Axone - a recipe for disaster. Axone explores humor, racism & culture as it follows a group of Northeasterners through a wedding, a feast & landlord-tenant clash in Delhi. Ramprasad ki Tehrvi DFW Screening: April 1st 2020 | Screening : 7.00pm Angelika Film Center & Cafe, PLANO Member Tickets: $12 Non-Member Tickets: $15 Student : $8 North America Premiere Closing Night Film for IMFF 2020 TICKETS (DFW) IMFF 2020 Screening: April 5th 2020 | Screening : 6.15pm - 8.15pm AFS Cinema, Austin Member Tickets: $12 Non-Member Tickets: $15 Student: $8 TICKETS (IMFF@ATX) India | Fiction | Drama, Comedy | 2019 | 106 MIN. |Hindi; English Subtitles Bauji’s entire family comes under one roof for 13 days after he passes away. We get a glimpse of their dynamics, politics and insecurities as each one of them is on their journey to discover their own selves and truth. SYNOPSIS According to the Hindu traditions and rituals, after the death of a person, certain customs are to be performed for thirteen days, known as ‘Tehrvi’. This story talks about the truth behind these thirteen days. It is a satire on the traditions and the rituals of our Indian society. Every kind of relationship has its own truth. But with some close relations, we are not really given any choice, love, respect, and care become an expectation and a responsibility rather than a personal expression. In playing the formal characters enforced on us, we tend to forget to say ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ in these relations. With time, it becomes difficult to speak the unspoken but emotions are felt more deeply after reaching a certain age. We are lost in trying to match our notes (sur ) with the world, never bothering to try and find our own unique sur . The day we find our voice, we start living again. Bauji’s wish to have his family under one roof is fulfilled after his death. His slightly whimsical notions about life are understood by his wife after he has passed away. We understand the importance of things only in retrospect, we miss people when they are long gone. The film speaks about understanding our own selves, about not taking our relations for granted and about being grateful for the time we have had and will have. DIRECTOR’S NOTE The topic of death has always been a matter of debate and discussion among humans. With death comes different traditions and rituals based on the society and community we live in, from Jazz Funeral in the West, where the grieving members strike a balance between mourning and joy, to the Sky Burial in Tibet and Mongolia where the dead are left to decay on their own. In Indian Hindu tradition, the death of a person requires customs and prayers to be performed for thirteen days (known as Tehrvi), by the family members and loved ones of the deceased. Though this period may seem as a time of immense mourning and sadness, it is only when we dig deeper we understand about the human psyche. In my film, Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi, after the death of Babu Ji, the head of the family, his kids, in laws and grandchildren come together under one roof to mourn his death. Ram Prasad’s family also looks like a close-knit family grieving the loss of their father, but as we delve deeper we understand each character’s own emotional turmoil and their life problems. In this film I have also tried to highlight the importance of death and the resulting loss. The void they leave behind is unimaginable and how we value them once they are taken away from our world forever. In the end this film will be a gentle reminder for all the viewers to understand that the beauty of life is that it will never come again. DIRECTOR'S PROFILE & FILM CREW Director : Seema Bhargava Pahwa Seema Bhargava Pahwa is a veteran Indian film, television and theatre actress. At the 63rd Filmfare Awards, she was twice nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for the films Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017). Ram Prasad ki Tehrvi is her directorial debut. PRINCIPAL CREW: Producer - Manish Mundra (Drishyam Films), Jyoti Deshpande (Jio Studios) Story and Script/Screenplay - Seema Bhargava Pahwa Director of Photography - Sudip Sengupta Editor - Dipika Kalra Music - Sagar Desai Cast - Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, Konkona Sen Sharma, Parambrata Chatterjee, Vinay Pathak, Vikrant Massey, Manoj Pahwa Sound Design - Resul Pookutty Production Design - Parijat Poddar Production Company - Drishyam Films STILLS SLIDE DECK 1/3

