Ugyen, a reluctant young teacher, just wants to finish his final year of service and move to Australia to pursue music. But when he's assigned to the world's most remote village school, he must reconsider his path and ties to his homeland. Back to Festival Program Thurs. April 13th @ 6:15PM AFS Cinemas Texas Premiere 1/6 LEILA'S BROTHERS Iran I 165 mins I Drama I 2022 I Persian (Farsi) w/ English subtitles BUY TICKETS Winner of the prestigious FIPRESCI Prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival At the age of 40, Leila has spent her entire life caring for her parents and four brothers. The family argues constantly and their burdensome debts grow ever more worrying as economic sanctions buffet Iran. While her brothers are struggling to make ends meet, Leila makes a plan. " brimming with humanity, depth, and humor" - T he Playlist "Excellent performances and increasingly harrowing stakes " - Screen International About the Artist Saeed Roustaee was born in Iran in 1989. After graduating from Soore University with a Bachelor's Degree in Cinematography, he first directed three short films, then a documentary which won over 100 awards worldwide. His feature debut LIFE AND A DAY (2016), won 'Best Directing' and 'Best Screenplay' awards at the Fajr International Film Festival, the main film festival in Iran, along with several prizes in international festivals. His second feature, JUST 6.5 (2019), premiered at Venice Orrizonti. It was nominated for the César Award for Best Foreign Film and won the Best Director Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Trailer Thank you to our community partners for this screening: Credits Crew Writer/Director: Saeed Roustaee Producer(s): Saeed Roustaee Javad Noruzbegi DOP: Hooman Behmanesh Film Editor: Bahram Dehghan Set Design: Mohsen Nasrollahi Sound: Rashid Daneshmand Iraj Shahzadi Sound Design: Amirhosein Ghasemi Cast: Tarane Alidousti Saeed Poursamimi Navid Mohammadzade Payman Maadi Farhad Aslani Nayereh Farahani Mohammad Ali Mohammadi Mehdi Hosseinina Costumes: Ghazale Motamed Make-up: Iman Omidvari VFX: Javad Maturi Music: Ramin Kousha

Catch the best of independent cinema from South Asia and Iran at indiememe.org. IMFF (Indie Meme Film Festival) takes place every April in Austin, Texas. I, Poppy September 13, 2026 | 2:30 PM | AFS Cinemas 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. TICKETS MORE INFO IMFF 2026 Wraps Up! A Cinematic Celebration Like No Other April 22 - 26, 2026 | Austin, TX View the jury and audience choice award winners of this year's Indie Meme Film Festival! The films in competition were some of the boldest, most thought-provoking independent South Asian films we've had yet! AWARDS JURY Upcoming Events Membership Offer I, Poppy Sep 13, 2026, 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM CDT AFS Cinema, 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752, USA This is a benefit screening for Nepal Flood Relief. A son fights corrupt officials while his mother tends their poppy farm in India. As authorities strike back, they must choose between keeping food on the table and standing up for what’s right. Preceded by Nepali short "Family Man" More Info Latest from Indie Meme Follow Us on Socials! Programs Indie Meme Film Festival Indie Meme Lit Indie Meme Archival Project Indie Meme Master Classes Support Indie Meme Become a Member Volunteer With Our Family Sponsor Our Programs Become a Leadership Circle Member

In this psychological horror film, two young mothers having a rough day are unprepared to meet Lalanna, a precocious preteen girl who suavely pushes their buttons. They find they have a merciless instinct to set her straight. ​ Streaming April 28-May 1st, 2023 On Filmocracy Back to Festival Program 1/5 Lalanna's Song India I 33 mins I Drama I 2022 I Malayalam, Hindi w/ English subtitles WATCH ONLINE Official Selection of Mumbai Film Festival & IFFLA In this psychological horror film, two young mothers having a rough day are unprepared to meet Lalanna, a precocious preteen girl who suavely pushes their buttons. Seeming to possess all the promise and confidence the two women have lost, Lalanna unleashes within them a merciless instinct to set her straight. About the Artist Megha Ramaswamy is a filmmaker & writer based in Mumbai. Her first two shorts, NEWBORNS (2014) and BUNNY (2015), both premiered at Toronto International Film Festival. Her documentary, THE LAST MUSIC STORE (2016), won the audience 'Best Documentary' Award at South Asian International Film Festival. Her films have traveled to Indian and international festivals, including Clermont-Ferrand and Cork, winning top honors for their powerful storytelling and innovative technique. She is a beneficiary of the Chicken & Egg Grant for women filmmakers in collaboration with the Indian Documentary Foundation (IDF), and also the recipient of the British Council Screenwriters Grant 2008 (UK). Megha’s first feature film WHAT ARE THE ODDS? is set in a whimsical version of Bombay, and was exclusively released worldwide on NETFLIX in 2020. Her upcoming feature, RESHMA SHERA, is in-development and was presented at the 16th Berlinale Co-Production Market. Megha’s most recent short, LALANNA'S SONG, is a psychological horror film that observes the cycle of oppression women suffer and sometime perpetuate. Credits Crew Writer/Director: Megha Ramaswamy Producer(s): Newton Cinema Sanita Chittilappilly Anto Chittilappilly Co-Producer(s): Guneet Monga Megha Ramaswamy DOP: Kuldeep Mamania Music: Sneha Khanwalkar Dialogue & Lyrics: May Jacob Sandeep Mohandas Featured Cast: Rima Kallingal Parvathy Thiruvothu Nakshatra Indrajith Film Editor: Shini J K Sound Design Sohel Sanwari Prod Design: Rakesh Yadav Costume Design: Varunesh Pal

