After two-and-a-half years of documenting the infamous owner of a Surrey deli, and two-and-a-half more years after its world premiere, the documentary film is available for Video-on-Demand services (iTunes, Vimeo etc). The Sandwich Nazi (2015) was created by local filmmakers Calum MacLeod, Benjamin Taft and Lewis Bennett who doubled as director. It stars and features filthy mouthed and kind hearted deli owner Salam Kahil.
The feature-length doc first screened at SXSW and went onto the festival circuit around the world including the Vancouver International Film Festival. It highlights Kahil as an art collector, former male escort, amateur musician, humanitarian, immigrant and colourful sandwich maker. Producer Calum MacLeod cites that the majority of trailer views come from the Lower Mainland pointing to a culturally invested home audience.
The deli owner is known for his vivacious personality and demeanor, his hearty sandwiches and his generosity to the homeless making him the “Sandwich King of Surrey”.
In 2015 when the film screened at SXSW, VIFF and other festivals around the world, The Georgia Straight reported on a rift between Salam Kahil and the documentary filmmakers.
