2025 PRO EVENTS
- The Producer's Journey: Masterclass on Producing
- DAY 1 FULL ACCESS PASS
- DAY 2 FULL ACCESS PASS
- DAY 3 FULL ACCESS PASS
- The Making of an International Star: M/C with Tillotama Shome
- The Poetry of Shadows: W/S on Guru Dutt's Cinema
- Echoes of Vision: Conversation on Peter Brook's The Mahabharata
- Storytelling in a Shifting Land: M/C with Roya Sadat
- Beyond The Checkbox: Roundtable on Equitable Funding Support
- Screenwriting Ecosystem: Session with Writers Guild
- Between Worlds: M/C on Writing with Anar Ali
- Screens, Streams & Sales: W/S on Distribution
- Pursuing Screen Based Career: Session with DGC Ontario
- Between Frames: Discussion on Directing
- Clause Pe Pause: W/S on Legal Hurdles in Screen Storytelling
- Money Shot: W/S on Finding Funding
- Bright Lights, Bold Stories: IFFSA Talent Fund Launch
- Filmmakers Alliance Townhall
- Picture Perfect Mixer
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
Every screen story begins with a spark—an image, a line, a moment—nurtured in solitude before it’s tested in the unpredictable currents of collaboration. Through every shift of tide, the producer remains its anchor and compass, guiding it from the fragile uncertainty of early development through the intricate choreography of financing, production, post-production, and, finally, into the hands—and hearts—of audiences.
This program traces that arc step by step with the creators and producers of the acclaimed series Late Bloomer, now entering its third season on Crave. Drawing on first-hand experience, they unpack the craft and strategy behind each stage: nurturing an idea into a viable concept, aligning creative and commercial ambitions, securing financing, assembling teams, meeting the shifting demands of production, and positioning the finished work for maximum impact in its home market and beyond.
Designed for emerging and seasoned producers alike, this conversation is both a map and a masterclass—offering practical tools, hard-earned lessons, and an insider’s view of the decisions, relationships, and resilience required to bring a screen project from the page to the public.
Date: Saturday, Oct 18 | 12:30 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
Fee: $10
Discount: Upto 25% off available. Details on purchase page.
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1:15 PM – Canada’s Screenwriting Ecosystem: Workshop for Writers and Producers with The Writers Guild of Canada
1:30 PM – Beyond the Checkbox: Roundtable on Investing in the South Asian Canadian Screen Narrative
2:15 PM – Between Worlds: Masterclass on Writing Universal South Asian Characters for Industry Breakthroughs with Anar Ali [CBC’s Allegiance]
3:15 PM – Screens, Streams & Sales: Workshop on Demystifying the Distribution Journey
6:00 PM – The Poetry of Shadows: A Film Appreciation Workshop on Cinema of Guru Dutt with Anup Singh
1:15 PM – Pursing Screen-Based Career: Session with Directors Guild of Canada – Ontario
1:30 PM – Stories Without Borders: Panel on Canada-India Co-Production and Film in India
2:15 PM – Between Frames: Discussion on Crafting Vision and Pathways for South Asian Directors
4:15 PM – Echoes of Vision: Conversation with Simon Brook on Peter Brook’s The Mahabharata
6:00 PM – Storytelling in a Shifting Land: Masterclass with Iconic Filmmaker Roya Sadat
2:30 PM – Clause Pe Pause: Workshop on Navigating Legal Hurdles in Screen Storytelling
3:30 PM – Money Shot: Workshop on Finding Funding for Your Next Film or Screen Story
4:30 PM – Bright Lights, Bold Stories: Launch of the 4th Edition of the IFFSA Talent Fund and Celebration of Alumni Journeys
5:30 PM – IFFSA Filmmakers Alliance Townhall: Strengthening the Voice of South Asian Canadian Storytellers
THE POETRY OF SHADOWS: A FILM APPRECIATION WORKSHOP ON CINEMA OF GURU DUTT BY ANUP SINGH
Step into the world of Guru Dutt’s cinema, where light, music, and yearning converge in one of film history’s most enduring visions. In the rain-streaked half-light, Dutt—often called the Orson Welles of India—turned black and white into a language of longing, crafting a world where love is unfulfilled, beauty is traitorous, and the individual’s desire seeks an answer in every frame.
