Vic Sarin - Headline-2

VIC SARIN

 A passionate and diverse filmmaker,

Vic Sarin’s career includes award winning feature films,

documentaries and television movies.

MASTER CLASS: VIC SARIN ON MAKING FILMS YOU BELIEVE IN! 

The US premiere of Vic Sarin’s feature documentary film, The Boy from Geita, was screened at Moondance, along with his feature narrative film, A Shine of Rainbows.

Born in Kashmir, India, Sarin began his career in Australia making documentaries that he produced, wrote, directed and shot, while working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a cameraman. He then emigrated to Canada and went on to become one of Canada’s most celebrated Directors of Photography, receiving numerous accolades including Genie, Gemini and Emmy nominations and awards among others. He is the recipient of the prestigious Kodak Lifetime Achievement Award for having created some of Canadian cinema’s most moving and memorable images. Vic’s outstanding work on feature films such as Margaret’s Museum, Whale Music, Bye Bye Blues, Dancing in the Dark and On My Own earned him world renown as one of Canada’s premier cinematographers.

Sarin then turned his focus to directing where he often wears both hats as Director and Cinematographer, creating a distinct look and feel with breathtaking visuals and a unique storytelling style that seamlessly weaves together the emotional and visual aspects of his films. As a director, Sarin has won recognition for a diverse range of films such as the feature Cold Comfort, starring Maury Chaykin and Paul Gross, which garnered five Genie (Canadian Academy Award) nominations including Best Picture. He has thrice received Emmy nominations for his family films for television: In His Father’s Shoes, starring Lou Gossett (five Emmy nominations including Best Direction and Best Picture), Sea People starring Hume Cronyn, (four Emmy nods including Best Direction and Best Picture) The Legend of Gatorface and Trial at Fortitude Bay starring Lolita Davidovitch and Henry Czerny which garnered both Emmy and Cable Ace nods. He received critical acclaim for the controversial television movie, “Murder Unveiled – A Love Story.” He also directed the smash hit Christian feature film Left Behind, based on the popular book series.

Sarin wrote his first feature film screenplay Partition, a story of love against all odds, set against the turmoil at the end of the British reign of India in 1947, based on events he had heard about and witnessed growing up in Kashmir. Partition became a $10 million feature that Sarin directed and shot in India and Canada in 2006 starring Jimi Mistry, Neve Campbell, Kristin Kreuk and Irfan Khan. It was released theatrically internationally in 2007 and has won numerous accolades.

Continuing to work with the themes of belonging, family, and what we leave behind, Sarin co-wrote the screenplay adaptation for the feature film A Shine of Rainbows, based on the novel by Lillian Beckwith. Sarin completed production on A Shine of Rainbows in Ireland starring Connie Nielsen, Aidan Quinn and newcomer John Bell.

Sarin’s films, though unique in character and setting, share a common thread — the exploration of the human need for connection, tolerance and opening the boundaries of the human heart.

THE BOY FROM GEITA: A special documentary film screening, and a Moondance 2016 winning feature narrative film. Lead actors in this film, Aidan Quinn & John Bell have also won 2016 Moondance Best Male Actor Awards.Screenshot 2016-08-05 11.29.19 THE BOY FROM GEITA

“Zero Zero” – translated literally as “nothing” – is what a young boy like Adam is called in
 Tanzania because of his albino complexion. Adam’s pale skin makes him vulnerable, not
 only to the lethal sun’s rays, but to the most violent, hateful bullying & crimes imaginable. This large-scale
 problem is made worse by local witch-doctors who propagate the belief that the 
body parts of albino children bring good fortune. Ostracized from society and constantly 
fearing for his life, Adam finds an unlikely kindred spirit in a Canadian
 businessman who also has albinism. Together they embark on a journey that transcends
 cultures and continents in hopes of raising understanding of and awareness for their shared condition. (80 minutes)

A SHINE OF RAINBOWS: A Moondance 2016 winning feature film.

A Shine of RainbowsYoung Irish orphan, Tomás, is harassed, bullied and ridiculed for his small size, timidity and stuttering by the other children in his County Donegal orphanage. He is called to the headmasters’ office to be greeted by Maire who has adopted him, and takes him back to her isolated island home, where Tomás is greeted coldly by her husband, Alec. Maire discloses she was an orphan too, never adopted, and that is why she picked Tomás, loving and ‘knowing’ him, due to her own experiences. As Maire’s influence on him begins to shine through, he starts to gain in confidence and becomes drawn to wildlife. They see a rainbow and she promises to take him into one, someday. Soon thereafter, Alec and Tomás get a little closer, and they go fishing. Together they find a young seal, apparently abandoned on the beach. and Tomás begins caring for the abandoned animal, showing it the compassion he’s longed for in his own life. (100 minutes)

MASTER CLASS: VIC SARIN ON MAKING FILMS YOU BELIEVE IN!