The 2020 Indie Meme Virtual Film Festival brought 6 nights of critically acclaimed, thought provoking, curated cinema from South Asia including Documentaries, Short films and Narrative features. VIRTUAL IMFF 2020 May 1-3, May 8-10 Indie Meme is taking IMFF 2020 Virtual to continue to serve our community. 6 nights of critically acclaimed, thought provoking, curated cinema from South Asia including Documentaries, Short films and Narrative features. The digital screenings will be followed by a virtual discussion with the filmmakers - and all this in the comfort of your home. We sincerely hope the virtual IMFF 2020 will be a treat for all our Meme-ers (Indie Meme Members) in this time of ‘stay at home’ orders during COVID-19. NOTE: Only available to those in the Texas region. About IMFF 2020 JURY AWARDS This was the first year that we invited in a special jury to honor our selection for the festival. We had awards given out for the category of Documentary, Narrative and Shorts. As well as the Audience Choice Awards! See Our Winners Jury and Awards LINE-UP We screened over 6 films, with 3 shorts programs. Our full line-up and schedule can be seen at the link below. See the Film Lineup View Schedule Film Lineup (2020) CLOSING NIGHT CEREMONY We had a fantastic closing night ceremony - with our host, Rajiv Satyal (@funnyindian) and our special guests Adil Hussain and Surabhi Sharma; as well as ofcourse all of our lovely directors and the jury. Closing Night Details Closing Night Ceremony HOW TO ATTEND Virtual Events 3 Step Registration Process Are you a Member? Only Members can attend virtual-IMFF 2020. Not sure if you're a member? Check your membership or sign up below. Memberships start at $35 per year. Check your IM email You would have received email communication and IM newsletters on this email! This email address will be your ticket to all our member perks. Register for our Event In the Eventbrite box, enter your membership email as a "Promo". Then, choose "Register", provide your details and you're all set! Need Help? How to Attend HIGHLIGHTS from IMFF 2019 Voted "Best International Passport " by The Austin Chronicle Jury and Awards Film Lineup (2020) Closing Night Ceremony About IMFF 2020

Roaming the streets of Ahmedabad on a festive Navaratri night, two young women may have the chance to fall for each other. Back to Film Program Virtual Exclusive WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 The Song We Sang India I 20 mins I Romance I 2021 I Hindi w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE Winner of the Audience Award for 'Best Short Film' at Dharamshala and IFFLA Roaming the streets of Ahmedabad on a festive Navaratri night, two young women may have the chance to fall for each other. This film plays with the LGBTQ+ Shorts shorts program online. About the Artist Aarti Neharsh is an award-winning filmmaker whose debut short film, The Song we Sang, has traveled to festivals across the globe and has won prestigious awards like the Best Indian Narrative Short at Kashish MIQFF, the Audience Choice Awards at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) and Dharamshala International Film Festivals and a Special Jury Mention at the London Indian Film Festival. After the success of her first short-film, she is now in the process of developing her first feature film as a writer and director with Green Chutney Films. Trailer