Meet our sponsors, patrons and supporters. We are grateful to these organizations to help bring independent films from Southeast Asia to our audience. SCHEDULE FILMS ATTEND YOUTH SPONSORS ABOUT PRESS Presented by IndieMeme.org IMFF 2018 is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin, Economic Development Department IMFF 2018 Producing Sponsor IMFF 2018 Media Sponsor IMFF 2018 Directing Sponsors Indie Meme Patron Sponsors Indie Meme Supporter Film Sponsors We are grateful to our 2015 , 2016 and 2017 sponsors. Media Partners Follow event on Facebook

While attending her sister's wedding in India, Anita is pushed to question whether her life in America is any better than those in her hometown.  Back to Festival Program Texas Premiere Anita India I 17 mins I Drama I 2020 I Gujarati w/ English subtitles While attending her sister's wedding in India, Anita is pushed to question whether her life in America is any better than those in her hometown. Director's Statement: Anita is my thesis film for an MFA in Screenwriting & Directing at Columbia University in. It also serves as a 'proof of concept' for my first feature length film, Salt . I grew up in a community with the belief that a woman who moves to America lives an exciting, independent life. Anita is an exploration of this myth of the independent, young, expat wife and the struggle to maintain this façade. The visual language of this film is rigid and deliberate to convey the increasing dissonance Anita feels upon returning to her family home and the eventual disillusionment of her American dream. + Screens with the feature HAVA, MARYAM, AYESHA GET YOUR FESTIVAL BADGE VIRTUAL PREMIERE : SAT. APRIL 17 - 3:30PM CT About the Artist Born and raised in India, Sushma Khadepaun is a writer/director based in New York City. She writes stories that explore identity, freedom, and the myth of the American Dream. Her short film ANITA premiered In Competition at the Venice Film Festival and went on to win The Gotham Award/Focus Features Student Showcase & the National Board of Review Student Grant Award. Sushma often mentors screenwriters at Sundance Co//ab, a digital expression of the Sundance Labs & Festival , and is an Adjunct Professor at VCUArts. She is herself an alumna of the screenwriting & directing program at Columbia University. She is currently developing her first feature, SALT. Credits Crew Writer/Director: SUSHMA KHADEPAUN Producer: ANKUR SINGH Co-Producer: SASHA JOHN Cinematographer: NIKHIL AROLKAR Editor(s): WILL MAYO SUSHMA KHADEPAUN Sound Department: PRANAV KOTHI SAVITHA NAMBRANTH Colo rist : SUDARSHAN SURESH Cast AREZOO ARIAPOOR as 'Hava' MITRA GADHVI as 'Vikram' SANJIVANI SATHE as 'Mother NIKHIL DAVE as 'Father' BHAKTI MANIAR as 'Sister' DEEP SHETH as 'Groom' Additional Crew Prod. Design: POOJA TALREJA Costume Design : VIDHI GALA Visual Effects : ROB BELLON

