By StudioX Newsroom / Entertainment Desk
SURREY, B.C. — September 15, 2026
77 films. 15 countries. 19 languages. Five days in Surrey.
The International South Asian Film Festival is returning to Surrey this month, bringing five days of feature films, short films, filmmaker conversations, industry programming, galas and community events to the city.
The 16th annual iSAFF runs from September 23 to September 27, 2026, with the 2026 program built around the curatorial theme “Dreamscapes.”
The festival lineup includes 77 films — eight feature presentations and 69 shorts — representing 15 countries and 19 languages. Festival materials say more than half of the selections will screen as Canadian or global premieres.
For audiences, that means five days of international cinema in Surrey.
For filmmakers and industry professionals, the festival also includes industry sessions, networking opportunities and filmmaker programming.
And for StudioX News, this year is an opportunity to take readers and viewers inside the festival.
StudioX News is an official media partner of iSAFF 2026 and will be covering the festival throughout the week, including filmmaker interviews, red-carpet coverage, festival stories, industry sessions, short-form video and closing-night coverage.
Ready to See What’s Playing?
VIEW THE COMPLETE iSAFF 2026 FILM SCHEDULE
GET iSAFF 2026 TICKETS & PASSES
77 Films. Where Do You Start?
The scale of the 2026 program is one of the festival’s defining features.
Rather than concentrating on one genre or one national cinema, the program moves across comedy, family, identity, spirituality, documentary, sport, relationships and community stories.
The short-film program is divided into thematic packages, while the feature lineup gives audiences several major films to build their festival experience around.
One of the festival’s locally focused programs is “Shorts: West Coast, Best Coast,” highlighting B.C.-connected filmmaking.
The program then moves into documentaries, family and relationship stories, international cinema and feature presentations throughout the week.
The Theme: “Dreamscapes”
The 2026 festival is organized around the theme “Dreamscapes.”
Artistic Director Pulkit Datta describes the theme as an invitation to look beyond inherited boundaries and imagine futures rooted in justice, joy, care and possibility.
Festival Producer Mannu Sandhu says the 16th edition reflects the festival’s continuing connection between British Columbia filmmakers and stories from South Asia and the wider diaspora.
Programming co-directors Pallavi Sastry and Keertana Sastry curated the slate around themes including intergenerational relationships, social structures, spirituality and sport.
That range is important to understanding iSAFF.
The festival is not presenting South Asian cinema as one single genre.
Instead, the program moves between different languages, countries, filmmaking traditions and experiences.
Six Major Films to Put on Your iSAFF List
The 2026 program has 77 films, but six feature presentations stand out as the festival’s opening-night, closing-night, gala, marquee, centrepiece and spotlight selections.
The Films to Know
Opening & Closing Night
Lali — Opening Night
Thursday, September 24 | 6:00 p.m.
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatre 11
The festival’s theatrical program opens with the British Columbia premiere of Lali, directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat.
The Punjabi-language dark comedy follows Zeba, a young woman whose reputation becomes linked to the deaths of three previous suitors.
Her new marriage takes an increasingly complicated turn when her husband develops paranoia and attempts to stage a supernatural possession.
The film arrives at iSAFF following its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival’s Berlinale Panorama.
Strong Son — Spotlight Feature
Friday, September 25 | 6:00 p.m.
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatre 12
B.C. filmmaker Ian Bawa’s Strong Son is one of the festival’s spotlight presentations.
The film follows a competitive bodybuilder who returns home to care for his aging father, placing family responsibility alongside questions of identity, masculinity and personal ambition.
Mandeep Sodhi stars in the film.
The festival materials identify Strong Son as a Canadian premiere and place it in the Friday evening feature program.
The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony — Gala Presentation
Friday, September 25 | 8:00 p.m.
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatre 11
The Friday-night gala presentation is The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony.
Directed by Habiba Nosheen, the documentary follows young girls from Karachi’s Machar Colony as they train in gymnastics.
The film is executive produced by Malala Yousafzai and Mariska Hargitay and follows the athletes, their coach Furqan Raja and human-rights lawyer Tahera Hasan.
The story connects sport with questions of opportunity, identity and the circumstances facing the girls in their community.
Jersey Boy — Centrepiece Feature
Saturday, September 26 | 2:00 p.m.
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatre 11
Saturday’s centrepiece feature is Jersey Boy.
