Saturday Shorts

Saturday Shorts Program

A carefully curated selection of five incredible independent short films: P For Paparazzi, Ali, Blessings (Maaybaapache Aashirwaad), Kanippu (The Prediction), and Family Man.

P For Paparazzi

India | Hindi, Maithili | 2024 | 27 mins | Dir. Divya Kharnare

Amidst the chaos of flashing lights and crazy crowds, Manoj, an established paparazzi from Nepal, faces off against fellow photographers in a high-stakes race to capture the most sensational photos. Despite his years of experience and connections with celebrities ranging from Boney Kapoor to Alia Bhatt, Manoj confronts the harsh reality of his brother's deteriorating health.

As Manoj navigates the blurry nights of Mumbai during Diwali, his encounters with celebrities offer glimpses into the glitz and glamour but also highlight the human side behind the fame. With each click of the camera, Manoj grapples with the moral dilemmas of his profession and the weight of his brother's fate hanging in the balance. Will Manoj's connections and perseverance be enough to secure the funds needed for his brother's treatment, or will it be a solitary battle of survival?

Ali

Bangladesh, Philippines | Bengali | 2025 | 15 mins | Dir. Adnan Al Rajeev

Poddopur is a lily pluckers village where women's voices are forbidden, Ali (15) and his mother lead a life surrounded by the mountains. Ali has a secret on his throat that Salma diligently stitches and conceals. When news of a singing competition offering a chance to migrate to the other side of the

mountain reaches them, Salma is filled with hope, as Ali is a talented singer. But Ali refuses to take part in the competition. Ali’s mother tries to convince him as she hopes, since godly people live on that side, Ali’s secret will be saved and she won’t have to whisper to his son anymore.

But Ali’s interest is somewhere else. Ali gets caught red handed to his mother while watching a female song on the TV! Ali’s mom reacts badly and thrashes the TV down and scolds Ali!

Finally, the time comes. Ali auditions for the competition, wowing the godly judges who came here to pick the one from the other side of the mountain. Perhaps he’ll win. But he is found sitting on a boat. Ali discards the cloth, hiding his secret wound. As the stitches come undone, an ethereal female voice escapes from his throat, revealing his true identity. Ali’s mother, tearful but resigned, no longer holds him back. For the first time, Ali finds both freedom and peace through his song.

Blessings (Maaybaapache Aashirwaad)

India | Marathi | 2025 | 20 mins | Dir. Apurva Bardapurkar

Suryakant and Sangeeta, like any other parents, care only for their son - Dharma’s happiness. When Dharma accidentally kills his cousin, they go all the way to keep it hidden from the world. Even if

keeping the secret means getting blood on their hands, they don’t stop. They justify to themselves, “Whatever we do, we do it for our son”. Seventeen years later when Dharma visits home for a day with his girlfriend, Suryakant and Sangeeta are exhilarated. But they soon understand that she knows about Dharma's cousin's death and to top that, she is an aspiring cop. Their anxiety skyrockets. They panic and start planning to kill their future daughter-in-law. But they go about in a shaky, non-killer comedic manner. Hoping that their son agrees with their justification, “Whatever we have done, we have done it for our son”.

Kanippu (The Prediction)

India | Tamil | 2026 | 23 mins | Dir. Rishi Chandna

A grieving boatman and an earnest meteorologist share their knowledge of the seas and weather, but find themselves helpless in the face of unpredictable climate.

Family Man

Nepal, Australia | Tamang | 2024 | 18 mins | Dir. Kalani Gacon

During a storm in a remote Nepalese village, a mysterious man finds refuge in the house of a family haunted by their father's disappearance years before. Strangely unwilling to leave, he slowly reawakens lost memories of the missing father.

Recorded Q&A with Divya Kharnare (P for Paparazzi), Adnan Al Rajeev (Ali), Apurva Bardapurkar (Blessings), Rishi Chandna (Kanippu), and Kalani Gacon (Family Man).

The program will begin promptly at the time listed. Please show up early to ensure that you are in the theater 5 minutes before the film starts - we don't air 15 minutes of commercials.

Indie Meme is supported in part by the City of Austin Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment

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