From the Himalayan mountains to the US suburbs, the children at the center of these stories are finding, and asserting, their place in the world. Back to Film Program $10 TICKETS ($8 for members) WATCH ONLINE April 22-25th, 2022 Shorts Program B - Family Shorts India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, USA I 120 mins I Coming of Age, T hriller, Comedy, Drama I Multiple Languages BUY & WATCH ONLINE From the Himalayan mountains to the US suburbs, the children in these stories are finding, and asserting, their place in the world. FEATURING: Grasshoppers Sleep Here (dir. Balaram J) A mowing man meets a determined girl. Bambirak (dir. Zamarin Wahdat) Kati stows away in her dad's van to see his workday in their new, adoptive country. Baahar ( dir. Prakshi Malik) A school admission causes tension at a family dinner. Hot Chocolate ( dir. Lila Mali) *online only A young man reflects on a comforting tradition. An Early Spring ( dir. Pramati Anand) A rural girl befriends a visiting female backpacker. Chai ( dir. Arshum Rouhanian) In a quiet suburb, a chai and hot chocolate stand compete. About the Artist(s) Balaram J is a writer, designer, animator, and independent filmmaker from Kerala, India and a graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He created animated sequences for the visionary filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery's feature films Jallikattu (2019) and Churuli (2021). His thesis film, Story of a Beginning, travelled to 35+ international festivals. He craves stories that make him a better human and wishes to make films that do the same to others. Lila Mali is an incoming University of Texas-Austin freshman passionate about storytelling through animation and filmmaking. A self taught animator who has has been studying film production and direction for 7 years, Lila has worked on several animated projects and is also studying Computer Science. Her short, Hot Chocolate, was created during her senior year of high school and became a state finalist at the 2021 UIL film festival. Born in Afghanistan and raised in Germany, Zamarin Wahdat is a cinematographer and writer/director, who attended NYU Tisch. Her work as a cinematographer has screened & been awarded at at many festivals including Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, & Tribeca. In 2020, she received an Academy Award for the short doc "Learning how to Skate in a Warzone'' (if you’re a girl). This experience led her to write & direct her first short BAMBIRAK, which received the Sundance Short Film Jury Award for International Fiction in 2021. Prakshi Malik is a filmmaker and dancer creating cinema about women of color from a global perspective. She grew up in Delhi, India and is currently based in the Twin Cities, MN. She was recently awarded the 2020 Short Film Grant by Austin Film Society for her short film, Baahar. Prakshi holds an MFA in Film Production from UT- Austin. . Pramati Anand pursued her Masters in Film & Video from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India. She has worked as a creative content strategist and writes a travel and photography blog called ‘Safarnama'. Her film, Jhat Aayi Basant (An Early Spring) was an official selection at the International Film Festival, Goa and is currently doing the festival rounds. Arshum Rouhanian was born & raised in Maryland after his parents fled Iran in light of the revolution. He grew up in a small apartment with 10 relatives.and credits his creativity in part to this time, as he found inventive ways to sneak around and pretend quietly. He graduated from American University with a BA in Film & Media Arts and a minor in Business Admin. He currently works as a Content Producer/ Director/ Editor at Capitol Records in Hollywood. Trailer Thank you to our community partner for this screening!

A devout Muslim who writes, composes, and even records hymns praising the Prophet, Rahat is a respected elderly man who works in real estate and takes care of his bedridden wife. One day, he attends the wedding of a friend's son, where he inadvertently shows off a dance in front of his friends. His dance gets recorded Back to Festival Program U.S Premiere Zindagi Tamasha (Circus of Life) Pakistan I 138 mins I Drama I 2019 I Urdu w/ English subtitles A devout Muslim who writes, composes, and even records hymns praising the Prophet, Rahat is a respected elderly man who works in real estate and takes care of his bedridden wife. But as he prepares for the annual celebration of Prophet Muhammed's birthday in