000 prize), Best International Documentary ($2,500), Best Canadian Documentary ($2,500, sponsored by Rogers Group of Funds), Best British Columbia Film ($1,500), Best Short Film ($1,500), Best Animation ($1,000), Best Student Film ($500) and Emerging Filmmaker Residency Award ($1,000, sponsored by KDocsFF). The film submission deadline is Jan. 1.

An initiative of , a charity for queer South Asians and allies in Metro Vancouver, the festival has partnerships with others in the region including VIFF, KDocsFF, Crazy8s, Vancouver Queer Film Festival and more.

Meantime, 鈥淓mergence: Out of the Shadows鈥� won Best Feature Film ($1,000 prize) at the inaugural Langley City Film Festival, Oct. 21 at Lumiere Film Studios. The event marked the end of the film鈥檚 festival circuit, with 51 official selections over the past two years.

鈥淚 feel we have come full-circle by showcasing our film in Metro Vancouver, where the film was shot, and walking away with one of the top prizes,鈥� said Giridhar, who directed.

鈥淚 am very happy but, more importantly, feel the film is having an impact on youth struggling with their sexuality, helping them come out, and even saving lives.鈥�

The 鈥淓mergence鈥� doc was broadcast on Knowledge Network, TVO and OUTtv in Canada, and screened in more than 50 schools in Metro Vancouver. A teacher鈥檚 discussion guide has been created for the film, now translated with English, French, Hindi and Punjabi subtitles. , on Sher Vancouver鈥檚 channel.