25/06/2025

LYFE WEDNESDAY | JUNE 25, 2025

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Malaysian wins in Canada wins in Canada M ALAYSIAN filmmaker Sanadtkumar Ganesan has won Best International Short at o Sanadtkumar takes prize for best international short at film fest in Toronto

the TFS Fest 2025 Pinnacle Awards Gala, held at the renowned TIFF Lightbox – Cinema 1 in Toronto, Canada. Sanadtkumar’s short film Late Night Mini-Mart was selected from a pool of exceptional international entries and recognised for its outstanding storytelling, direction, editing and overall production quality. The award category, which covers scripted and documentary films, honours the best work produced by international students enrolled in Toronto Film School. In a statement, Ascendance, an international youth organisation, said that Late Night Mini-Mart stood out not only for its technical merit but for its heartfelt message about pushing beyond limitations, and the film explores how individuals are often defined by what holds them back, whether internal fears or external pressures, and invites viewers to question those boundaries. “The Best International Short is presented for scripted and documentary films by international students, based on the overall merit of the production – from writing and directing to editing and execution,” said the TFS Fest representative, quoted in

the statement. Meanwhile, Sanadtkumar dedicated the award to his family, team and mentors at Toronto Film School. “This film came from the idea that we are so much more than the things that stop us – our limiting beliefs, our comfort zones. I wanted this film to remind people: you are so much more than what you think you are. “Thank you to all the instructors who were part of my journey, Steven Hoffner, Amy Wong, Blain Watters and to my parents back home in Malaysia. Let us continue to live and breathe movies,” he said. TFS Fest is regarded as one of Canada’s most respected platforms for emerging filmmakers. The Pinnacle Awards, judged by a panel of industry professionals, represent the festival’s highest honour and celebrate bold, original voices in cinema. Late Night Mini-Mart has since garnered praise for its intimate portrayal of everyday life, weaving in elements of Malaysian culture while highlighting universally relatable themes.

A close-up of the award received by Sanadtkumar.

Sanadtkumar is a Malaysian writer-director, award-winning documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Ascendance, one of the largest Southeast Asian youth organisations. His documentary series Wanted: Shades of Life celebrates inspiring everyday Malaysians such as local chess master Genkeswaran Muniyan and has

Sanadtkumar celebrates his win at the TFS Fest 2025 in Toronto, Canada, holding the award for Best International Short for his film Late Night Mini-Mart . – PICS FROM SANADTKUMAR GANESAN

earned awards including Best Inspirational Film at the Los Angeles Film Awards. He has received multiple international

accolades including the Diana Award for Social Change (2019) and a spot in the Prestige 40 Under 40 list in 2024. – Bernama

The singer plans to launch her own podcast. – PICS FROM BERNAMA

Nora is grateful for the continued support from loyal fans.

Nora says Sudah Tertulis is a personal expression of her life journey.

Nora Ariffin returns with fresh track

AFTER more than a decade without releasing new material, singer Datuk Nora Ariffin returns with an

emotional piece titled Sudah Tertulis , marking a new chapter in her artistic career. Nora, whose real name is Wan Norafizah Wan Ariffin, 53, said the song is a personal expression of her life journey and the destiny written for her. “This song means a lot to me because it reflects my own life journey. It is not my final work, but it is among the

“As a mother, I am so happy to see her hard work. She is very independent and never asks for help. Her latest song Aku Ada , performed with Zaki Yamani, the son of Datuk Jamal Abdillah, shows a very strong collaboration,” she said. She added that Putri Dahlia has inherited her late father’s artistic talent and even handles all aspects of music production and promotion on her own. Putri Dahlia gained popularity with several English-language tracks such as Set U Free, Mi Amor, Butterflies and Old Love, which went viral on TikTok. – Bernama

do acknowledge that there are a lot of new songs in the market right now,” she said. The singer, known for the hit Di Persimpangan Dilema, also plans to launch her own podcast and dreams of holding a concert in the future. Meanwhile, Nora expressed pride in the achievements of her third child from her marriage with the late Johan Nawawi – Putri Dahlia – who is now actively making a name for herself in the local music industry. According to Nora, Putri Dahlia has shown great determination and independence in building her career without relying on her mother’s name.

best I have produced so far,” she said after a recent recording of Hidup Ini Keras , a podcast produced by Bernama. Sudah Tertulis , which was fully released on digital platforms about four months ago, presents a narrative about life and divine fate. It was composed by veteran composer Sharon Paul, with lyrics by Lukhman S. Though it has yet to be heavily promoted, Nora is grateful for the continued support from loyal fans who keep up with her latest developments. “So far, the response has been very encouraging. Alhamdulillah, fans who have followed me would know. But I