Harvey (Mandeep Sodhi) is a bodybuilder struggling to hold himself together after moving back home to look after his elderly father (Amrit Parbhakar). Compelled by his father’s mantra — “My son is very strong” — from a young age, Harvey has developed an impressive, hardened exterior. Still, cracks begin to show as the pressure of caregiving sends him crumbling into frequent crying fits and panic attacks. Confident in his body but broken on the inside, Harvey must learn that sometimes strength means asking for help.
Ian Bawa’s feature debut is a continuation of the series of short films that examined his relationship with his father, and Parbhakar brings depth as the strong-willed and stubborn patriarch who spends his days replaying pro wrestling videos and watching his son exercise. Strong Son is an affecting story about filial duty, masculinity and the emotional gaps that can exist between first-generation immigrant parents and their children.
Oct 5 & 6: Filmmaker Q&A
Presented by
Media Partner
Mandeep Sodhi, Amirit Parbhakar, Michaela Kurimsky, Yuvraj (Raj) Singh Dhesi, Quinn Greene, Erik Athavale
Canada
2026
In English and Punjabi with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Kyle Bornais, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson, Kathleen Easton
Producer
Fritzi Adelman, Ian Bawa, Markus Henkel
Screenwriter
Ian Bawa
Cinematography
Markus Henkel
Editor
Ian Bawa, Markus Henkel, Ted Husband
Production Design
Jillian Groen
Original Music
Milos Mitrovic, Max Walter, Amine Bouzaher
Ian Bawa
Ian Bawa is a South Asian filmmaker from Winnipeg, Manitoba. His award-winning short films have screened at festivals including TIFF, Slamdance, Fantasia, and Aspen Shortsfest, earning recognition from Vimeo Staff Picks, Urbanworld, and Reelworld. Bawa is an alumnus of the TIFF Filmmaker Lab, Canadian Film Centre Directors’ Lab, and TIFF Every Story Accelerator. Drawing from his own experiences, his work explores family, grief, masculinity, mental health, and cultural identity. Strong Son (2026) is his debut feature.
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