Pakistani jazz band Sachal Studios ventures to New York to perform their sitar-and-tabla reinterpretations of jazz with Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center. Song of Lahore Plano: Saturday, Oct 14th 2017 2:30 - 4:30 pm 2015 / 1 hr 22 minutes / Documentary Interested in screening this in your hometown? Write to us COMMUNITY PARTNERS A film for the whole family, Gauru is a story set in the hinterland of Rajasthan. It’s a story of a shepherd community during the time of drought. SYNOPSIS : The grandmother (Ila Arun) is on death bed and she has never been to her native place (myka) since marriage. She desires to go to her native place before death but her son Ratnu refuses her by saying that death is the only option at her age, not pilgrimage. 13 yr old grandson Gauru objects to this and questions his father but in times of draught Ratnu can just feed their belly, not their wishes. To solve the financial crisis of the family Ratnu and his wife migrate to the city and Gauru is given the responsibility to take care of the sheep. In times of draught the shepherds migrate to faraway places looking for better pasture. Gauru comes to know that this time the shepherds are migrating very near to grandmother’s village. He comes and shares this with his grandmother, who says that she can’t move an inch and her native place is million miles away! As grandmother can hardly move on her legs, Gauru manages for a donkey for her to ride on. Grandmother agrees to Gauru’s offer by saying, Grandfather came on a horse to take me and grandson is taking me back on a donkey! The rest of the film is a herculean task how Gauru along with his animals and little sister set out on a long journey, the difficulties which they face, their moments of hope and despair. Tickets Saturday, Oct 14th 2017 | 2:30 - 4:30 pm Courtyard Theater 1509 H Ave, Plano, Texas 75074 TICKETS NOT AVAILABLE TRAILER FUNDRAISER EVENT presented in association with The Plano International Festival & Plano Symphony Orchestra. DONATIONS will BENEFIT the Plano Symphony Orchestra’s Alice Hobbs Music Scholarship Fund http://www.planointernationalfestival.org/2017-movie-screening/ 2:00pm to 2:30pm – Live musical performance 2:30pm to 4:00pm – Movie screening 4:00pm to 4:30pm – Panel discussion with local musicians RESERVE YOUR SEAT: https://secure.planosymphony.org/TheatreManager/1/tmEvent/tmEvent1147.html Directors Andy Schocken, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Production year 2015 Rating PG Studio Broad Green Pictures Cast Nijat Ali, Baqar Abbas, Saleem Khan, Asad Ali, Rafiq Ahmed

The schedule for the 2021 Virtual Indie Meme Film Festival (IMFF 2021), taking place on the weekends of April 16-18th and 23rd-25th. IMFF 2021 SCHEDULE To download a printable PDF of the schedule click here

Sheer Qorma is a gentle, heart-felt narrative of the longing for love and acceptance, felt by queer children in their parental homes. Back to Film Program Virtual Exclusive WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 Sheer Qorma India I 30 mins I Drama I 2021 I Hindi w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE Sheer Qorma is a gentle, heart-felt narrative of the longing for love and acceptance, felt by queer children in their parental homes. The story sensitively confronts the harsh reality of disrupted family dynamics through the tale of a queer couple travelling to India to meet, dine with, and seek understanding from family. The film Sheer Qorma is a story of belonging and the choice to embrace love that exists beyond personal beliefs and social moralities in the hopes of a brighter future. This film plays with the LGBTQ+ Stories shorts program online. About the Artist Faraz Arif Ansari is a Muslim, gay, non-binary Indian filmmaker known for writing and directing the multi-award winning LGBTQ+ shorts, SISAK and SHEER QORMA. Ansari also wrote the screenplay for Indo-Pakistan Peace Project Short Feature, SILVAT, directed by Tanuja Chandra. With their journey as a filmmaker, Faraz hopes to mainstream queer stories that seldom find a place in mainstream cinema and media, especially stories about queer people of colour, by celebrating them. Other than films & documentaries, Faraz has directed & choreography more than a 100 musicals for schools & colleges around India & the United States. When not behind the camera, they conduct cinema and theatre sessions for underprivileged children and the trans community in Mumbai & Delhi. Trailer

