PEOPLE-CENTRED ECOSYSTEM-DRIVEN
MISSION
The South Asian Filmmakers Alliance of Canada (SAFA) is a national platform dedicated to advancing South Asian voices across Canada’s screen industries. SAFA connects, supports, and amplifies filmmakers at all stages of their careers, fostering collaboration, professional growth, and meaningful access to industry opportunities. Through an integrated national ecosystem, SAFA empowers screen storytellers by providing the connections, platform, and resources needed to develop their craft, build sustainable and rewarding careers, and thrive within Canada’s screen storytelling landscape.
MANDATE
To fulfill its mission, SAFA’s mandate focuses on the following core responsibilities:
Build and Sustain a Connected National Filmmaker Community
– Bring South Asian screen storytellers together across every stage of their careers, forging a national network that sparks collaboration, fuels knowledge exchange, and strengthens a shared professional identity.
Enable Career Development and Professional Growth
– Champion the growth of filmmakers by creating opportunities to refine their craft, expand their practice, and advance their creative and professional journeys.
Facilitate Industry Access and Growth Pathways
– Open doors to the core ecosystems of the screen sector—production, financing, distribution, and markets—enabling filmmakers to navigate industry pathways, access professional opportunities, and advance their careers.
Strengthen Visibility and Presence
– Elevate South Asian filmmakers and their work within Canada’s screen industries, highlighting their creative output, amplifying their achievements, and supporting their presence and recognition within prominent industry spaces and through public engagement.
Bridge Talent with Screen Sector Infrastructure
– Connect South Asian filmmakers with Canada’s screen sector infrastructure, including national production systems, institutional structures, and professional frameworks, enabling them to navigate, engage with, and leverage the full spectrum of resources that support sustainable creative practice.
ECOSYSTEM
SAFA is people-centred and ecosystem-driven. Its Members gain 360-degree access to Canada’s largest South Asian screen ecosystem, benefiting from its collective strength, mature infrastructure, and extensive networks. With a legacy of 15 years, this ecosystem leverages its strategic relationships with leading national and international screen organizations. SAFA works in close alignment with the South Asian Screen Office of Canada (SASO), the South Asian Screen Academy of Canada (SASA), and the International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA Toronto) — North America’s largest South Asian film organization — to provide coherent, year-round professional development and industry engagement for its Members.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Advisory Council brings together a diverse group of screen professionals to guide SAFA’s growth across Canada and build a vibrant, connected, and thriving national South Asian screen community.
Maheshinder Singh
Director, Writer & Producer, Vancouver
Bobby Bajaj
Producer, Toronto
Ash Varma
Producer and Director, Toronto
Naveen Kumar
Producer and Director, Kitchener
Allen Thomas
Producer and Director, Toronto
Fatima Alvi
Actor, Toronto