Lahore, Pakistan, a trivial exposé from his private life becomes an internet sensation, calling into question his piety, respect, & sexuality - turning his life into a public circus. . Chaos begins to invade his quiet life. Other than his wife, no one sympathizes with Rahat's circumstances. His daughters and neighbors criticize him, his friends turn their backs. The film provides a calm, detailed picture of the challenging search for identity in a strict religious society through an elderly man who gradually comes to realize his own "minority" qualities. GET YOUR FESTIVAL BADGE VIRTUAL PREMIERE : SUN. APRIL 25 - 6:30PM CT $7 TICKETS About the Artist Sarmad Sultan Khoosat is a Pakistani director, actor, producer and screenwriter best known for his feature films: MANTO (which received tremendous acclaim internationally) and ZINDAGI TAMASHA (which won the top prize at the Busan International Film Festival and became Pakistan's official submission for the 93rd Academy Awards. ) With a career spanning 20+ years, Sarmad has directed some of South Asia's most celebrated TV series, such as HUMSAFAR and SHEHR-E-ZAAT. In 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Pride of Performance Medal (the highest civilian award conferred by the President of Pakistan) for his outstanding contribution to Pakistan's Film & TV industry. . Trailer Thank you to our community partner(s): Project, Pakistan , the Austin Film Society, and the Austin Film Commission ! Credits Crew Writer/Director: SARMAD SULTAN KHOOSAT Producer(s): IRFAN KHOOSAT KANWAL KHOOSAT SARMAD SULTAN KHOOSAT Editor(s): NADEEM ABBAS NIRMAL BANO SARMAD SULTAN KHOOSAT Cast ARIF HASSAN as 'Rahat Khawaja' SAMIYA MUMTAZ as "Farkhanda' EMAN SULEMANI as 'Sadaf' ALI KURESHI as "Danish Additional Crew Sound Department: FAIZ ZAIDI ANSER SOOMRO

The virtual festival, streaming April 28th - May 1st,  will bring second screenings of many of our in-person favorites, as well as fresh virtual-exclusive feature and short programs. Shorts Showcase 2023 Austin Film Community Collaboration Indie Meme is proud to host a creative collaboration with four other Austin Film Organization to kick off the new year! You can’t miss an opportunity to meet all these cool organizations under one roof, mix & mingle with the creatives & watch films set in various parts of the world presented giving you a unique perspective on life! Free for Indie Meme Members (Log in before buying to receive your discount ) - Consider joining today . 50% off tickets for members of co-hosting orgs 0 DAYS TO THE EVENT Shorts Showcase 2023 - Austin Film Community Collaboration Jan 22, 2023, 3:00 PM Austin Film Society Indie Meme (host), Cine Las Americas, Austin Jewish Film Festival (AJFF), All Genders Identities & Lifestyles Film Festival (AGLIFF), Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF) Free for Indie Meme Members - Consider joining today. 50% off tickets for members of co-hosting orgs $12 regular ticket Details THE 5 SHORTS

In May of 1992, a state-sanctioned “Operation” has put the city of Karachi in a state of constant unrest. Abdul Aziz Ansari wakes up at night and is informed by his daughter-in-law Naseema that his son hasn’t returned home. Back to Festival Program 1/4 Sat. April 15th @4:00PM AFS Cinemas Online April 28 - May 1 MURDER TONGUE Pakistan I 18 mins I Drama I Historical I 2022 Urdu w/ English subtitles BUY TICKETS WATCH ONLINE 'Excellence in Short Filmmaking' - Asian American International Film Festival 'Programmer's Choice - Narrative Short' - Bushwick Film Festival (2022) In May of 1992, a state-sanctioned “Operation” has put the city of Karachi in a state of unrest. Abdul Aziz Ansari wakes up at night and is informed by his daughter-in-law Naseema that his son hasn’t returned home. As a knock on their door later that night summons them to the hospital, what they witness along the way is one of the most brutal chapters of the city’s history, a sentiment of hatred towards their race, deeply