The film explores the experiences of a South Asian protagonist navigating identity, family and life in the aftermath of September 11.
iSAFF lists the film as a Canadian premiere and has placed it in the Saturday afternoon feature program.
Namaslay — Saturday Marquee Feature
Saturday, September 26 | 6:00 p.m.
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatre 11
Saturday evening brings Namaslay, a horror-satire examining the commercialization and Western appropriation of yoga and related spiritual practices.
The film gives the festival another genre shift, moving from family drama and documentary into horror and satire.
It is scheduled as the Saturday evening marquee feature.
Hoop Like This — Closing Night
Sunday, September 27 | 6:00 p.m.
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatre 11
The festival closes with Hoop Like This, a documentary following the India Rising basketball roster and its journey through ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament.
The film is directed by Shubhangi Shekhar and executive produced by NAV and Gautam Kapur.
The documentary features basketball personalities including Jeremy Lin, Shams Charania and Kevin Negandhi, according to the festival materials.
The screening is followed by the iSAFF 2026 Awards Ceremony, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Landmark Cinemas Guildford.
Beyond the Six Headline Features
The six major presentations are only a small part of the 77-film program.
iSAFF’s wider lineup includes documentaries, narratives and short-film programs featuring filmmakers from different countries and backgrounds.
More Featured Selections
CROWNED ATHLETES
A featured sports-focused selection appearing within the broader iSAFF program.
52 BLUE
The film features Adil Hussain, Neha Dhupia and Taday Shashidhar and is directed by Ali El Arabi.
Its promotional material carries the line “The dream keeps your light alive.”
LOVE CHAOS KABN
Presented by Real Talkies Films and directed by Chithra Jeyaram, the film describes itself as an intimate exploration of adoption, identity, class and different ways of belonging within one family.
A Wider Program of Independent Films
The festival’s program extends well beyond its six major feature presentations.
The wider program graphic includes:
- TSRAK (تشراك)
- BURNT ORANGE
- HARVEST PARTY AT CAMP TWO
- VICTORIA KA RAJA
- Time Keeps Marching On
- PARONTHA
- NOT NOW, NEVER NOW.
- BODY OF OUR OWN
- EVERY PARENT’S WORST NIGHTMARE: MY DAUGHTER’S A WHAT SUCKER?!?
- A CUP OF TEA
These selections are part of the broader festival program alongside the major feature presentations and thematic short-film packages.
Rather than trying to summarize every film from its poster alone, audiences can use the official schedule to explore the full descriptions, screening times and program details.
The Short Films Are a Major Part of the Festival
With 69 short films alongside eight features, the short-film program represents the majority of the 77-film lineup.
The festival organizes its shorts into thematic programs, giving audiences an opportunity to discover emerging filmmakers and stories that might otherwise not receive theatrical exposure.
One of the programs, Shorts: West Coast, Best Coast, specifically connects the festival to filmmaking in British Columbia.
Other programs focus on themes including documentaries, family and relationships and additional narrative and episodic work.
For audiences who want to discover filmmakers beyond the headline features, the short-film program may be one of the most extensive parts of the festival experience.
iSAFF Is Also an Industry Event
The festival isn’t limited to public screenings.
On September 23, iSAFF holds its Filmmaker Retreat, followed by the iSAFF Honours Night & Purple Carpet Gala.
On September 24, the festival presents iSAFF InFocus Industry Sessions, bringing together conversations around filmmaking, screen industries and professional development.
The industry programming gives filmmakers and screen professionals another reason to attend iSAFF beyond the theatrical program.
It Isn’t Only About the Films
The festival’s daytime programming adds another layer to iSAFF 2026.
For filmmakers and people working in film and television, the festival includes a Filmmaker Retreat and iSAFF InFocus industry sessions.
The Filmmaker Retreat is presented with support from the BC Arts Council, while the InFocus industry programming is presented with support from the Canada Media Fund.
The InFocus sessions are scheduled for Thursday, September 24, at Skye Avenue Kitchen & Lounge.
The program provides space for industry conversations, professional development, networking and discussions around the business and creative side of filmmaking.
For a festival taking place in Surrey, this industry component is significant because it connects the public-facing film program with the people developing and producing films.
The Five-Day iSAFF 2026 Schedule
Wednesday, September 23
1:00–3:30 p.m.
Filmmaker Retreat
Civic Hotel — Boulevard Room
3:30–5:30 p.m.