The tales of seven girls: Shabaneh, Negar, Nahid, Fereshteh, Niloufar, Rahil, & Shekar. Although each has her own individual story, none has the chance of finding love after they lose control of their destiny, either through forced marriage or sexual violence Back to Festival Program Texas Premiere Seven and a Half Iran I 75 mins I Drama I 2019 I Persian w/ English subtitles The tales of seven girls: Shabaneh, Negar, Nahid, Fereshteh, Niloufar, Rahil, & Shekar. Although each has her own individual story, none has the chance of finding love after they lose control of their destiny, either through forced marriage or sexual violence. Director’s statement: When I was a child, I attended a village wedding in my native Afghanistan. As the music played the villagers danced with great joy to the point of dropping with exhaustion. As dawn broke, a terrifying scream woke the sleeping guests. The groom had killed his bride after discovering she was not a virgin. In the eyes of those attending, the young woman’s family had forever been dishonored. Though very young, I still remember this dramatic event and retain the fear that marriages may well end in mourning. + This program includes short film, DRY LEAVES GET YOUR FESTIVAL BADGE VIRTUAL PREMIERE : SAT. APRIL 24 - 7:30PM CT $7 TICKETS About the Artist Navid Mahmoudi was born in Parvan, Afghanistan on September 23, 1980. He and his family moved to Iran when he was 6 years old. From an early age, film & cinema captivated him, developing into a veritable passion. So, after beginning his career as an assistant director, he went on to direct his own short films while producing other works. In 2014, he produced his first feature, A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE, which was warmly received by international critics and audiences. In 2016 he directed his first feature PARTING, before going on to produce RONA, AZIM'S MOTHER in 2018. All three films were selected as Afghanistan's official Oscar entries. Trailer Thank you to our community partners, Zonta Club of Austin , the Austin Film Society, and the Austin Film Commission ! Credits Crew Writer/Director: NAVID MAHMOUDI Producer(s): JAMSHID MAHMOUDI ALIREZA BAGHERBEIGIL Cinematographer: MEHRAN MAMDOUH Editor: NIMA JAFARI JOZANI Music: SAHAND MEHDIZADEH Sound Department: HOSSEIN GHOURCHIAN SAEID BOJNOURDI Set Designer: MEHDI MOUSSAVI Costume Designer: SHABNAM ASGHARI Cast NEDA JEBREILI as ' Shabaneh ' HASTI MAHDAVI as 'Negar' ANAHITA AFSHAR as 'Nahid' FERESHTEH HOSSEINI as 'Fereshteh' SHEYDA KHALIGH as 'Niloufar' AFSANEH KAMALI as 'Rahil' ROJAN TAGHIZADEH as 'Mina' Additional Crew Visual Effects: ALIREZA GHADERI AGHDAM Make-up Design: MOHAMMADREZA GHOMI Production Company ASEMAN PARVAZ FILM

With help from a neighbourhood and a past she has shunned, a young woman returns home to deal with her mother's dementia and the scars of her childhood. Back to Festival Program 1/3 Fri. April 14th @ 6:30PM AFS Cinemas *SOLD OUT Texas Premiere *** a limited number of RUSH TICKETS will be available day of screening at AFS Cinemas GOLDFISH UK I US I India I 103 mins I Drama I 2022 I English BUY TICKETS * LIVE, In-Person Q&A w/ Director Pushan Kripalani & Lead Actress Kalki Koechlin World Premiere at the Busan International Film Festival (2022) With help from a neighbourhood and a past she has shunned, a young woman (Kalki Koechlin) returns home to deal with her mother's dementia and the scars of her childhood. "a challenging film... it works brilliantly" - BollySpice "Kalki Koechlin and Dipti Naval are outstanding in their roles. " - Eastern Eye About the Artist Pushan Kripalani is a cinematographer and director. He graduated with a degree in English Literature and earned his Master's in Film and TV Production from the University of Bristol, with a specialization in Cinematography. He lives and works in Mumbai, India. His first feature film, THE THRESHOLD, was acclaimed in its festival run, garnering praise at MAMI and the NFDC Film Bazaar and winning 'Best Actor' and 'Best Actress' at the New York Indian Film Festival. As cinematographer, he has shot several features, as well as ads, documentaries, and shorts, working with Shyam Benegal, Ram Madhvani and Zafar Hai, amongst others, as well as for National Geographic, Discovery and the BBC. He has worked on 30+ productions for stage and radio, in capacities ranging from director to actor to designer, musician, and producer. GOLDFISH is his second feature film. Trailer Thank you to our community partner for this screening! Credits Crew Writer/Director: Pushan Kripalani Writing Credits: Pushan Kripalani Arghya Lahiri Producers: Amit Saxena Surabhi Bhatnagar Executive Producer: Pooja Chauhan DOP: Pushan Kripalani Film Editor: Pradip Patil Music: Tapas Relia Lyrics by: Kausar Munir Cast: Kalki Koechlin Deepti Naval Rajit Kapur Bharti Patel Ravin J. Ganatra Gordon Warnecke Shanaya Rafaat Production Design: Ruby Todd Costume Design: Kelly Toode Seema Iqbal Rani Sound Recordist: Andrea Calaprice Sound Design: Kaamod L. Kharade