rooted in the state system. About the Artist Ali Sohail Jaura is an independent filmmaker from Karachi, Pakistan who has been highly awarded for both his narrative and non-fiction shorts. In 2017, he made a travel short ARZ E PAKISTAN (Land of Pakistan) based on the Northern Regions of Pakistan which won many accolades in international tourism film festivals. It was ranked in the Top 10 Tourism films of 2018 by Comité International des Festivals du Film Touristique. His recent short, DRY LEAVES screened at prestigious events including the Newport Beach Film Festival, Indie Memphis, and the Sedona International Film Festival. MURDER TONGUE is his latest film. Trailer Credits Crew Director: Ali Sohail Jaura Story/Screenplay: Ammar Zafar Producer(s): Zafeer Khan Anas Lania DOP: Mo Azmi Film Editor: M. Yusuf Ramza n 1st ADs: Samad Baluch Monis Navaid Cast: Munawwar Saeed Amtul Baweja Muhammad Zamaan Ibad Alam Sher Raja Shahid Ali Composer: Farhan Zameer Prod. Design: Eru j Hadi Costume Design: Mir Dilawaar Script Consultant: Rachel Matthews

I Dream/YaliniDream was created for an installation of the performance of "RIVER SEE" by Sharon Bridgforth I Dream/YaliniDream US/ Music Video /1min 50sec/English 4/27/2019 | 6:30 pm This short film will be screened prior to HER. HIM. THE OTHER ATTEND DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT I Dream/YaliniDream was created for an installation of the performance of "RIVER SEE" by Sharon Bridgforth. The screening at IMFF2019 will be the film world premiere. DIRECTOR’S BIO YaliniDream is a Sri Lankan Tamil raised in OUTside lands. She conjures spirit through her unique blend of poetry, theater, song, and dance. She lives in the borderlands where poetry is theater is love is movement is song is prayer is rebellion. She looks to reshape reality seeking peace through justice in the lands of earth, psyche, spirit, and dream. Awards include: • War Resisters League's Travel Grant (2014) • Artist in Residence University of Michigan's Center for World Performance Studies (2013) • Jerome Foundation Travel & Study Grant (2008-2010) • Poets & Writers Writing Workshop Grant (May 2008) • Urban Arts Initiative Fellowship (2008) • Panelist for the Leeway Foundation’s Transformation Awards (2007) • Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Artists in Communities Residency (Asian Arts Initiative July 1st- September 22nd, 2006) • New World Theater Residency (New World Theater, Amherst, Mass; June 20th-26th, 2006) • National Performance Network (Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia; June 28th- August 12th, 2005) • Network of Cultural Centers of Color Award (June 2005) • Voices Breaking Boundaries Residency (Diverse Works Art Center, Houston; September 20th-25 2004) • Henry Street Settlement Residency (Abron Arts Center, New York City; January 23rd-February 1st 2004) Krissy Mahan: Krissy Mahan has been making movies using humor as a feminist tool for 25 years. Mahan’s movies address social issues such as accessibility, gender identity, mental health, immigration, and working class post-industrial cities. Mahan works in public elementary schools, and has recently screened at the 2019 New York Feminist Film Week , the Scottish Queer International Film Festival , Glasgow, London Fringe! Film Festival , London, UK; aGLIFF in Austin ; the Toronto Queer Film Festival, Ontario, Canada; the Dyke Drama Film Fest in Perth, Australia, and Pembe Hayat / KUIR Pink Life QueerFest , Ankara, Turkey. Other work is included in festivals/programs that focus on dis/Ability+queerness, and is shown in educational settings and at screenings in support of community groups. CREDITS Co-directed by YaliniDream, and Krissy Mahan, in collaboration with Jendog Lonewolf. Shot in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. PHOTO CREDIT Photo by “I Love Jendog” Fashion by BlackSnow.nyc. In resistance, integrity & dignity. Jumping into a clear Brooklyn night sky with moon behind my ear.

