April 26, 2026 at 6:00:00 PM AFS Cinema Texas Premiere Give It A Shot India 2026 Live Q&A with director-producer Vaishali Sinha TICKETS BUY A BADGE Big Sky Documentary Film Festival - 2026 Jury Award for Best Documentary - Indie Meme Film Festival 2026 GIVE IT A SHOT is a tender, quietly humorous portrait of Dr. Sujoy K. Guha, a visionary whose 1970s quest to develop a reversible male contraceptive set out to redefine reproductive responsibility forever. Decades later, his groundbreaking work continues to echo, inspiring a new generation of scientists, startups, and activists determined to bring his invention to the global stage. Director Vaishali Sinha takes us on a high-stakes, deeply human journey where science meets stubborn persistence, challenging long-held norms about who carries the burden of family planning. At its heart, Give It A Shot reframes the conversation around reproductive rights by centering an often-overlooked perspective: the role of men in a shared, radically equal future. It is a film filled with warmth, curiosity, and the hope that accountability can finally become a collective act. Restoration Process Film restoration process Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation About the Artist Vaishali Sinha is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and director of the feature documentaries Made in India (PBS) and Ask the Sexpert (PBS, Netflix). Her work has earned numerous honors, including the Critics Choice Award in India, a Grierson nomination for Best Entertaining Film, and a Ridenhour Peace Prize nomination for Excellence in Truth-Telling. Made in India became a case study at Harvard Business School in a course on ethics, while Ask the Sexpert achieved wide distribution across major platforms, including Netflix India. Vaishali was also a development consultant for the Academy Award–winning short documentary Period. End. Of. Sentence. and is currently on the producing team for multiple projects. She is a Fellow at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center and co-founder of Bitchitra Collective: Indian Women in Documentary, a peer-driven support network. She has mentored emerging filmmakers at Firelight Media Doc Lab, Kartemquin Film’s Diverse Voices in Docs, BAVC, and the Video Consortium. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and a diploma in 16mm film production from The New School, New York. Vaishali lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their child. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Vaishali Sinha Writer: Producer(s): Vaishali Sinha Hemang Chheda Film Editor: Featured Cast: Thank you to our community partners for this screening!

< Our Team Manpreet Grewal Executive Board Treasurer Manpreet is a seasoned global finance executive with extensive international experience across Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. A Chartered Accountant and Certified Public Accountant, he has held senior leadership roles including CFO, COO, and Director in global organizations such as Dell, Asurion, Agility Logistics, and Shutterfly, managing business units ranging from $100 million to $1.2 billion. With more than two decades of leadership experience, he has successfully guided multicultural teams—up to 2,300 employees—through growth, transformation, and operational improvement. He brings deep expertise in financial governance, process excellence, and organizational effectiveness, and has a proven record of implementing enterprise-wide systems, leading business turnarounds, and developing future leaders. A Six Sigma Green Belt, Manpreet is recognized for a data-driven yet people-centered approach to leadership, fostering collaboration and accountability across complex global environments. Having lived and worked in ten countries, he values diversity, inclusion, and transparency—principles that align closely with nonprofit stewardship and community service. Outside of work, he is a proud parent of two boys. An avid Golfer, cyclist and outdoor enthusiast, he has participated in multiple charity bike rides across Asia, raising funds for community causes. He believes in giving back, both through professional contribution and personal engagement.

2023 Felt Cute Might Delete Later Short Nepali, English mins 12 Virtual 2023 Nepal Comedy, Family Tickets 4/28/23, 12:00 PM Free with IMFF Badge Director Swati Regmi The film was conceptualized by Swati Regmi, participant of the ‘stories we tell workshop” conducted in Nepalgunj. Swati’s story was selected out of 6 workshop participants. Director: Swati Regmi Producer: Writer: Sahara Sharma Cast: Swati Regmi, Rabita Regmi Editor: Crew: This Event is supported in part by a Mini Grant from Humanities Texas. Community Partners for the Film More Films