When Ashok makes a surprise trip to LA to visit his estranged son, the two begin a journey to mend their relationship. Top of Page Tickets Top of Page Tickets Brahmin Bulls Drama/Comedy - English USA — 2013 – 96 mins SYNOPSIS For Sid Sharma, life has not quite worked out the way he planned. A thirty-something disillusioned architect struggling to save his failing marriage, Sid stumbles through his days on a self-destructive path while holding his wife’s beloved cat hostage. Meanwhile Ashok, Sid’s estranged and widowed father living in Boston, decides to make a last-minute trip to LA for an academic conference. When Ashok arrives at Sid’s doorstep unannounced, the two men begin a journey to mend their strained relationship until Sid discovers the true purpose behind his father’s visit – a woman with whom he had an affair years ago. !Starring Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Academy Award winner Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, and Academy Award nominated Michael Lerner, BRAHMIN BULLS is a heartfelt and humorous look at the ever-evolving relationship between a father and son, the women in their lives, and the powerful secrets they keep. Friday Sept 11, 2015 | 7pm Southwest Theaters - Lake Creek 13729 Research Blvd #1500 Austin, Texas 78750 FRIDAY Sept. 11th 5:30 to 6:30pm | Pre-screening happy hour COVER2, 13701 Research Blvd, Austin TX Happy Hour details - http://cover-2.com/events/happy-hour Follow event on Facebook Interested in screening this in your hometown? Write to us TICKETS ARE UNAVAILABLE Tickets INTERVIEW WITH THE MAKERS PICTURES FROM THE SCREENING PICTURES FROM THE MIXER CAST & CREW Directed by Mahesh Pailoor Written by Anu Pradhan & Mahesh Pailoor Produced by Yoshinobu Tsuji Executive Produced by Shannon Akegarasu Cary Lin Sendhil Ramamurthy Co-Produced by Anu Pradhan Cinematography by Ben Kutchins Production Design by Maya Sigel Edited by Cary Lin Music by Gingger Shankar Music Supervisor Peymon Maskan Sound by Andy Hay Cast Sendhil Ramamurthy Roshan Seth Cassidy Freeman Justin Bartha Monica Raymund with Michael Lernerand Mary Steenburgen Film Festivals San Diego Film Festival (WINNER Audience Award)Mumbai Film Festival (World Cinema) Bahamas International Film Festival Sonoma Film Festival (WINNER - Best Feature) Omaha Film Festival CAAMfest Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles Newport Beach Film Festival Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival New York Indian Film Festival Stuttgart Indian Film Festival Chicago South Asian Film Festival Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival Tortonto Reel Asian Film Festival DIRECTOR'S PROFILE MAHESH PAILOOR DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER Mahesh Pailoor is an award winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles. A graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Mahesh went on to continue his studies as a directing fellow at the American Film Institute. While at the AFI, Mahesh was awarded the prestigious Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award for the direction of his thesis film, Still Life, which went on to screen at over 20 international film festivals, winning awards at the Heartland, Angelus, and Worldfest Houston film festivals to name a few. Mahesh is an alumnus of the Berlin Talent Campus, Film Independent’s Project Involve and Screenwriting Lab, and the ABC/DGA Directing Fellowship. Along with directing narrative projects, Mahesh has also produced and directed award winning commercials and branded content under his production company Nuclear Tribe. Brahmin Bulls is his first feature film. ANU PRADHAN CO-WRITER/CO-PRODUCER !Anu Pradhan is an MFA graduate in Directing from the American Film Institute. A Fulbright Scholar in Kathak dance, she began her career with a love for storytelling through live performance that quickly expanded to include film. Prior to her time at AFI, Anu lived in Bombay, India, where she trained in classical dance, acted in films and on stage, and spearheaded a commercial production company’s television division by producing non-fiction programs for national networks. She wrote and directed the Sloan Award winning short film Dharini, which was selected by AFI to