In a small village in northeast India, 10-year-old Dhunu dreams of having her own rock band. Her vibrant spirit, imagination and self-assurance stand out in a world where girls are expected to be timid and submissive. With her gang of boys and the support of her widowed mother, Dhunu faces the struggles of daily life Village Rockstars Sunday, Feb 24th 2019 Austin | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Dallas | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM INDIA | Drama | 87 min | Coming of Age | Assamese with English subtitles TICKETS SYNOPSIS In a small village in northeast India, 10-year-old Dhunu dreams of having her own rock band. Her vibrant spirit, imagination and self-assurance stand out in a world where girls are expected to be timid and submissive. With her gang of boys and the support of her widowed mother, Dhunu faces the struggles of her daily life and hopes for the day she can finally play on a real guitar. Village Rockstars is India's entry to 2019 Oscars. AWARDS Academy Awards 2019- India's Official Entry "Best Foreign Language Film (Not Nominated) National Film Awards 2018- Best Feature Film National Film Awards 2018- Best Child Artist National Film Awards 2018- Best Location Sound Recordist National Film Awards 2018- Best Editing MAMI 2018 - Golden Gateway award for best film in India Gold Category MAMI 2018 - Oxfam Best Film for Gender Equality award MAMI 2018 - Young Critics Choice Award Cork Film Festival 2017 - Gradam Spiorad Na Feile/ Spirit of the Festival Award Cairo International Film Festival 2017 - Best Artistic Contribution from the International Critic's Week competition Olympia International Film Festival 2017 - Best Actress/Best Director/Special Jury prize Smile International Film Festival 2017 - Best Children's Film / Best Actor Cine Junior Film Festival, France 2018 - Grand Prix (Best Film) Muestra de Cine Lanzarote, Spain 2017 - Best Young Film Indian Film Festival of LA 2018 - Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente, Argentina - SIGNIS Prize Prag Cine Awards 2018 - Best Film/Best Actor (Female) /Best Editing / Best Sound Designer / Jury's Special Mention Assam state Film Award & Festival - Best Dir / Best Sound design / Best debut Actress / Best Cinematography BRICS film Festival 2018 - Best Actress / Special Jury Award DETAILS AUSTIN Date: Sunday, February 24th at 11:00 AM @ AFS Cinema 6406 N IH-35 Suite 3100 Austin, Texas 78752 The screening will begin with begin with a short guitar performance by Westwood High School senior Eesha Nayak COMMUNITY PARTNERS DALLAS Date: Sunday, February 24th at 4:00 PM @ Fun Movie Grill (Prev. Venetian) 2661 Midway Rd, Suite 200 Carrollton, TX 75006 Kids Music Corner: 3:15 pm - 4:00 pm for kids to experience musical instruments Screening will be followed by Member Mixer in the lobby COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUPPORTERS MEDIA PARTNERS TRAILER Trouble purchasing on a mobile device? Austin Screening Tickets - Click Here Trouble purchasing on a mobile device? DFW Screening Tickets - Click Here VillageRockstars - Tickets DIRECTOR'S BIO RIMA DAS is a self-taught film writer, producer, and director. Born and raised in a small village in Assam in northeast India, she is now based in Mumbai and Assam. Her first feature MAN WITH THE BINOCULARS (ANTARDRISHTI) premiered in the First Feature Competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2016 and also screened at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. In addition to writing and directing feature fiction and documentary films, she also manages a film production company called Flying River Films in Mumbai, which supports local, independent filmmaking in the region. VILLAGE ROCKSTARS, her second feature, will have its World Premiere at Toronto Film Festival and will be in the New Directors Competition in San Sebastian. STILLS