April 25, 2026 at 3:30:00 PM AFS Cinema Texas Premiere The Cycle of Love United Kingdom, Sweden 2025 Live Q&A with protagonists Lotta Mahanandia Von Schedvin and P.K. Mahanandia, & producers Karl Von Schedvin and Emelie Mahanandia Von Schedvin. TICKETS BUY A BADGE Telluride Film Festival, Hamptons Film Festival - Winner Social Impact Award Middleburg Film Festival - Winner Audience Award for Best Documentary Jackson Hole Film Festival Best Documentary Audience Choice - Indie Meme Film Festival 2026 In 1977, PK, a 23-year-old Delhi street artist from a poor, ‘untouchable’ family, picked up a handful of paintbrushes and a second-hand bicycle and set off on a 6000-mile cross-continent mission - to find Lotta, the woman who had captured his heart. A love story like no other, THE CYCLE OF LOVE is an inspiring, heart-warming, epic true-life adventure about the search for self-belief and risking everything for what your heart tells you. Restoration Process Film restoration process Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation About the Artist Orlando is an Academy Award-winning director and the founder of award-winning UK creative house Grain Media. His work includes Academy Award-winning THE WHITE HELMETS; Academy Award-nominated VIRUNGA; BIFA-winning EVELYN, EMMY-nominated LOST AND FOUND, EMMY-nominated CONVERGENCE: COURAGE IN A CRISIS, Platino-nominated THE LOST CHILDREN, critically acclaimed Netflix series HEART OF INVICTUS and forthcoming THE CYCLE OF LOVE. Other work includes Academy Award-winning LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WAR ZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL); EMMY-nominated SCOUTS HONOR; and EMMY-winning BUY NOW! all of which he executively produced. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Orlando Von Einsiedel Writer: Producer(s): Harri Grace Chloe Leland Film Editor: Katie Bryer Bfe Featured Cast: P. K. Mahanandia Lotta Von Schedvin Chirag Benedict Lobo Mina Dale Thank you to our community partners for this screening!

< Our Team Ambassadors Gita Singh Indie Meme Ambassador Gita Singh was born and raised in Birmingham, England, before moving to Houston with her family and attending the University of Houston. She is married to Vijay, who works in Austin’s high-tech industry. Their son, Vikrant, has followed in his footsteps and also works in high tech in Austin, while their daughter, Annika, is in her first year of medical school. A lifelong movie lover, Gita’s passion for film naturally drew her to Indie Meme. Her connection to the festival became even more special a few years ago when her children produced and acted in a short film that was screened at Indie Meme! Gita loves the energy of Austin, from its culture, nightlife, and thriving arts scene to the incredible friendships she has made along the way. She feels lucky to be part of such a vibrant community and is thrilled to call Austin home.

< Our Team Ambassadors Anushka Mehta Indie Meme Ambassador

The movie chronicles the life of Khadeeja, a married muslim woman who is forced from her home and community and seeks an alternate kind of liberation. $15 TICKETS ($12 for members) WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 BIRIYAANI India I 95 mins I Drama I 2021 I Malayalam w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE Kerala State Award - Best Actress for Kani Kusruti The movie chronicles the life of Khadeeja, a married muslim woman confined within the four walls of her household, forced to conceal her desires in the name of religious and societal norms. When a family member is accused of terrorism and she's exiled from her town, she chooses a different way of financially and sexually liberating herself- to be a sex worker. Soon to realize that her soul is still dissatisfied. She decides to respond to the forces that abused her and pushed her out of her former home. NOTE: This film is playing on-demand in our virtual cinema. "eloquently portrayed through artful cinematic ways" - AsianMoviePulse "convincing, observant and powerful" - Firstpost Back to Film Program About the Artist Sajin Babu is a writer- director from Kerala, India. His inclination towards cinema began at a very early age. When he joined college, he began making campus films followed by docu-fiction, documentary, short films. His debut feature ASTHMAYAM VARE (Unto the Dusk ) premiered at MAMI (Mumbai International) and won numerous accolades including the Silver Pheasant, Certificate of Merit to promote at the 19th International Film Festival of Kerala, and Best Feature Film at Bangalore International Film Festival. His second feature AYAAL SASSI (Man With A Coffin ) was made and released across Kerala in 2017. His latest movie "BIRIYAANI - Flavours of Flesh" was screened at many prestigious festivals such as Moscow IFF & Asiatica in Italy and won several awards including NETPAC Award for 'Best Film' at Asiatica and the Jury Prize for 'Best Film' in Bangalore IFF, as well as a 'Special Jury Mention' at the National Awards and more. He has received further recognition such as Kerala Film Critics award for Best Debut Director (2015), Best Screenplay (2020) and was also a Jury member of the non- feature section of Indian Panorama selections, 2021. . Trailer

Renuka is in love with Sadiya, another woman, but her adult son, Mangesh, doesn't know. One day, he sees them out celebrating and Renuka's two worlds collide. Back to Film Program Virtual Exclusive WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 My Mother's Girlfriend India I 15 mins I Romance, Family Drama I 2021 I Hindi, Marathi w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE Renuka is in love with Sadiya, another woman, but her adult son, Mangesh, doesn't know. One day, he sees them out celebrating and Renuka's two worlds collide. This film plays with the LGBTQ Stories shorts program online. About the Artist Arun Fulara is a writer and filmmaker based out of Mumbai, India. His debut short, SUNDAY, travelled widely to world festivals including London India Film Festival, Shorts Mexico, Inside Out Toronto and BISFF Bengaluru. Arun won the prestigious Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Filmmaker for Sunday at Kashish MIQFF in 2020. He’s previously worked as an assistant on award winning films like AJII & BHONSLE with acclaimed filmmaker Devashish Makhija. His short story – The Leopard of Bageshwar – won an ‘Honourable Mention’ in a contest by publishing firm, Juggernaut, and continues to be one of the most popular stories on their platform. He’s published half a dozen short stories across genres like science fiction and mythology. He’s also a frequent contributor for sites like Huffington Post and Film Companion and was previously the editor of filmmaking website Jamuura.com, which he built along with a young team of writers. Trailer

