Community Spotlight / Spotlight On Sarmad Khoosat, Hamza Haq, Nisha Pahuja & More At MISAFF 2026

Spotlight On Sarmad Khoosat, Hamza Haq, Nisha Pahuja & More At MISAFF 2026

Community Spotlight Sep 18, 2026

by Farah Khan | Editorial Director

Independent cinema is taking centre stage in Mississauga as the Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival (MISAFF) returns for its 12th edition with five days of premieres, global cinema and industry programming.

Running September 30 to October 4, 2026, MISAFF will bring audiences to Cineplex Mississauga and the Living Arts Centre for a festival centred around independent storytelling, community and the filmmakers helping shape the future of cinema.

ANOKHI LIFE is proud to return as an official media partner.

This year, MISAFF is turning its attention to stories that nurture the soul, strengthen community and explore the power of unscripted storytelling. Following Opening Night, the festival will also host a full-day industry symposium on October 1 featuring masterclasses, conversations and networking, with a particular focus on supporting and elevating unscripted content.

“Mississauga has the audiences, artists and cultural diversity to be an important home for independent cinema in Canada,” said Arshad Khan, MISAFF Festival Director. “This year’s festival reflects what we want to keep building: more opportunities to showcase stories that nurture our souls and communities, and lay the groundwork for stronger connections between creators and the industry.”

Buy Tickets Here

Opening Night: Sarmad Khoosat’s LALI

MISAFF 2026 officially opens September 30 at Cineplex Mississauga with the Canadian premiere of LALI, the latest film from acclaimed Pakistani filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat.

The Pakistani Punjabi-language drama was selected for Berlinale Panorama and will launch the festival’s five-day celebration of independent cinema.

For MISAFF, bringing the film to Mississauga also carries particular significance because of the city’s Punjabi community.

“LALI is a Pakistani Punjabi-language drama I’m incredibly proud to bring to MISAFF. The Punjabi diaspora in Canada, and particularly here in Mississauga, is rich, textured and spans generations. This is a story I believe will resonate across generations and family lines, while giving audiences a chance to see parts of their own lives, relationships and communities reflected on screen.” – Arshad Khan, MISAFF Festival Director

A Global Film Program Filled With Premieres

Beyond Opening Night, MISAFF’s 2026 program brings together films from Pakistan, Iran, Canada, India and beyond, including selections previously featured at major international festivals.

Among the titles audiences can expect are A Bit of Light from Iranian director Ali Asghari, a Venice Orizzonti selection receiving its Canadian premiere, and The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony, a Canada-Pakistan production directed by Habiba Nosheen and selected for Tribeca.

Indian filmmaker Gurvinder Singh’s Rehmat, starring Naseeruddin Shah, arrives at MISAFF following its Locarno selection and will receive its North American premiere.

The lineup also includes Flowers of Acacia from director Anmol Siddhu, receiving its Canadian premiere, as well as Roid, directed by Mejbaur Rahman Sumon, also making its Canadian premiere.

MISAFF is also looking back at a significant chapter in Indian film history with a special retrospective screening of the recently restored Badnam Basti from 1972, widely recognized as India’s first gay film.

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Documentary Storytelling Takes the Spotlight

Documentary filmmaking also has a strong presence at this year’s festival.

MISAFF will host the world premiere of There Was A Sky, directed by Ammar Aziz, alongside Sundance selection Everybody to Kenmure Street.

Also featured is the Canadian premiere of Marriage Cops, directed by Shashwati Talukdar and Cheryl Hess, as well as the Canadian premiere of The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony, directed by Habiba Nosheen.

Together, the documentary slate complements MISAFF’s broader focus this year on unscripted storytelling and the role it can play in reflecting communities, experiences and perspectives.

MISAFF’s Industry Symposium Returns October 1

The conversation extends beyond the movie theatre on October 1, when MISAFF hosts its full-day Industry Symposium.

