Canada202685 minEnglish, Punjabi with English Subtitles
Ian Bawa expands his short of the same name into his feature debut, continuing a body of work that explores family, masculinity, and mental health. At its centre is Harvinder “Harvey” Singh (Mandeep Sodhi), a former bodybuilder now caring for his aging father. Early on, his father tells him he needs to grow his legs — a seemingly simple piece of advice that carries the weight of a lifetime of ideas about what it means to be a strong man.
But what is strength? Building big legs? Or finding the courage to ask out your work crush? As Harvinder confronts the fears that have held him back, he takes new risks, from discovering a passion for pro wrestling to seeking mental health support. With warmth and humour, Bawa brings us closer to Harvinder and the complicated bond between father and son, offering a moving portrait of two men learning that strength can also mean vulnerability, change, and letting others in.
– Samir Ballou
Mandeep Sodhi
Amrit Parbhakar
Raj Dhesi
Michaela Kurimsky
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Toronto International Film Festival, 2026
Ian Bawa*
Ian Bawa is a South Asian filmmaker based in Winnipeg. His work has screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Slamdance Film Festival, the Fantasia International Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Festival, and others around the world, earning multiple awards and Vimeo Staff Picks. An alumnus of the TIFF Filmmaker Lab, now the TIFF Directors’ Lab, and the Canadian Film Centre’s Directors’ Lab, Bawa makes his feature directorial debut with Strong Son, which premiered at TIFF.
*In attendance
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