A story based in a hilly village of Garhwal, where 2 young boys, Makar and Kamru find that a father coming back home after 5 years is less a pleasure. Top of Page Tickets Top of Page Tickets Kaphal 90 mins/2013/Hindi with English subtitles/INDIA More about the film/Filmmaker: http://kaphal.wordpress.com/ More about Children's Film Society, India http://cfsindia.org/ SYNOPSIS Directed by Batul Mukhtiar. It is a story based in a hilly village of Garhwal, where 2 young boys, Makar and Kamru find that a father coming back home after 5 years is less a pleasure, and more a pain. Their attempts to get rid of him are spurred on by their mischievous friends, Bupi and Pusu. But when they meet a young shepherdess, Ghungra, who claims to be the granddaughter of the local witch, Pagli Dadi, their adventures take a new turn. Set in the picturesque setting of the Himalayan range located in the state of Uttarakhand, the film is as much about the society & culture of the mountain people as it is about the universal parent-child relationship. Kaphal is produced by the Children's Film Society India (CFSI) and aimed at children, but it works equally for their parents. The naturalistic performances by the children, none of whom has acted before, are memorable, as are the beautiful locations in Garhwal, India. Woven around the knee-high antics of Makar, Kamru and their buddies is a web of grown-up concerns for the economy of the hilly region, the relationship between sons and fathers, a pro-environment message, as well as a plea for tolerance. Formal Accolades for Kaphal Golden Elephant for Best Director at the 18th International Children’s Film Festival India. Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) for Best Children’s Film, 61st National Film Awards India. Interested in screening this in your hometown? Write to us TICKETS NOT AVAILABLE Tickets TRAILER Watch how these adorable kids in Austin, TX reacted to a screening of Kaphal. Eesha Nayak, our stellar Student Volunteer at the screening shot reactions of some of the kids after the movie. She edited them to make a very cute 4:40min video for us. Thank you Eesha!! DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Fahad Mustafa (Director/Producer): Born in Kanpur, Fahad has since lived in Dammam, New Delhi, Vienna and Edmonton. He was an Erasmus Mundus Global Studies scholar. His previous film, as director, was FC Chechnya (Austria, 2010) “I was born in Chamanganj, Kanpur. My parents left the neighbourhood to seek a future elsewhere. I have therefore had the privilege of living, studying and working in other parts of the world. My memories of Kanpur are predominantly of long, uncomfortable, water-less summers, spent without electricity. As a child I remember relatives facing unemployment due to the closure of the nationalized mills in Kanpur. I remember how in the following years, the power situation worsened. Livelihoods were at stake, and there were always stories about relatives and friends of the family, losing their incomes and businesses. In many ways Loha Singh is a reflection of the city’s past. The only livelihood that he has available to him is stealing electricity, a highly dangerous, life threatening task. Yet he does it with a panache and grit that is very Kanpuria. Upon returning to Kanpur many years later I found that the situation remains largely unchanged. A city and its people look back with bitter nostalgia and a sense of loss towards its glorious past and uncertain future. This is a story not only about electricity, but a political reality that millions in India and billions worldwide live with” . DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Deepti Kakkar (Director/Producer): Born in Delhi, Deepti has been engaged in issues of social development sustainable livelihood for the last 10 years. She has previously directed a film on microfinance in India, and worked on story-development and as production manager on FC Chechnya. Deepti lives in Ghaziabad, India. “In many ways the story that compelled Fahad to film in Kanpur, is a story of most small towns in the country. Having lived all my life in another industrial town – Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, I am no stranger to day-long power cuts and to how they govern peoples’ lives. Ritu’s reformist instinct and struggle to bring change to the city is pitted against Loha’s wit and ingenuity; the one a thief, the other a cop. ∂However, ultimately they’re both fighting for a common cause – to light up lives. In many ways Kanpur is at a frontline of globalization, and is a microcosm that showcases the infrastructure problems that India faces today. Kanpur is as much as a character in this film as it’s main protagonists.” Energy is taken for granted in developed nations, however many in India spend entire lifetimes without switching on an electric device. The energy crisis in India also finds resonance in global issues such as climate change and corporate social responsibility. While there are villages in India that have no electricity whatsoever, in Kanpur one can distinctly visualize how the lack of energy leads people to a cycle of poverty. Photography Credit: Eesha Nayak. Thank you Eesha for taking such lovely pictures pre-show. You are the best student volunteer we could ever hope for!

