Lifeline: Canadian Spotlight Feature + Q&A

MIFF brings Ilhan Abdullahi's short film-turned-feature film Lifeline, to Toronto for a special Closing Night screening! Join us for this special screening followed by a Q&A. Country of Origin: Canada Language: English/Somali Logline: A wrongly convicted basketball prodigy's case draws Somali youth worker Ibtisam Farah into criminal investigations and reconnection with her estranged community while his family's dreams crumble. Director's Bio: Ilhan Abdullahi is a Somali-Canadian filmmaker, producer, and community organizer based in Vancouver, on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Shaped by her family’s migration journey and her own lived experiences, her work centers Black, Muslim, and migrant communities, exploring belonging, identity, joy, and community through narrative and documentary storytelling. Her short films include Dreamers, Not For Us, and the award-winning comedy Unqualified, with her films screening at festivals and platforms including Short of the Week. Her debut feature, Lifeline, was developed through the Whistler Film Festival Screenwriters Lab and premieres in Fall 2026.