International South Asian Film Festival announces 2026 lineup

The 16th edition of the International South Asian Film Festival (iSAFF) is scheduled to take place from September 23 to 27, 2026, in Surrey, British Columbia. Centered on the theme “Dreamscapes,” the festival will showcase 77 films from 15 countries and 19 different languages, including eight feature films and 69 short films.

Notable presentations include the Gala Presentation, “The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony,” directed by Habiba Nosheen and executive produced by Malala Yousafzai and Mariska Hargitay. The documentary follows three teenage gymnasts in Pakistan. The festival will open with the dark comedy “Lali,” directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, and conclude with the basketball documentary “Hoop Like This” by Shubhangi Shekhar.

According to festival organizers, more than half of the titles in the lineup are receiving their first screenings in Canada or globally. The program aims to highlight stories of resilience, identity, and belonging through South Asian and diasporic voices.