SHER FILMS ANNOUNCES WORLD PREMIERE & FESTIVAL RUN FOR LGBTQ+ DOCUMENTARY FEATURE EMERGENCE: OUT OF THE SHADOWS
MONTREAL, QC (NOVEMBER 2, 2021) — Sher Films announced today that director Vinay Giridhar’s feature documentary debut Emergence: Out of the Shadows, a film that started its international festival run this September in the US, will be heading to Montreal for its Quebec premiere. The film has been selected as the closing night film at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (November 19th-28th 2021) and debuts at Image+Nation (November 18th-28th 2021); Canada's first LGBTQ film festival and pioneering platform of queer stories for more than 30 years. The film will also have screenings across Canada and worldwide in the coming months.
Emergence: Out of the Shadows follows three queer South Asians and their journey of acceptance within their conservative Punjabi Sikh families. For Kayden, Jag, and Amar, awakening to and expressing their sexuality within their traditional South Asian communities was a lonely and terrifying experience; denial, shame and despair haunted their youths, even threatening their lives. In this gripping social justice documentary, the disparate journeys of three people candidly converge around a shared sense of compassion and healing. Topics like tradition and taboo are confronted by the cast and their families in this important film that offers comfort, compassion, and inspiration to individuals and communities struggling with acceptance. Emergence: Out of the Shadows asserts a potent and transformative voice in support of marginalized queer youth and their families.
Emergence: Out of the Shadows was directed and edited by Vinay Giridhar (Love’s Age), produced by and stars Alex Sangha (My Name Was January) and features cast including Kayden Bhangu, Jag Nagra, Jaspal Sangha, Avtar Singh Nagra, Rajwant Kaur Nagra and Harv Nagra. Christine Michelle Lord was Director of Photography and additional cinematography was done by Bhavesh Chauhan. On top of its festival run the film will have community screenings, debut on OUTtv and is being distributed into the educational market by Moving Images Distribution.
The Vancouver-produced documentary began it’s festival tour with its world premiere at the prestigious Cinema Diverse festival in Palm Springs on September 19, 2021 before heading to Atlanta’s Out On Film festival, Chicago’s South Asian Film Festival and back to Canada, with dates at festivals in Vancouver, Toronto and Winnipeg, including Reelworld, Vancouver Asian Film Festival and sold out screenings around metro Vancouver. With more announcements to come, the film will be showcased around the world including dates set, but yet to be announced in India, the UK, Portugal, and more.
Producer Alex Sangha and director Vinay Giridhar have been entered for the Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary, and Vinay is entered for Best Editing in Feature Length Documentary for the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards.
The film began production in October 2019. Major funders include Vancity, OUTtv, Creative BC, BC Arts Council, City of Surrey, City of New Westminster, City of Delta, City of Vancouver - Cultural Services, Rogers Group of Funds, Province of BC, and the Vancouver Pride Society. Marketing and promotion assistance was provided by Telefilm Canada.
CONFIRMED SCREENINGS:
In-Person Screening
Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 12 pm noon
Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival
In-Person Screening
Closing Night Film
November 14, 2021
Surrey City Hall
North Delta Centre for the Arts
Sponsored by the City of Delta
November 20, 2021
Presented by Kabir Centre for Arts & Culture
In person screening
Sunday, November 28, 2021 at 6:30 p.m
Presented by Canadian Media Fund
November 18th-28th 2021
Online virtual screening
COMMUNITY SCREENINGS:
Douglas College
New Westminster Campus
In-Person Screening
November 9 and 18, 2021
University of British Columbia
School of Social Work
In-Person Screening
February 2022
There will also be screenings at Simon Fraser University (Surrey Campus), University of the Fraser Valley, City Centre Library, David Thompson Secondary School & more.
Nicola Pender, Pender PR