represent its Conservatory at the Cannes Film Festival, among other festival screenings around the world. Anu was the writers’ assistant on the NBC Universal/USA Networks show, The Starter Wife starring Debra Messing. She is an alumnus of Film Independent’s Project:Involve. Brahmin Bulls is her first produced feature length screenplay. DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT As children we grow up under the notion that our parents are infallible; that they are the perfect models for us to aspire to. But as we get older and have families of our own, the realization sets in that they are only human; that they were once just like us, young, hopeful, naïve, and completely capable of messing up. BRAHMIN BULLS is a story about that reconciliation. It is a story about a father and son learning the truth about each other for the first time as adults. It is a story about family bonds and what it takes to both break them and mend them. With this film, we hope to depict an honest relationship between a father and son that is intimate in nature yet universal in scope. Mahesh Pailoor Director/Co-writer

2023 Vakuppu (The Clause) Short Malayalam mins 10 US Premiere In-Person, Virtual 2023 India Drama Based on the short story 'Jamyam' by Abhishek SS, the film delves into the inner turmoil of seemingly aggressive senior police officer Shankara Pillai (James Elia) and a young man. In a police station in Kerala, Chandran is arrested and awaits his turn on the bench as the police attempt to frame him for the deaths of two stray dogs near a butcher shop. The senior police officer keeps piling on more charges from the penal code, and the motive behind his actions appears increasingly personal. Chandran's phone incessantly rings, and the officer glimpses a photo of a young woman (Meenu) on the caller ID. The senior civil police officer overhears Chandran's address and decides to excuse himself from duty. As Shankara Pillai is about to leave, Chandran discloses that "she" is eight months pregnant, and he was at the butcher shop to purchase mutton for her. Shankara Pillai departs, instructing his subordinate to release Chandran after some time. On his way out, he stops by a shop to buy a mutton dish. When he opens his wallet, we catch sight of a photo of a young Meenu inside it. Royal Stag Large Short Films Best Actor Award at Jio MAMI 2024 Tickets 4/20/24, 10:30 AM All Badges, Shorts Program Ticket AFS Cinema Director R Jayaraj Jayaraj R. is an accomplished advertising filmmaker with a career spanning over a decade. His journey began in 2011 as an assistant director, where he honed his skills and steadily rose through the ranks. Over the years, Jayaraj has collaborated with numerous prestigious national brands and agencies, serving as a producer and director. His impressive portfolio includes directing commercials for renowned clients such as Tata Trusts and Chandrika Glycerine Soap. With this wealth of experience, Jayaraj ventured into founding Homebrew Films, bringing a rich tapestry of expertise to the world of film and video production. Director: R Jayaraj Producer: HomeBrew Films Writer: Abhishek SS Cast: James Elia, Siju Chandran, Arun Kizhussery, Jomel, Jomit Johny, Siju , Paul Editor: Praveen Krishnan Crew: Shinoz, Krishna Raaj, Arun Varma This Event is supported in part by a Mini Grant from Humanities Texas. Community Partners for the Film More Films

An Indian-American mother's worst fear rises to the surface when she is the victim of racial abuse. Five O'Clock Shadow Short Film | 7:14 mins 4/21/18, 8:30 pm GET TICKETS SYNOPSIS Five O'Clock Shadow is the story of an Indian-American mother who is the victim of racial abuse. Her worst fear rises to the surface and for the first time ever, she asks the question: Do we really belong here? TRAILER DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Sangeeta Agrawal is a first time filmmaker for her project, Five O'Clock Shadow. With more than 30 years of experience on stage, and lead roles in several short films, Sangeeta is the recipient of the Best NRI Actress at the Delhi International Film Festival in 2015. Sangeeta moved to the US in 1985. She has lived in the Washington DC area since then. DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT My first film as writer and director, Five O'Clock Shadow, comes from a very personal place as an Indian-American