Get the popcorn ready. The Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival (MISAFF) is set to begin this Thursday, August 4 2016 and will run until Sunday August 7. The festival features the best of new South Asian and select Middle Eastern film titles over the span of four days. The festival is in its fifth year and will see over six movies premiere. SHE talked to the festival Co-Director Anya Mckenzie about providing a platform to the South Asian diaspora in the GTA to screen movies in multiple languages that are a true reflection of the modern lives of South Asians in the country. A filmmaker and with over a decade in the business of films and festivals, Mckenzie says this festival has gained strength through the years. The movies playing as part of MISAFF are curated from the best of South Asian, Middle Eastern and Canadian offerings as well as online submissions. This year more than 150 films were submitted for consideration and  the team short-listed their pick to show true diversity of all cultures. This year's festival will begin on August 4 with a red-carpet gala screening of Aligarh followed by a Q & A with the director Hansal Mehta and the co-star of the film Rajkumar Rao. The closing night movie Waiting starts Naseeruddin Shah and Kalki Koechlin and promises to be a powerhouse of a performance match between the two leads. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's Girl in the River is also being screened at MISAFF. This documentary won Obaid-Chinoy her second Oscar and highlights the scourge of honour killings in Pakistan. Mckenzie says that MISAFF has always aimed at being much more than a festival; it is also a means to raise social consciousness, make the audiences aware of issues that plague their communities and start a dialogue towards change. At the same time, she insists, with this festival, the director's aim at encouraging Canadian film-making, incorporating identity of new immigrants in their new country, dramatic narratives and creative story-telling. Tickets are available for individual movies, packages as well as for the gala's and opening night and closing night parties. The schedule and ticket prices are available on the website here.      Banner Image: MISAFF