IFFSA Toronto 2025 to Spotlight South Asian, Canadian and Afghan Voices Alongside Tributes to Guru Dutt and Peter Brook
Toronto, September 9, 2025 — The International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA) Toronto returns for its 14th edition, October 9–19, 2025, reaffirming its place as a global stage for South Asian cinema in all its cultural authenticity—layered, unflinching, and alive.
The festival opens with the Canadian premieres of Berlinale-acclaimed Shadowbox by Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, starring Tillotama Shome (Qissa, Sir), and Roya Sadat’s internationally celebrated Sima’s Song. Tillotama’s presence imbues the festival with an arthouse tour de force, while Sadat further anchors the Afghan spotlight through her Storytelling in a Shifting Land masterclass, joined by filmmakers Mozhdah Jamalzadah, Aziz Dildar, and Tarique Quyumi, in a program of immersive events that includes the evocative musical evening Echoes of Her Voice.
IFFSA 2025 commemorates the Centenary of Guru Dutt, India’s most lyrical cinematic poet, with a curated journey of remembrance featuring a rare theatrical presentation of Pyaasa, Anup Singh’s film appreciation event Poetry of Shadows, the musical tribute Echoes of Longing, and the immersive installation Chiaroscuro Dreams.
The festival also honours visionary director Peter Brook with a landmark presentation of The Mahabharata, introduced by his son Simon Brook—a reflection on a work that forever reshaped theatre and cinema on a global scale.
Canadian cinema resonates strongly at IFFSA 2025, with premieres including Eisha Marjara’s Calorie, Baljit Sangra’s Have You Heard Judi Singh?, and Ash Varma’s Desi Fiction. Alongside these premieres, IFFSA celebrates acclaimed storytellers Anar Ali (CBC’s Allegiance) and Jasmeet Raina (Crave’s Late Bloomer), reaffirming the emergence of South Asian narratives at the centre of Canadian screen culture.
The festival’s lineup continues IFFSA’s tradition of bold programming with Natesh Hegde’s Berlinale-acclaimed Tiger’s Pond (presented by Anurag Kashyap), Pradipta Bhattacharyya’s Rotterdam-favourite The Slow Man and His Raft, Gurudatha Ganiga’s Karavali starring Prajwal Devaraj and Raj B. Shetty, Proshoon Rahmaan’s The Roots, and Rajee Samarasinghe’s searing doc-feature Your Touch Makes Others Invisible.
With more than 100 premieres and 40 events, IFFSA Toronto 2025 further establishes itself as a professional hub through the IFFSA Film Summit (October 11, 12, and 18), convening filmmakers, storytellers, and industry leaders for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and opportunity development to shape the future of South Asian and Canadian screen storytelling.
“IFFSA Toronto has become the home where South Asian cinema lives in its fullness,” said Sunny Gill, Festival Director. “What excites me about this year is the way the festival moves between memory and momentum—honouring the masters while amplifying new voices that are reshaping how South Asian stories are seen and heard in Canada and across the world.”
Presented by TD Ready Commitment, with major support from Turkish Airlines, Ontario Creates, Toronto Star, the City of Mississauga, and Experience Brampton, IFFSA Toronto 2025 promises an unparalleled cinematic journey.
Festival details and passes are now available at iffsatoronto.com
