Vijay Sethupathi, Atlee’s Baththa Goes International With IFFA Pick

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Vijay Sethupathi's Tamil film Baththa has been officially selected for the 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Alberta (IFFA) 2026 in Canada. The makers announced the news on social media, marking the film's arrival on the international festival circuit following its slated worldwide release on 1 October 2026.

Photo Credit: Instagram: @actorvijaysethupathi

When And Where To Watch

Baththa will be screened on 2 November at 7 pm at Landmark Cinemas City Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. Diaspora audiences and festival-goers in the region get a chance to watch the film on the big screen.

About The Festival

IFFA is organised by the Edmonton Movie Club, a group formed in 2012 with the aim of bridging cultures through cinema. The club started the festival in 2015, initially with screenings in Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray. Its focus is on independent filmmakers from India and Canada, along with films from the country's smaller regional industries.

The festival has also built an identity around moving past the idea that Indian cinema means only Bollywood. Last year's 11th edition was held in Calgary and put a spotlight on films from Northeast India.

About Baththa

The film is written and directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan, and it marks his third collaboration with Vijay Sethupathi. Their earlier work together includes Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, which became one of the biggest hits of the actor's career.

Baththa is set in the 1980s. The director has said he wrote the story during the lockdown, then narrated it to Vijay Sethupathi, who introduced him to producer Atlee. The makers describe it as a commercial entertainer built around human values and responsibility, with something for viewers of every generation. Its teaser presented it as an action-driven thriller.

Besides Vijay Sethupathi, the cast includes Lijomol Jose, Hari, Arjun Chidambaram, Balamurugan, Vishnu Govindan and Sai Prithviraj. Music is composed by Sai Abhyankkar.

What The Team Has Said

At the film's audio launch in Chennai, held in front of students at a private college, the team spoke warmly about the project. Atlee recalled that Vijay Sethupathi had mentioned the story to him during the making of Jawan, and he decided on the spot to produce it.

Vijay Sethupathi said he felt the story would connect with audiences from the moment he heard it. He praised Lijomol Jose's performance and singled out the young performer Sahasra, joking that the child's work made him feel like the second hero of the film.

The director, for his part, praised Sai Abhyankkar for creating music for a story set in the 1980s despite being born after 2000, and said the composer deserves a National Award.

A Wider Ambition

The festival selection fits into a larger hope for the film. Atlee has spoken about wanting to take Baththa to global audiences, including the Oscars race. An overseas festival slot is a small but real step in that direction.

For Baththa, the Alberta selection is a second chapter. After its theatrical run, the film now meets an audience that watches cinema through a festival lens, in a city that has built a regular home for Indian films. For Tamil cinema fans in Canada, the 2 November screening is a chance to watch it on the big screen.