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I am a film and literature scholar with a fascination for art cinema emerging out of South Asi My internship at the Kabir Centre of Arts & Culture afforded me the opportunity to assist organizing the South Asian Film Festival of Montréal (SAFFM), an international festival showcasing politically and socially charged independent films often excluded from mainstre distribution and exhibition. Situated in Montreal, the Kabir Centre of Arts & Culture is a multidisciplinary arts organization dedicated to fostering harmony among members of the Canadian South Asian diaspora.

Through the internship, I wanted to learn the specifics of what goes into the realization of successful film festival and be an integral part of it by contributing meaningfully throu research, publicity, digital marketing, blog posts and much more. After coming on board, I singled out as many media and cultural organizations based in Montréal as possible, which involved significant research and documentation work. The goal was to connect with cultur centers and establish the festival as a part of the cultural fabric of Montréal by incorporating them in the Kabir Centre listservs. My primary responsibilities included digital marketing, technical documentation, blog post and press release composition, and local promotional activities, such as postering and flyer distribution in Montreal. I composed social media conte for the organization and partnered with colleagues to provide logistical and social media support to the festival. To ensure adequate promotion, each film’s marketing emphasized its themat elements, accolades, and contextual background to attract the right audience. I explored potential funding avenues for festival growth by contacting numerous South Asian businesses situated in the Plateau, Parc Extension, Downtown, and other locales. This endeavor proved exceptionally challenging, as securing sponsorships from restaurant and business owners necessitated communicating the importance of the film festival. Because of this, my communication skil have significantly developed, enabling me to speak persuasively, concisely, and effectivel people.

As a representative of the festival, my aim was to communicate the importance of the festival to the South Asian community in Montréal. The blog posts I wrote were meant to provide an idea of the wide range of award-winning short films, feature films, and documentaries screened at festival, representing the diversity, mission and uniqueness of this festival. During the festival days, I was allotted evening shifts at Cinémathèque Québécoise and Cinema De Seve. I arrived early on screening days and helped set up the decor, including putting up posters at these cinemas, laying out the red carpet, helping with fixing banners and getting crucial print outs. helped with the ticketing and distribution of lucky draws as people filed into the cinema. T screenings were followed by interesting discussions where directors were invited to interact with the viewers. As the festival came to a close, I made a presentation showcasing all the winners of the festival. I had the opportunity to communicate with brilliant filmmakers and scholars who had stimulating conversations with.

I am extremely honoured to have received the Dean of Arts Development Fund. These funds enabled me to manage accommodation and food, which otherwise would have been very difficult.