mother. The story came to me on the morning after the Kansas shooting of two South Asian men. It shocked the community and made headlines all over the world. As the mother of a young man who has a beard, my first thought went to him and his safety. Never in the thirty years of my life in the U.S. did I feel threatened in this way. I simply had to say something about it. And so the story was born. FESTIVAL HISTORY Chicago South Asian Film Festival - 2017 - Chicago Tasveer South Asian Film Festival - 2017 - Seattle DC South Asian Film Festival - 2017 - Washington DC Delhi International Film Festival - 2017 - Delhi - Best Concept - Short Film NRI Award First Friday Film Festival - 2018 - Kansas World Music and Independent Film Festival - 2018 Washington DC - Best South East Asian Film and Best Actor in a DMV Short Film Calcutta International Cult Film Festival - 2017 - Kolkata New Delhi Short Film Festival - 2017 - Delhi - Special Appreciation Award DFW South Asian Film Festival - 2018 -Dallas Women and Minorities in Media Fest - 2018 - Towson University - Mid-Atlantic Emerging Filmmaker The Women's Film Festival - 2018 -Philadelphia STILLS FOS-Still4 FOS-Still3

Sab Rab De Bande brings forth the various challenges that LGBTQ Sikhs grapple with and the different ways in which they reconcile their faith and gender/sexual identities. Back to Festival Program U.S. Premiere Sab Rab de Bande India I 28 mins I Drama I 2019 I Punjabi w/ English subtitles Sab Rab De Bande brings forth the various challenges that LGBTQ Sikhs grapple with and the different ways in which they reconcile their faith and gender/sexual identities. Featured in the documentary are five people from different parts of India and with different identities. By tracking their lives, the film seeks answers to questions about how these individuals came to identify and integrate their sexual, gender, and religious identities and how their families & communities have responded. What did they feel growing up as a Sikh and a queer person and where are they now? + Screens with SHORTS PROGRAM 4: True to You GET YOUR FESTIVAL BADGE VIRTUAL SCREENING : SUN. APRIL 25 - 3:00PM CT About the Artist Sukhdeep Singh is a software professional working with a leading multi-national company. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Gaylaxy Magazine, an e-magazine he founded in 2010 that provides a platform to the LGBTQ community in South Asia. The magazine has 250+ contributors and 2000+ posts, with an exclusive section in Hindi that remains a one of a kind online LGBT resource. His writings have appeared in Huffington Post India, Trikone Magazine (USA), Varta, and more. He was awarded the January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award “because of the significant influence and impact he is having on advancing LGBTQ+ rights in India and South Asia and abroad." He also received the Global Diversity and Inclusion Award in 2017 and the 100 Top Global Diversity and Inclusion Leaders in 2018 at the World HRD Congress. SAB RAB DE BANDE is his first documentary. Trailer Thank you to our community partner for this screening the Austin Film Society, the Austin Film Commission , and KHUSHATX, an Inclusive South Asian LGBTQ+ group in Austin, TX!

Indie Meme brings the best of South Asian Independent Cinema to Austin. We host an annual Film Festival IMFF. Contact Us Have a question? Interested in volunteering? Want to request a screening in your city? Are you a filmmaker and would like to submit or screen your movie? Or do you just want to say hi? Shoot us a message using the form , or use these links to: - Volunteer - Submit Your Film - Sign up for our newsletters First Name* Last Name* Email* Your Message* Submit 1101 W 35th #113 Austin, TX 78705 | info@indiememe.org |