Meet our 2024 sponsors, patrons and supporters. We are grateful to these organizations to help bring independent films from South Asia to our audience. Our 2024 Sponsors Thank you to our generous sponsors for their support of Indie Meme's Festivals & Programs. Our corporate, media, institutional, & local business sponsors sustain our work and further the presence of independent South Asian Cinema in Texas. We appreciate all of your support, and could not do it without you! Presenting Sponsor IMFF is in part supported by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin, Economic Development Department. Producing Sponsor Directing Sponsors Scripting Sponsors Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors We are grateful to our 2015 , 2016, 2017 , 2018, 2019 , 2020 , 2021 , 2022 , and 2023 sponsors. BECOME A SPONSOR

KARAN MEHRA and SAHANA have been married for almost two years, but the sudden announcement from the doctor, “congratulation, you are pregnant” crashes everything; a child was never part of their plan. Ribbon INDIA | Feature | Fiction |109min | Hindi & English with English subtitles 4/21/18, 8:30-10:15 pm GET TICKETS SYNOPSIS KARAN MEHRA, 28, a Civil Engineer and SAHANA, 26, Strategic Manager in a web portal company in Mumbai, have been married for almost two years, but the sudden announcement from the doctor, “congratulation, you are pregnant” crashes everything; a child was never part of their plan. Problem arises when Sahana wants to abort and Karan advocates against it. Mumbai is so expensive that a family cannot survive on the earnings of just one and Sahana feels that a gap in her career will create problems for her future; therefore she works till the last month of her pregnancy. Finally, a beautiful baby girl AASHI comes in their world and what follows then... COMMUNITY PARTNERS TRAILER DIRECTOR'S BIO Rakhee has studied filmmaking from London and has been very inclined towards documentary films. She has made a documentary film on surrogate mothers in India, which has won awards internationally. She has also directed shows for EPIC Channel, India titled HERITAGE INDIA. RIBBON is Rakhee's first feature film which she has co-written. Ribbon depicts the changing Indian society to the modern ways of living. AWARDS Won Anna M. M. Vetticad award for: BEST FILM BEST DIRECTOR BEST WRITING (एकलव्य Rajeev Upadhyay Rakhee Sandilya Raghav Dutt Manjiri Pupala) MOST INTERESTING DEBUTANT IN A LEAD OR SUPPORTING ROLE (Kiearra Soni - Child Artist) FILM CREDITS CAST SUMEET VYAS AND KALKI KOECHLIN CREW DIRECTOR RAKHEE SANDILYA SCRIPTWRITER RAKHEE SANDILYA RAJEEV UPADHYAY PRODUCER PRAKASH MONDAL DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY VIKRAM AMLADI PRODUCTION DESIGN RAKESH YADAV SOUND DESIGNER ANITA KUSHWAHA COSTUME SACHIN LOVELAKAR STILLS image 3 Image 4 Image 6 image 1 Image 5 Image 2

IMFF 2022 Opening Night Party About the Party The glitter and glamour of the Opening Night festivities at AFS Cinema continues at Symphony Square. Mingle with the visiting International Filmmakers and the vibrant Indie Meme community. You don't want to miss it! Symphony Square is located at 1111 Red River Street, Austin TX 78701. Parking is available at two surface lots on Red River between 11th and 12th streets as well as metered parking along Red River and adjacent streets. Additional parking can also be found at the nearby Capitol Visitors Parking garage located at 1201 San Jacinto Blvd.( 2 blocks walk from the venue) Tickets for the party are $25/each and include dinner & a welcome drink. There will be a cash bar. OUR SPECIAL GUESTS FOR THE NIGHT Rajat Kapoor Pan Nalin Azmeri Haque Badhon Gaurav Madan Sunny Lahiri Rakhesh Raveendran Lila Mali Sachin Dheeraj Join us at Symphony Square for the IMFF 2022 Opening Night Party - 9:15PM, April 15th. Get Your Tickets LIVE PERFORMANCE BY: ADI RAO An Indian-American singer-songwriter who won India’s prestigious State Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts in 2013 and Best Debut Artist in 2015. Classically-trained in Carnatic vocals since childhood, Adi’s music infuses Western styles with Eastern soul to produce a genre-bending, alternative sound. www.adiofficial.com Indie Meme hosted an intimate IMFF Pre-Party for our Sponsors, Donors and Special Guests on March 26th. It was a lovely evening at the beautiful Symphony Square. Over appetizers and drinks the Indie Meme Team gave everyone a preview of their mammoth production of the HYBRID Indie Meme Film Festival 2022! Thank you to Masala Wok for being our Sponsor for the appetizers, Glittzy Events for the event coordination and Virtuoso Wine & Spirits for the wine and Shahnaz Maharaj for these lovely event photos!