Four new short documentaries about the first Muslims to build lives in Canada will have their premiere screening in Mississauga this Saturday.
Muslims in Canada: Stories, Then & Now runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Maja Prentice Theatre, 3650 Dixie Rd. The evening is organized by Muslim Media Hub.
Films from a 10-week lab
The films were made by emerging Muslim filmmakers in Muslim Media Hub's 2025 Short Film Lab. Over 10 weeks, the participants dug through community archives to find histories that had been overlooked, then shaped them into short documentaries.
According to the organizers, the films look at the earliest Muslims who settled in Canada: the struggles they faced, and how they held on to their faith and their communities while finding a place in the country. The event is billed as offering four new ways of seeing Muslim history in Canada.
After the screenings, a conversation will explore what the stories say about identity and memory, and why it matters for communities to reclaim their own history.
Tickets and details
Admission is pay what you can, with registration through Eventbrite and a suggested minimum of $10. Organizers say a light dinner is included, and concessions will be available to buy. The project is supported by the Inspirit Foundation.
The screening is also listed among January's highlights by Visit Mississauga, the city's tourism office.
The Maja Prentice Theatre is one of the City of Mississauga's performance venues. Weekend weather is worth watching before heading out: Environment Canada has flagged a chance of freezing rain in parts of southern Ontario late Saturday.