Following a photographer of the dead in Varanasi, Barah x Barah is poignant look at the life in one of the oldest Indian cities as it undergoes seemingly imperceptible but steady changes. Back to Film Program $15 TICKETS ($12 for members) Sat. April 16th, 2022 @ 10:30AM Venue: Austin Film Society Streaming April 22-24, Eventive Barah x Barah (12x12) India I 118 mins I Drama I 2021 I Hindi w/ English subtitles IN-PERSON TICKETS BUY & WATCH ONLINE Sooraj, a death photographer at the burning banks of Manikarnika, is going through troubled times. His ancient town of Kashi is being demolished as part of a large-scale civic beautification project. At the same time, the exquisite cameras on smartphones threaten to make his work irrelevant. He stands at a crossroads - either he continues as he is or he looks for greener pastures to secure a better future for his family. ", a remarkably tender and subtle debut" - First Post "tremendous lived-in feel. " - The Indian Express NOTE: This film is playing in theaters and our virtual cinema. About the Artist Gaurav Madan hails from Yamunanagar, a small dusty town in Haryana, India. He discovered a passion for the arts at age ten, publishing short stories and poems in children’s books such as Nandan, Champak and Hindi newspapers like Dainik Bhaskar and Punjab Kesri. Gaurav has been an ardent film buff since childhood. Gaurav did his Masters in Communication Studies from University of Pune and has produced and directed over 200 TV and digital commercials and has his own Ad Production Firm, Last Joker Pictures, based in Mumbai. In 2014, one of Gaurav’s feature scripts Shaktipur Crude was a part of prestigious Sundance Script Lab. He has been a part of many writer’s rooms and has been a semi-finalist in Cinestaan Storytellers 2017 and 2018. His 2017 short film Sambhavtaha travelled to 50+ festivals including IDSFFK, MAMI and Kolkata and won numerous awards including Best Director, Best Writer, and Best Short. Barah by Barah (2021), Gaurav's debut feature is currently doing rounds at festivals. Trailer Thank you to our community partners for this screening! Credits Crew Director: Gaurav Madan Writer(s): Sunny Lahiri Gaurav Madan Producer(s): Sunny Lahiri Gaurav Madan Jignesh Patel Co- Producer(s): Tanuj Bhramar Karan Singh Executive Producer(s): Subhash Jha Cinematography: Sunny Lahiri Production Design: Naveen Lohara Cast: Gyanendra Tripathi as "Sooraj' Aashit Chatterjee as ‘Tathagatha’ Bhumika Dube as 'Meena Geetika Vidya Ohlyan as 'Mansi' Prithvi Singh as 'Anshuman' Akash Sinha as 'Dubey'' Crew Cont'd Editor: Hira Das Music: Neil Mukherjee Sound Designer: Vineet Vashishtha Make-Up: Anisha Bhowmik Costume Design: Indu Sharma

2019 Indie Meme Film Festival - Lineup and Films IMFF2019@Austin Films All screenings are at AFS Cinema, 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin TX All Films have ENGLISH SUBTITLES Jonaki Chuskit LastColor Indus Blues HalfWidow YoursTruly namdev Her-Him-The Other SoundMan JIRGA kaamyaab YasminaPoster Fade gubbare resistance

With the grand opening of their chai stand, Iranian siblings, Sanam and Reza are faced with the unexpected competition from their neighbors' hot chocolate stand Back to Film Program IN THEATERS: Any Day Now April 14th, 2022 AFS Cinema WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 Chai USA I 8 mins I Coming of Age I 2021 I English, Persian w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE With the grand opening of their chai stand, Iranian siblings, Sanam and Reza, are faced with the unexpected competition from their neighbors' hot chocolate stand. Soon enough, the conflict becomes much more than just selling the most drinks. Sanam, the older sister, takes this feud into her own hands. This film plays with feature, ANY DAY NOW , in theaters and with the FAMILY SHORTS program online. WATCH IN THEATERS NOTE: This film is coming to theaters and our virtual cinema. About the Artist Arshum Rouhanian was born and raised in Maryland after his parents fled Iran in light of the revolution. Arshum grew up in a small one bedroom apartment with 10 of his relatives. Too young to understand the financial issues his parents were facing, he just thought life was a big family sleepover. He'd sneak around the house at night and see what he could do without waking anyone up. Living in a space like that made him want to pretend. He think that's where he gets his creativity. Arshum graduated from American University in December 2017 with a BA in Film & Media Arts and a minor in Business Administration. He currently works as a Content Producer at Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA.