Shorts: West Coast, Best Coast
Civic Hotel — Boulevard Room
6:30–11:45 p.m.
iSAFF Honours Night & Purple Carpet Gala
Civic Hotel — Ballroom
9:00–11:45 p.m.
Dinner in the Skye
Skye Avenue Kitchen & Lounge
Thursday, September 24
10:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
iSAFF InFocus: Industry Sessions
Skye Avenue Kitchen & Lounge
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Lali — Opening Night Feature
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatre 11
Friday, September 25
10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Curated Thematic Shorts Packages
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatres 11 & 12
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Strong Son
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
8:00–10:30 p.m.
The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
Saturday, September 26
10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Documentary & Episodic Shorts
Landmark Cinemas Guildford — Theatres 11 & 12
2:00–4:30 p.m.
Jersey Boy
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
6:00–8:30 p.m.
Namaslay
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
7:30–10:30 p.m.
Rooftop Raga Delegate Mixer
King George Hub
Sunday, September 27
12:30–5:30 p.m.
Family & Relationship Shorts
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
2:00–4:15 p.m.
Love Chaos Kin
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
6:00–8:30 p.m.
Hoop Like This
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
8:30–9:30 p.m.
iSAFF 2026 Awards Ceremony
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
Where Everything Is Happening
The primary screening location is:
Landmark Cinemas Guildford
15051 101 Ave
Surrey, B.C.
Other festival programming is spread across several Surrey locations, including:
Civic Hotel Autograph Collection
Skye Avenue Kitchen & Lounge
King George Hub
This gives the festival a footprint that extends beyond the cinema, with screenings, industry programming, receptions, galas and networking events taking place at different locations across the city.
Tickets and Passes
iSAFF offers several options for audiences and industry participants.
The Fraser Pass provides access to festival screenings, industry panels, red-carpet events and afterparties. Festival materials list the early-bird price at CA$199, compared with a regular price of CA$299, and state that the pass includes a one-year iSAFF membership valued at CA$149.
The Crescent Pass provides access to selected screenings and industry panels, with festival materials listing an early-bird price of CA$99.
An Industry Pass is also available for the Thursday InFocus programming.
Single-screening tickets are available through the official festival ticketing system.
CHECK iSAFF 2026 TICKETS & PASSES
Why StudioX News Is Covering iSAFF Differently
A festival guide can tell you what is screening.
StudioX News wants to show you what is happening around those screenings.
As an official media partner, our coverage will go beyond the program list.
Throughout iSAFF 2026, StudioX News plans to bring audiences:
- Filmmaker interviews
- Exclusive cast conversations
- Red-carpet coverage
- Festival leadership interviews
- Behind-the-scenes moments
- Film stories
- Industry-session coverage
- Audience reactions
- Short-form video
- Awards and closing-night coverage
StudioX News will also bring audiences conversations with people behind the festival and filmmakers participating in the 2026 program.
That means readers will be able to follow not just what films are playing, but who is making them, why they were made and what the filmmakers are saying about the stories.
From the Screen to the Wider Canadian Film Industry
There is another reason iSAFF matters for Surrey.
The festival creates a meeting point between local B.C. filmmaking and international South Asian cinema.
That connection is visible in the program itself: B.C.-connected filmmakers appear alongside international productions, while industry sessions create opportunities for filmmakers and screen professionals to meet and exchange ideas.
For audiences, the result is a festival where a screening can lead to a filmmaker conversation, an industry panel or a red-carpet event.
For filmmakers, it creates another place to present work, meet audiences and connect with other people working in the screen sector.
Five Days. 77 Films. One Surrey Festival.
You don’t have to see all 77 films.
You just need to find the stories that interest you.
That could mean opening night with Lali, Friday’s Strong Son and The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony, Saturday’s Jersey Boy and Namaslay, or closing night with Hoop Like This.
It could also mean discovering one of the festival’s many short-film programs.
And for filmmakers, producers and people interested in Canada’s screen industry, the daytime industry programming offers another reason to follow the festival beyond the theatre.
iSAFF 2026 runs September 23–27 in Surrey, B.C.
VIEW THE COMPLETE iSAFF 2026 FILM SCHEDULE
GET iSAFF 2026 TICKETS & PASSES
StudioX News at iSAFF 2026
StudioX News will be on the ground throughout the festival.
Follow StudioX News for red-carpet interviews, filmmaker conversations, cast interviews, festival updates, video coverage and stories from Surrey as iSAFF 2026 unfolds.
This is our inside guide. The festival is where the stories begin.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
