Serville Poblete Talks Sunburn, TIFF 2026 and His Personal Vision

Filmmaker Serville Poblete is quickly establishing himself as a director to watch, building momentum on the festival circuit with work that feels both deeply personal and distinctly rooted in community. His film In the Morning Sun earned the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW 2026, along with the Golden Gate Award at SFFILM and the Golden Reel at LAAPFF, an impressive run that has helped introduce his voice to audiences beyond Canada. Poblete has also been selected by the TIFF team for TIFF Next Wave, further cementing his place among an exciting new generation of filmmakers whose stories are beginning to command attention on the international festival stage.

Serville Poblete on Sunburn and Shooting in St. James Town

FERNTV‘s conversation with Poblete about Sunburn felt every bit as honest and personal as the film itself. During the interview, he spoke about why it was important for him to shoot in Toronto’s St. James Town, allowing the neighbourhood to become more than simply a backdrop and instead giving the film a genuine sense of place and identity. Poblete also shared what he hopes audiences will take away from Sunburn and the emotions and conversations he wants the film to leave behind after the credits roll. It’s that combination of authenticity, community and personal storytelling that makes Poblete such an intriguing filmmaker to follow—and suggests that his recent festival success may only be the beginning.Cli