When a mowing man comes to cut down the grass in a field, he finds a girl is sleeping there - determined to protect the insects who call it home. U.S Premiere Back to Film Program IN THEATERS: LUNANA April 14th, 2022 AFS Cinema WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 Grasshoppers Sleep Here India I 8 mins I Coming of Age I 2021 I Malayalam w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE When a mowing man arrives to cut down a field, he finds a young girl sleeping there- determined to protect the insects that call it home. Inspired by the true experiences in the directors life, this simple yet layered story prompts us to acknowledge the small ecosystems that are inevitably important.. This film plays with LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM , in theaters and the FAMILY SHORTS program online. WATCH IN THEATERS NOTE: This film is coming to theaters and our virtual cinema. About the Artist Balaram J is a writer, designer and independent filmmaker from Kerala, India. He is a Communication Design graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Balaram has created animated sequences for Lijo Jose Pellissery's feature films JALIKATTU (2019) and CHURULI (2021). His animated thesis film STORY OF A BEGINNING' (2020) explores human's never-ending conflicts over ideas, beliefs and faiths and the constant search for answers .The film travelled to more than 45 international film festivals and bagged several awards. Balaram's stories are born from observing life around him and his personal experiences. He craves stories that make him a better human and wishes to make films that do the same to others. He enjoys telling compelling stories using different visual mediums and hopes to push the limits of the existing visual communication methods. Currently, he is working on a few music videos and feature film projects. Trailer

Announcing the official Jury & Audience Choice award winners of the 2022 Indie Meme Film Festival. 2022 Jury & Audience Awards Indie Meme is proud to announce the winners of our 2022 Jury & Audience Choice Awards. Read more about our esteemed jury of artists, filmmakers, academics, and leaders here: Meet the Jury Jury Award: Narrative Feature ANY DAY NOW JURY STATEMENT: For the jury, it was a true honor to view these wildly creative and diverse films, each of which provided a look at indelible characters and vibrant cultures. We applaud all the filmmakers for their achievements and the programmers for putting together a brilliant line-up that will have the festival audiences laughing, crying, gasping, and passionately debating. Special Jury Award : LUNANA : A YAK In THE CLASSROOM - 'Best Cinematography' Jury Award: Documentary Feature MIDWIVES JURY STATEMENT "A deft portrayal of one of the world's most violent ethnic conflicts ... Midwives inspired us with its protagonists' daily acts of resistance and resilience. As Hla and Nyo Nyo grow in relation to one another and the evolving political situation, their supportive yet fraught relationship reflects the cleavages surrounding them. Throughout, the beautifully photographed fields of rural Rakhine State are heavy with an intense calm that might erupt, and often does. The film necessarily leaves tensions unresolved and the future ambiguous, but it uplifts courageous acts of care, powerfully condemning state-sponsored violence and discrimination in the process. " Jury Award: Short Film DAL BHAT In acknowledgement of the strength and range of the 25 shorts in the program the jury has named one overall winner and three honorable mentions. The Jury selected Dal Bhat due to the film's powerful and enduring social relevance in exploring gender & identity - as well as the craftsmanship apparent in creating the film, from engaging screenwriting to excellent acting, production value, and direction. Kanya is noted for superb cinematography and a bold coming of age narrative. Cycle stood out for centering a minority group through the use of experimental filmmaking. Local Middle Schooler is notable out not only for the power of its key message, but also the clever use of satire and visual imagination in its storytelling. . Honorable Mentions: LOCAL MIDDLE Schooler CYCLE KANYA Audience Award: Narrative Feature LAST FILM SHOW In a very close audience award competition, the Gujarati language coming of age drama, LAST FILM SHOW, topped the list as the audience's favorite narrative feature with its tale of a young, rural boy falling headlong into love for cinema. It was closely followed by the heartwarming LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM and the surreal comedy, RK/RKAY . 2nd Place (tie): LUNANA : A YAK In THE CLASSROOM RK/RKAY Audience Award: Documentary Feature A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING Payal Kapadia's experimental documentary exploring the political and emotional life of students at India's FTII captivated the hearts & minds of Indie Meme audiences. Audience Award: Short Film TESTIMONY OF ANA This short-form documentary follows a modern woman recounting her experience being accused of witchcraft and abused by her community. It was supported by an Austin Film Society grant and directed by local filmmaker, Sachin Dheeraj.