20+ internationally acclaimed, South Asian features, documentaries, and shorts screening theatrically in Austin, TX from April 14-17th, 2022. 2022 IN-PERSON FILMS The in-person festival comes to Austin from April 14th - 17th with screenings held at Austin Film Society. Bringing 22+ South Asian selections, including the U.S Premiere of Cannes debut and Asia Pacific Screen Awards Prize Winner, Rehana, and the first Southwest and Texas screenings of many of the past year's greatest international hits, the 7th Indie Meme Film Festival is an unmissable film event. With selections spanning from horror to social drama, coming of age tales to incisive documentaries, Indie Meme offers acclaimed but hard to find world cinema for all ages and tastes. ALL FILMS IN-PERSON VIRTUAL Texas Premiere Texas Premiere ANY DAY NOW Finland I 2020 I Finnish, Farsi, English I 82 mins I dir. Hamy Ramezan In Finland, a tight-knit Iranian family await the decision on their asylum application. Meanwhile, their 13-year-old son begins junior year and everyday life goes on - from days at the lake to apartment feuds & silent dance parties. Program includes short film: CHAI Read More... Jussi Award - 'Best Actor' BARAH x BARAH (12 x 12) India I 2021 I Hindi I 118 mins I dir. Gaurav Madan 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. Read More... *Director Gaurav Madan + Sunny Lahiri (Cinematographer) in attendance LAST FILM SHOW Texas Premiere India I 2021 I Gujarati I 110 mins I dir. Pan Nalin A 9-year-old boy in a remote village in India begins a lifelong love affair with cinema when he bribes his way into a rundown movie palace and spends the summer learning in the projection booth. Read More... *Director Pan Nalin in attendance ' Audience Award' (2nd Place) - Tribeca Film Festival Texas Premiere A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING India I 2021 I Hindi, Bengali/Bangla I 97 mins I dir. Payal Kapadia In this docu-drama hybrid, the love letters of a young film student, L, to her estranged lover are juxtaposed with the drastic changes to campus life and the political landscape in India, which result in student protests and uprising. Read More... Cannes Film Festival - 'Best Documentary' Southwest Premiere MIDWIVES Myanmar I 2022 I Burmese, Rakhine I 91 mins I Documentary I dir. Hnin Ei Hlaing Hla is the Buddhist owner of a medical clinic in Myanmar, while Nyo Nyo, her young apprentice, belongs to the persecuted Rohingya Muslim community. Amidst civil unrest, the women support and challenge one another as they work to provide steady healthcare. Read More... Sundance Film Festival - 'Special Jury Award for Verite Filmmaking' LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM Texas Premiere Bhutan I 2019 I Dzhongka I 107 mins I dir. Pawo Choyning Dorji 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. Read More... Academy Award Nominee '22 - 'Best International Feature' REHANA U.S Premiere Bangladesh I 2021 I Bengali, Bangla I 107 mins I dir. Abdullah Mohammad Saad In this powerfully-acted thriller, an assistant professor at a medical college finds her life thrown into chaos when she witnesses an unexpected incident involving a female student and becomes involved in the case. Program. Read More... *Lead Actress, Azmeri Haque Badhon, in attendance Bangladesh's Official Oscar Submission Winner - 'Best Actress' - Asia Pacific Screen Awards PEBBLES (KOOZHANGAL) Texas Premiere India I 2021 I Tamil I 75 mins I dir. P.S Vinothraj A young boy follows his alcoholic father on a quest to find his mother, who has run away from his domestic abuse. The two cross the arid landscape by foot and bus, unsure of what they will do when they arrive. India's Official Oscar Submission Read More... *Director P.S Vinothraj in attendance RK/RKAY Austin Premiere India I 2021 I Hindi 95 mins I dir. Rajat Kapoor A frustrated filmmaker can't get his latest feature to click. Things take a turn for the worse when the lead character he also plays runs out of the edit and into real life. Read More... * Director and lead actor, Rajat Kapoor, in attendance SHORTS PROGRAMS Shorts Program 1 - It's The End of the World, And I Feel Fine From sisters surviving a post-apocalyptic Bangladesh to a middle schooler altering reality with her magic eyelashes, these bold, visionary shorts follow characters to the ends of their regular world and beyond, into the new ones their shaping. Read More... FEATURING: An Early Spring (dir. Pramati Anand I 38 mins) A village girl befriends a solo female backpacker. Moshari (dir. Nuhash Humayan I 22 mins) In future Bangladesh, sisters face a vampiric threat. A Coup ( dir. Areeba Naveed I 7 mins) A girl comes out to her biased psychiatrist. Dal Bhat ( dir. Nemil Shah I 29 mins) A boy learns a secret about his identity. Baahar (Outside) ( dir. Prakshi Malik I 13 mins) A school admission causes family conflict. Local Middle Schooler (dir. Sanjna Bharadwaj I 11 mins ) A middle schooler's magic