Through Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, and Chaudhvin Ka Chand, we explore The Aesthetics of Image & Sound as an Inner Landscape in chiaroscuro frames and deep-focus tableaux; Narrative as a Poetry of Yearning in tales of love, loss, and artistic struggle; Music, Mood & Metaphor, where songs drift like recurring dreams; and A Personal Mythos in Celluloid, where life and art blur. From Satyajit Ray to Scorsese, Kiarostami to Anup Singh and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, his influence endures—a cinema that maps the heart’s shadows, where rain falls eternally in the dark.
An unmissable experience for cinephiles, filmmakers, visual storytellers, and all who are drawn to the beauty, emotion, and craft of timeless cinema through the lens of one of its greatest auteurs.
Date: Saturday, Oct 11 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres, Brampton
Fee: $30
Discount: Upto 25% off available. Details on purchase page.
ABOUT ANUP SINGH
ECHOES OF VISION: CONVERSATION WITH SIMON BROOK ON PETER BROOK’S THE MAHABHARATA
This session will convene key stakeholders to consider how we might move beyond performative inclusion toward structural, long-term investment in South Asian Canadian screen narratives. The conversation will centre on identifying gaps in existing frameworks, surfacing institutional challenges, and co-imagining practical strategies for building equitable support systems that reflect the richness, complexity, and urgency of South Asian storytelling in Canada today. In doing so, we aim to chart a path where these stories are not only supported, but deeply woven into the fabric of Canadian screen culture.
Date: Saturday, Oct 11 | 1:30 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
BY INVITATION ONLY
If you’re a writer—or a producer looking to collaborate with them—understanding how to navigate the professional, unionized writing environment is essential. In this session, Aaron Unrau, Manager of Industrial Relations at the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), will demystify what it means to work with Canadian screenwriters and the WGC, both domestically and internationally.
You’ll learn about the Guild’s role in protecting writers’ rights, negotiating collective agreements, ensuring fair payments, and fostering strong creative partnerships. Aaron will also walk you through the process of becoming a WGC signatory and explain how this can benefit your production. For writers, this is an opportunity to discover the advantages of membership—from access to professional development and advocacy to being part of a community that champions your work.
Whether you’re just starting out or building your next project, this is your chance to get practical insights, ask questions, and better understand the pathways to a sustainable writing career in Canada’s screen industry.
Date: Saturday, Oct 11 | 1:15 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
Fee: $15
Discount: Upto 25% off available. Details on purchase page.
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How do you create South Asian characters who feel both culturally rooted and universally relatable? This panel examines the craft of building multidimensional characters whose stories transcend cultural boundaries while remaining grounded in authentic lived experience.
In conversation with accomplished writers and storytellers, we’ll explore approaches to writing with cultural depth, layering emotional arcs that resonate across audiences, and resisting the reductive pull of cliché. The discussion will also trace the direct connection between such storytelling and tangible industry breakthroughs—opening doors to writers’ rooms, production deals, and meaningful collaborations where South Asian voices and narratives shape the creative process from within.
Whether you’re an emerging screenwriter or an established storyteller, this conversation offers insight into how powerful, well-crafted characters and stories can both elevate the representation of South Asian experiences and serve as a strategic path to professional success.
ANAR ALI is the acclaimed writer, creator and executive producer of CBC’s acclaimed series Allegiance — who stands as a visionary in contemporary South Asian storytelling. Her work blends cultural authenticity with universal resonance, redefining how South Asian voices shape global narratives.
Date: Saturday, Oct 11 | 2:15 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
Fee: $15
Discount: Upto 25% off available. Details on purchase page.
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The journey from final cut to reaching an audience is one of the most intricate—and least understood—phases in a project’s lifecycle. This session unpacks the layered ecosystem of rights acquisition, licensing frameworks, and programming strategies that determine how films and series reach viewers across theatrical screens, broadcast schedules, and global streaming platforms.
With insights from industry leaders, participants will gain a clear understanding of how content is acquired, licensed, and sold—whether for a cinema release, a primetime slot, or a curated digital catalogue. From debut features to serialized narratives, this session offers a timely, actionable roadmap for navigating distribution pipelines, enhancing discoverability, and preserving creative vision in a crowded marketplace
Date: Saturday, Oct 11 | 3:15 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
Fee: $15
Discount: Upto 25% off available. Details on purchase page.
