Meet Me at Ridgeway: New Documentary Explores Food and Belonging in Mississauga

A new short documentary, Meet Me at Ridgeway, explores the people and everyday connections behind Ridgeway Plaza in Mississauga, using its restaurants as a starting point for a wider conversation about culture, belonging and civic participation.

For visitors who associate the plaza with shawarma, nihari, kunafah and chai, the project offers another way to understand the place: through the residents and business owners who help give it meaning.

Food, conversation and a sense of belonging

The documentary follows Mississauga residents Laila Vahed and Marium Vahed as they interview business owners and each other. Its official description connects daily life at Ridgeway with municipal decisions and the influence residents can have on their city.

That approach gives food a role beyond the menu. A restaurant visit becomes an entry point into questions about whose cultures are represented in neighbourhood spaces, how people connect, and what makes a place feel like part of their community.

The multilingual posters carry the film’s title in English, Arabic and Urdu. Alongside imagery of food, tea and people gathering, the design reflects the project’s multicultural focus.

The people behind the documentary

Marium Nur Vahed combines filmmaking with community organizing and civic-engagement work. Her experience includes directing, producing and writing more than a dozen short films. Laila Vahed brings a background in history, diaspora studies, archival work and filmmaking, including a previous short made through the Mississauga Multilingual Fringe Festival.

The published crew credits name Marium and Laila as hosts, directors, producers and writers, with Laila also serving as researcher. Hirra Farooqi contributed as director, producer and production manager; Nicole Danesi as producer and writer; and Daisy Yiu as producer. Mahmoud Sarouji handled cinematography and editing, with Ashley Mach assisting on camera and Elias Hoffman on sound.

A local story with a civic message

Organizers scheduled the premiere for October 6, 2026, at the Kaneff Centre at the University of Toronto Mississauga. The announced program included a panel moderated by Nouman Ashraf, Associate Professor and Academic Director at Rotman. The project is supported by the University of Toronto School of Cities and United Way Greater Toronto.

The timing also places the documentary ahead of Mississauga’s municipal election on October 26, 2026. Official results show voter turnout was just 21.84% in the 2022 municipal election, adding context to the film’s interest in residents’ participation.

For THF readers, the story invites a closer look at the relationship between food businesses and community life. It suggests that the places where people eat and meet can also help them think about their neighbourhoods and their voice in local decisions.

Where to watch

An Instagram announcement said the film would stream on YouTube on the night of the premiere. As of October 7, 2026, The Halal Food has not verified a direct public link to the complete documentary.

Planning a visit? Explore our Ridgeway Plaza visitor guide.

Sources and further information

• School of Cities: official film and premiere announcement
• Film poster announcement on Instagram and online-release announcement
• Published project background and crew credits
• York University: Marium Nur Vahed biography
• Victoria College: Laila Vahed’s history and filmmaking background
• City of Mississauga: 2026 municipal election and official 2022 election results