Designed to give filmmakers and creatives access to candid conversations about navigating Canada’s screen industry, the program will explore sustainable careers, working with broadcasters and the process of bringing projects from an initial idea all the way to the screen.

One session, From Festivals to the Oscars: Navigating Distribution, will explore the journey from festival premieres to awards recognition and the distribution strategies that help films reach audiences.

The panel will feature Alireza Khatami, the Iranian-Canadian director and screenwriter whose film The Things You Kill premiered at Sundance 2025 and was selected as Canada’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature, alongside Oscar-nominated Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, director of To Kill a Tiger.

The session is presented by the Canada Media Fund (CMF).

Courageous Filmmaking Across Borders

Another major symposium conversation, Courageous Filmmaking, will take a global look at the challenges, inspirations and opportunities involved in producing films across South Asia and North Africa.

The panel brings together Mo Naqvi and Bilal Sami, Oscar-nominated filmmakers behind Hanging By A Wire, who will discuss filmmaking in Pakistan; Sarmad Khoosat, director of Lali and Circus of Life, discussing filmmaking in Pakistan; and Gurvinder Singh, director of Rehmat, discussing shooting in India and the influence of village life on his work.

They will be joined by Nisha Pahuja, discussing shooting in India, and producer Richard Duquette, who will speak about filmmaking in Algeria.

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An Intimate Conversation With Hamza Haq

Canadian actor Hamza Haq will also join the festival for MISAFF Chat With Hamza Haq, an intimate conversation exploring his career, craft and the evolving landscape for actors working in Canadian television.

Haq is best known for his leading role as Bashir Hamed in the medical drama series Transplant, a performance that earned him three consecutive Canadian Screen Awards in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Hamza Haq in a still from <i>Transplant</i> — Hamza Haq in a still from *Transplant*

Connecting Creators Directly With the Industry

MISAFF’s Industry Symposium will also feature a two-hour Roundtable Session: Working With Broadcasters, Unions & Associations.

The session is designed around intimate, small-group conversations with key decision-makers from Canada’s broadcasting, funding and production landscape.

Each roundtable will run for 20 minutes, allowing participants to rotate between tables and connect with multiple industry representatives throughout the session.

It is this combination of screenings, conversations and direct industry access that continues to position MISAFF as more than a traditional film festival.

12 Years of Amplifying South Asian Stories

Now in its 12th year, the Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival has become a platform for new South Asian and select West Asian and North African cinema, highlighting filmmakers and stories that reflect Canada’s cultural diversity.

Over the years, MISAFF has debuted Canadian filmmakers including Richie Mehta, known for Delhi Crime, and Faisal Lutchmedial of Transplant.

Through film, art and community, the festival continues its mission of amplifying South Asian voices while challenging limiting stereotypes.

And from international premieres to conversations about how projects actually get made, distributed and seen, MISAFF 2026 is putting both the stories and the people behind them centre stage in Mississauga.

Get Your Tickets

MISAFF 2026 runs September 30 to October 4 at Cineplex Mississauga and the Living Arts Centre.

Screening tickets, Festival passes and tickets to Opening Night are available at www.misaff.com.

Farah Khan | Editorial Director

Author

Farah Khan manages the editorial department at ANOKHI LIFE, overseeing content production, publishing, and the annual editorial calendar, while also supporting operations, projects, systems, events, and vendor coordination.

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Spotlight On Sarmad Khoosat, Hamza Haq, Nisha Pahuja & More At MISAFF 2026

by Farah Khan | Editorial Director

Opening Night: Sarmad Khoosat’s LALI

A Global Film Program Filled With Premieres

Documentary Storytelling Takes the Spotlight

MISAFF’s Industry Symposium Returns October 1

Courageous Filmmaking Across Borders

An Intimate Conversation With Hamza Haq

Connecting Creators Directly With the Industry

12 Years of Amplifying South Asian Stories

Get Your Tickets

Farah Khan | Editorial Director

COMMENTS

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