Malaysian filmmaker Sanadtkumar Ganesan has achieved a new milestone in his career, making the nation proud by winning Best International Short at 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 outstanding international entries and awarded for its exceptional storytelling, direction, editing, and overall production execution. The award category, which covers both scripted and documentary films, honours the best work from international students enrolled in Toronto Film School.
“The Best International Short is presented for both scripted and documentary films by international students, based on the overall merit of the production — from writing and directing to editing and execution,” shared the TFS FEST representative during the ceremony.
The festival, organized by the Toronto Film School, is known for celebrating innovation, resilience, and creative excellence in filmmaking. ‘Late Night Mini-Mart’ stood out not just for its technical merit, but for its heartfelt message about pushing beyond limitations. The film explores how people are often defined by what holds them back, whether internal fears or external pressures and invites viewers to question those boundaries.
“I flew halfway across the world from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to be here today. 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,” said Sanadtkumar Ganesan, director of the short film ‘Late Night Mini-Mart’, as he received his award on stage.
