I loved talking with Deepa Mehta. I could have listened to her for hours, and I wish she could be my friend for life. Deepa is a citizen of the world, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose work is celebrated internationally and has played at every major film festival. Deepa has worked with George Lucas, yet often has turned down Hollywood to create emotionally resonating, award-winning cinema that matters to her and you and me. Born in India and an immigrant to Canada, Deepa is a visionary storyteller, and her fearless journey has taken audiences to places they could never have imagined. She challenges conventions, breaks barriers and sparks conversations with a rare authenticity that lingers long after the credits roll. Her work at times has been so provocative that her life has been threatened, and her film sets destroyed by those who fear the truth. Deepa shares her journey and talks about her latest documentary, I Am Sirat. This groundbreaking work was shot entirely on smartphones. This film tells the story of Sirat Taneja, a transgender woman who must act as her mother's son when at home in New Delhi but can be the woman she is with her friends and work. It is the story of duality and belonging – two themes that weave through Deepa's films and lead us to question our place on this earth. Do we belong? I Am Sirat is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and is one of the eleven films competing for the Best Film Award at the London Film Festival.

I then invite Lexi Marton, Director of Brand Marketing at RBC, to share what RBC is doing during their 15th year as a major sponsor of TIFF and what RBC is doing to help emerging filmmakers create and find the audience their content deserves.