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Are you interested in pursuing a career in the screen-based industry?
The Directors Guild of Canada in Ontario (DGC Ontario) is a provincial labour organization representing key creative and operational specialists in the following categories: Directors, Assistant Directors, Production Managers, Location Managers, Production Designers & Art Directors, Accountants, Picture & Sound Editors, Post Production Supervisors, and their respective departmental assistants.
In this session you’ll learn about who DGC Ontario is, the categories they represent, the benefits of being part of a labour organization and pathways into Membership, including their Guild Apprenticeship Program (GAP). They’ll also discuss resume tips and how to navigate working in a freelance environment.
Whether you are an emerging or seasoned industry professional, this session has something for everyone.
Date: Sunday, Oct 12 | 1:15 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
Fee: $15
Discount: Up to 25% off available. Details on purchase page.
Every director’s journey is a story in itself—part persistence, part discovery, part leap of faith. In Canada’s evolving screen landscape, there is no single route to the director’s chair; there are countless paths, each shaped by vision, opportunity, and resilience. This conversation with DGC Directors Tarique Qayumi and V.T Nayani illuminate those paths—from the grassroots urgency of indie cinema to the collaborative craft of television, from the mentorship of seasoned voices to the risks of striking out on your own. Together, we’ll explore practical strategies, resources, and points of entry—while staying rooted in your creative vision. From funding and unions to navigating production ecosystems, this session offers both a roadmap and an invitation for those ready to take the helm.
Date: Sunday, Oct 12 | 2:15 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
Fee: $15
Discount: Up to 25% off available. Details on purchase page.
The IFFSA Talent Fund returns with the 4th edition of its Bright Lights Program, championing South Asian Canadian filmmakers ready to bring bold visions to the screen.
Providing direct access to funding, mentorship, and industry networks, the Fund is a launchpad for stories rooted in the specificity of the South Asian Canadian experience yet resonating with audiences everywhere. Bright Lights exists to amplify voices too often left unheard—and to help them reach their fullest potential.
The launch will feature an inspiring conversation with accomplished alumni for whom the program served as a springboard—sharing insights on how you can make the most of this opportunity and position yourself among the next wave of bold, original storytellers.
IFFSA FILMMAKERS ALLIANCE TOWNHALL: STRENGTHENING THE VOICE OF SOUTH ASIAN CANADIAN STORYTELLERS
The IFFSA South Asian Filmmakers Alliance brings together South Asian Canadian directors, writers, actors, producers, and screen professionals for an open forum on the opportunities, challenges, and evolving landscape of our industry. This townhall is a collaborative space to exchange ideas, address shared concerns, and chart pathways for stronger representation and influence in Canadian and global cinema. By connecting our experiences, we amplify our reach and help shape the future of our stories.
Join us to be part of the conversation.
Date: Saturday, Oct 18 | 5:30 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres Brampton
Fee: FREE Event!
GET FREE PASSES
These workshops will introduce us to one of the most difficult yet luminous aspects of performance in cinema – the Open Gesture.
As we know, acting is always within the confines of an established space and time But here, we will study the vision and techniques necessary to inflame these elements with the body’s full untapped resources.
We will learn methods to create a rousing performance, fiery with intensive emotion and rhythmical surprises that open the performance into emotional possibilities rarely seen.
This 3-day workshop of 3-hours each, will comprise of these elements:
1. An introduction to the Open Gesture.
2. A study of some of the most transformative performances in the history of cinema.
3. Develop through rehearsal (with camera) the various approaches and techniques that help to create life-transfiguring performances.
We seek 15 passionate and committed participants.
INTENSIVE: WORKSHOPS WITH ANUP SINGH
“From Script To Film” hands-on learning experience with TIFF winner and internationally acclaimed filmmaker, Anup Singh.
Five workshops of seven and a half hours each.
Date: Monday – Friday, Oct 16 – 20 | 11:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Venue: Courtyard By Marriott, 90 Biscayne Cres, Brampton, ON
All 2022 workshops, masterclasses and panels are listed on IFFSA Toronto 2022 Schedule.
*Festival management reserves the right to modify schedule and replace content under unforeseen circumstances. All film screenings/events are for 18+ audience.