Inaugural Social Impact Film and Art Festival (SIFA) Premieres at Montreal’s Historic Rialto Theatre

Montréal, June 2, 2022 — UniAction proudly unveiled the inaugural Social Impact Film and Art Festival (SIFA Festival) at the historic Rialto Theatre, establishing a new artistic platform for voices making a difference.

Presented in a hybrid format, the festival fathered over 150 participants and opened with a professional networking breakfast (8:30–10 a.m.) where filmmakers, artists, and nonprofits connected over shared missions. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Rialto offered free public screenings of over 20 socially impactful short and feature-length films, alongside an exhibition of socially engaged art projects—both aiming to spark awareness and inspire community reflection.

Co-founded by Thi Be Nguyen (UniAction) and Sean St. John, the festival was designed to amplify global social-impact projects—from migrant rights to environmental justice—created by filmmakers, musicians, visual artists, nonprofits, and corporate initiatives alike.

“Supported by UniAction, we are very proud to receive over fifty submissions from around the world. We hope viewers will reflect deeply and even imagine positive solutions,” shared Thi Be Nguyen, festival founding president

The SIFA Festival recognized creators across ten award categories, including Best Feature, Best Short, Best Film by a Woman Producer, Best Environmental Project, Best LGBTQ+ Project, Best Charity Project, and more. A special Social Impact World Influencer Award was also introduced to recognize exceptional creative leadership.

The day culminated in a gala evening (6–9 p.m.) featuring the award ceremony and red-carpet recognition of selected creators and projects.

UniAction’s launch of SIFA Festival represented its deepening commitment to cultural diplomacy—using creative expression and storytelling to build empathy, challenge injustice, and nurture dialogue across cultures. By spotlighting global stories of resilience and transformation, the festival demonstrated how art can inspire collective action.