South Western International Film Festival

04/06/2023

Join us this National Canadian Film Day (April 19th) for a free tribute screening to our late Founder Ravi Srinivasan at Carlton Cinema in Toronto.

Register for your free tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/swiff-reel-canada-present-stories-we-tell-a-tribute-to-ravi-srinivasan-tickets-609600991977

In January of this year we lost a dear friend and a treasured leader in the Canadian film community, Ravi Srinivasan. The founder of his beloved hometown film festival SWIFF in Sarnia, Srinivasan was also involved with REEL CANADA for well over a decade, eventually taking on the leading role as senior programmer for National Canadian Film Day.

This National Canadian Film Day, South Western International Film Festival and REEL CANADA will present a FREE screening of one of Ravi's favourite movies, "Stories We Tell", directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sarah Polley ("Women Talking").

DATE AND TIME: April 19th | Doors: 6:30pm | Screening: 7:00pm

LOCATION: Imagine Cinemas Carlton Cinema (20 Carlton St., Toronto)

Join us for a free National Canadian Film Day tribute to SWIFF's late founder Ravi Srinivasan with a screening of one of his favourite films

01/16/2023

The SWIFF team and the extended SWIFF family are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of our Founder and Executive Director, Ravi Srinivasan. We offer our deepest condolences and join in mourning with his family, many treasured friends, the Sarnia-Lambton and Toronto communities, the Canadian film and music communities, and beyond.

Ravi worked tirelessly to bring films and music he loved to Sarnia. It was a dream of his to create a hometown film festival that would offer cultural exposure, experiences, and opportunities that he had wished he had when he was young. Almost singlehandedly, Ravi made SWIFF a reality—and a success—in 2015. The festival grew from there and has been one of the most beloved cultural events in the region year in and year out. It is a monumentally significant achievement that has spread love, joy, inspiration for over eight years. And yet SWIFF is only a small fraction of the legacy of a man who touched so many lives in his personal life—if you knew Ravi, you loved Ravi, simple as that—and whose impact on film culture was felt across his work with TIFF, Hot Docs, and Reel Canada and his passionate advocacy for filmmakers across the country and around the world.

Ravi’s life was all about sharing his love and what he loved with everyone in his orbit. He brought people and communities together, elevated them with his spirit, and helped to make other’s dreams come true.

Our lives were all better for having him in it. Ravi, we were so lucky to know you.

11/08/2022

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors and community partners for co-presenting our screenings: Kooy Wealth Management of RBC Dominion Securities Inc., TMRRW inc, Sarnia Bookkeeper, The, Diversity Ed, GMSB, Suncor 🙌

11/07/2022

Filmmaker Sophie Jarvis discusses her acclaimed debut feature UNTIL BRANCHES BEND

11/07/2022

A HUGE thank you from the SWIFF team to everyone who supported the festival this year 💞💞💞

See you next year 😘

11/07/2022

Congratulations to the winner of the 2022 SWIFF Audience Award, SIMO directed by Aziz Zoromba!

11/06/2022

🙌 Shoutout to Susan Chamberlain from Sarnia Bookkeeper, The 📚for supporting the festival and speaking ahead of our screening of I LIKE MOVIES 🎞

11/06/2022

Anthony Shim discusses his award-winning RICEBOY SLEEPS

11/06/2022

In conversation with the writer and director of I LIKE MOVIES, Chandler Levack

11/06/2022

It’s the final day of and we have more acclaimed and award-winning films to share starting with the stunningly beautiful GEOGRAPHIES OF SOLITUDE, followed by the moving JOYLAND, the latest thriller from Korean master of suspense Park Chan-Wook, DECISION TO LEAVE and finally our Closing Night Film, the Palme d’Or-winning comedy TRIANGLE OF SADNESS!

Tickets + Info -> https://www.swiff.ca