I, Poppy

Note from the ED:

In solidarity with the people of Nepal, Indie Meme will donate 100% of ticket sales from this screening to the Government of Nepal’s Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund, supporting urgent rescue, relief, and recovery efforts.

Before I, Poppy, we will present 2026 Jury Award Winning short film "Family Man". The village featured in the film is among the communities affected by the floods, making this screening especially personal and urgent.

Cinema has always had the power to bring people together. We invite our Austin community to join us—not only to experience these important stories, but also to stand with the people of Nepal during this deeply painful time.

I, Poppy

India | 2025 | 82 mins | Marwari & Hindi with English Subtitles | Dir. Vivek Chaudhary

A son fights corrupt officials while his mother tends their poppy farm in India. As authorities strike back at their lower-caste family, they must choose between keeping food on the table and standing up for what’s right.

Filmed observationally for 5 years, I Poppy is an intimate film about the intertwining but divergent paths of poppy farmer Vardibai and her activist son Mangilal as they grapple with systemic oppression. Their moral dilemma crystallizes around a painful choice: continue bribing officials so they can survive, or fight for systemic change at tremendous personal cost. This multi-layered narrative transcends its Indian context to explore universal themes of justice, family and the human cost of standing up against institutional power.

This film will be preceded by the short film:

Family Man

Nepal, Australia | Tamang | 2025 | 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.

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.

Thank you to our community partners for this screening:

This project is supported, in part, by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.

Members must log in to get their 20% discount!

100% of proceeds will be donated to the Government of Nepal’s Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund, supporting urgent rescue, relief, and recovery efforts.