eyelashes are coveted by her friends and the US government. Shorts Program 2 - Locals and Long Distance A selection of locally made and international shorts that touch on the distances between people - in time, space, and circumstances - and how they are bridged. Includes 3 projects by Texas local filmmakers as well as the world premiere of Hindi language drama, The Blind Date, and the Southwest Premiere of the gorgeous Mono No Aware. Read More... FEATURING: Mono No Aware (dir. Koushik Sarkar I 20 mins) On a field trip, a girl reflects on life's changes. The Blind Date (dir. Mihir Dhiraj Upadhyay I 17 mins) A blind couple go on a significant beach date. Hot Chocolate ( dir. Lila Mali I 3 mins) A son reflects on a family tradition after moving out. Testimony of Ana ( dir. Sachin Dheeraj I 24 mins) A woman recounts the abuse of a modern witch hunt. Turning Point ( dir. Rakhesh Raveendran I 15 mins) An immigrant father drinks too much and faces a frightening consequence. SHORTS + FEATURE PAIRINGS Bambirak Germany I 2021 IUSA I German, Dari (Afghan) I 14 mins I dir. Zamarin Wahdat When 8-year-old Kati stows away in her father's delivery van, Faruk must juggle his responsibilities as a single dad while holding down his first job in a new country. Read More... Sundance '21 - Best International Fiction Award Screens with: REHANA Chai USA I 2021 I English, Persian I 8 mins I dir. Arshum Rouhanian 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. Read More... Screens with: A NY DAY NOW Grasshoppers Sleep Here India I 2021 I Malayalam I 8 mins I dir. Balaram J 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. Read More... U.S Premiere Screens with: LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM Miniaturist of Junagadh India I 2021 I Hindi, Urdu I 29 mins I dir. Kaushal Oza 1947. The ravages of Partition compel an artist to sell his ancestral home and move to Pakistan. When the man buying the house learns of the artist's invaluable miniature collection he schemes to get ahold of it, but all is not what it seems. Read More... Winner - Best Short Film - NYIFF Screens with: RK/RKAY Follow event on Facebook

Learn the arts of filmmaking, acting, directing, cinematography, sound design, and more through the minds of acclaimed South Asian actors! Indie Meme Master Class International Film Classes in the Austin Community Indie Meme Masterclass is our newest and most ambitious program—bringing not only South Asian film to Austin, but the opportunity to learn from the filmmakers themselves. Whether it's writing, cinematography, editing, acting, or any other skills of the industry, we're here to help kickstart your film journey as a creator in addition to a viewer. Acting Workshop with Adil Hussain, 2024 Past Classes Filmmaking Masterclass with Onir Filmmaking Workshop with Anurag Kashyap Acting Workshop with Adil Hussain

Explore the jury and audience award winners from the 2024 Indie Meme Film Festival. IMFF 2024 Awards The 9th Indie Meme Film Festival comes to Austin in-person from April 17 - 21, 2024 and is held at the Austin Film Society Cinema. Indie Meme Film Festival awards are announced during the Closing Night Party. Most films which were selected for In-Theater exhibition or for Virtual Festival are eligible for both Jury Awards and Audience Choice Awards in their own respective categories. Jury Awards Best Narrative Feature Jurors: Neeraja Rao, Tania Romero, Kamal Khan, Christian Raymond Sthal dir. Jayant Somalkar The film is a powerful social commentary on patriarchy, gender bias, social inequality, and Colorism. What stood out for the jury was the beautiful use of all the navraas or 9 emotions —laughter (hasya), love (shringar), fear (bhayanaka), anger (raudra), courage (vira), sadness (karuna), amazement (adbhuta), disgust (vibhatsya) and calmness (shanti). There was a certain musicality and pace in the entire film, with a strong use of sound to support the compelling story. There were also Natural Performances by non-actors, with realistic treatment and a fine eye for smaller details blending in without being didactic. Even when you know what the next plot point is and you wait for a rebellion, you’re taken aback by the suddenness of the climax. All in all, we loved the film's message: BE EDUCATED BE ORGANISED & BE AGITATED. The jury’s favorite is a Film that’s a slap in the face of society: Jayant Digambar Somalkar’s STHAL! Narrative Feature: Special Mention Jurors: Neeraja Rao, Tania Romero, Kamal Khan, Christian Raymond Mithya dir. Sumanth Bhat The film is a riveting exploration of grief with nuanced performances from young actors, fascinating character study, unpredictable expectation defying plot turns, and a heart-wrenching, "edge of your seat" finale. A Special Jury Mention is awarded for the poignant coming-of-age story about loss and displacement. This movie had heart-wrenching, real raw performances that tugged your heart. We were fascinated by the character arcs and the treatment. The film has weaves many parallel storylines that gradually reveal themselves, but it is left up to the audience to explore, as the Director keeps the focus firmly on the protagonist's private world. We loved how the director slowly starts building up the mood to something sinister, leading to the edge-of-the-seat finale. The jury is still trying to figure out how the director and the young actors could pull off an end scene that's heartbreaking and powerful! Best Documentary Jurors: Syed Akbar Hyder, Mike Blizzard Against the Tide dir. Sarvnik Kaur AGAINST THE TIDE is a beautifully shot documentary, acutely sensitive to colors as they spring from the spectacular landscape. The colors themselves tell such a poignant story. The film itself plays like a narrative, with incredibly intimate access to the family, as the members struggle with the pressures of overfishing, climate change, pollution, health care, and balancing traditions with the pressures of the modern world. The film's characters will linger in your mind for a long time afterwards, and you may find yourself wanting a follow-up, to show where they are today. Truly a groundbreaking, must-see documentary film. Best Debut Jurors: Jake Martinez, Sweta Rajesh In Flames dir. Zarrar Kahn IN FLAMES is a film that contextually has never been made before. Perhaps due to societal implications, perhaps because our world was simply not ready for it. This film is a deep exploration of the gender, cultural, and spiritual dynamics of the Arab world. However, the overall message is universal. Strong depictions of trauma, grief, and the subsequently afflicted personal hells through virulent yet beautiful camera work and audio engineering placed us vividly close to the characters and the circumstances they inhabited. We were kept engaged, moved, scared, and many times at the edge of our seats, all the while being provoked into many avenues of thought and mind as to what the characters experienced, and what we ourselves have experienced. IN FLAMES will evoke this even further in new audiences around the world, and we are excited to witness it happen. Best Short Jurors: Vanessa Uhlig, Alex Salahi, Lila Mali, Gabriel Ornelas Last Days of Summer dir. Stenzin Tankong LAST DAYS OF SUMMER is a testament to the power of using tight and efficient storytelling to craft a story of momentous scale. Fresh dialogue, nuanced performances, and breathtaking cinematography unexpectedly give way to haunting final moments. There is a quiet control over the central dramatic question, as we learn along with the brothers at the heart of the film the truth behind the mysterious sounds they hear. All of this plays out with careful, rich sound design that meets the majesty of the Himalayan landscape. Weaving talk of folklore and ghosts with modern environmental crises, the film’s message of a rural village losing its way of life, and our dependence on one another, slices like a shard of cleaving ice. Audience Choice Awards Best Narrative Feature Footprints on Water dir. Nathalia Syam Best Documentary Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam dir. Anand Patwardhan Best Short Places I've Called My Own dir. Sushma Khadepaun

Seen through the eyes of a young boy, Fade is a walk down memory lane of life before the war. Fade Iran / Short film / 3min / Silent 4/28/2019 | 4:45 pm This short film will be screened prior to JIRGA ATTEND SYNOPSIS Seen through the eyes of a young boy, Fade is a walk down memory lane of life before the war. DIRECTOR BIO Mahboobe Tamaskani is a award winning short film director. Her short films have received the Diamond Film Award in 2018, and have been official selections at Lift Off Network 2019, Toaba Youth International 2019, and In Short Film Festival 2018.