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. Back to Film Program $15 TICKETS ($12 for members) Sat. April 16th, 2022 @ 1:30PM Venue: AFS Cinema U.S Premiere IN-PERSON TICKETS A moral dilemma ... explored with a directorial style that grips like steel" - Jonathan Romney, Screen International Rehana, an assistant professor at a medical college, struggles to keep the harmony between work and family, as she has to play all the complex roles of a teacher, doctor, sister, daughter, and mother. One evening, she witnesses a student storming out of a professor’s office, crying. Deeply impacted, Rehana becomes dedicated to pursuing consequences for the perpetrator. She enters a maelstrom of controversy as she confronts aspects of her university, society, and herself that previously lay dormant. Azmeri Haque Badhon earned international acclaim for her resolute and electric central performance, including 'Best Actress' at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. + BAMBIRAK (short film) ( Germany, US I German, Dari 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 dad while holding down his first job in a new country. NOTE: This film is playing only in theaters. Rehana Bangladesh I 107 mins I Drama, Thriller I 2021 Bengali w/ English subtitles About the Artist Born 1985 in Chittagong, Bangladesh, Abdullah Mohammad Saad graduated with a degree in education and research from the University of Dhaka. Live from Dhaka, his first feature film, was selected at Rotterdam and won the Silver Screen Award for Best Director at the Singapore International Film Festival. His second film, Rehana, was the first film from Bangladesh to be featured in Un Certain Regard at Cannes, won the 'Jury Grand Prize' and 'Best Performance by an Actress' Awards at the Asia Pacific Film Awards, and became Bangladesh's Official 2021 Oscar Submission. Trailer What the Critics Say... WINNER: 'Best Performance by An Actress' - Asia Pacific Screen Awards "an excellent film, realistic and pragmatic... but also rather entertaining in its thriller premises. Essentially, one of the best films of the year. - Asian Movie Pulse Credits Crew Writer/Director: ABDULLAH MOHAMMAD SAAD Producer(s): JEREMY CHUA EHSANUL HAQUE BABU Cinematographer: TUHIN TAMIJUL Cast AZMERI HAQUE BADHON as 'Rehana' AFIA JAHIN JAIMA as 'Emu' KAZI SAMI HASSAN as 'Arefin' ' AFIA TABASSUM BORNOAS as 'Annie' Crew Cont'd Production Design: ALI AFJAL UZZAL

The in-person festival comes to Austin from April 12th - 16th with screenings held at Austin Film Society.  The virtual festival, streaming April 28nd - May 1st,  will bring second screenings of many of our in-person favorites, as well as fresh virtual-exclusive feature and short programs. 2023 FILMS The 2023 Indie Meme Film Festival is a hybrid event , bringing 35+ acclaimed South Asian films to audiences through a combination of theatrical & virtual screenings, Q&A's, mixers, and filmmaker events. The in-person festival comes to Austin from April 12th - 16th with screenings held at Austin Film Society. The virtual festival, streaming April 28nd - May 1st, will bring second screenings of many of our in-person favorites, as well as fresh virtual-exclusive feature and short programs. With films spanning 9+ countries, the Indie Meme Film Festival is an unmissable event for all fans of world cinema. NARRATIVE FEATURES DHABARI QURUVI International Premiere India I 2022 I Irula I 105 mins I dir. Priyanandanan The story of a young tribal girl who rises from the ashes to proclaim her most essential rights, over her body and the decisions upon it. Shot with an all tribal cast at Attapadi in Kerala. Read more... Official Selection: International Film Festivals of India, Kerala, & Chennai In Theaters Only . EIKHOIGI YUM (Our Home) India I 2022 I Manipuri I 87 mins I dir. Romi Meitei Chaoren, an eleven year-old boy from a rural fishing village, fights to attend and excel in school, amidst the threats of poverty and displacement. Read more... IFFR - FIPRESCI Award for 'Best International Film' *Q&A w/ filmmaker Romi Meitei In Theaters + Online International Premiere Texas Premiere GOLDFISH Sold Out * UK I India I 2022 I English I 103 mins I dir. Pushan Kripalani With help from a neighbourhood and a past she has shunned, a young British-Indian woman (Kalki Koechlin) returns home to deal with her mother’s dementia and the scars of her childhood. Read more.. Official Selection: Busan International Film Festival * Q&A with director Pushan Kripalani & Lead Actress Kalki Koechlin In Theaters Only *** a limited number of RUSH TICKETS will be available day of screening at AFS Cinemas HAWA Bangladesh I Bengali, Bangla I 130 mins I dir. Mejbaur Rahman Sumon A fishing trawler is beset by mysterious, possibly supernatural occurences after they take onboard a young woman lost at sea. Set in the Bay of Bengal and inspired by myth, this genre-defying tale is a gem of modern Bangladeshi cinema. Read more.. Bangladesh's Official Oscar Entry - 'Best International Feature' In Theaters + Online KAMLI Pakistan I Urdu I 130 mins I dir. Sarmad Sultan Khoosat A tale of love, loss, and cloaked secrets centered on the lives of three women in Pakistan, including a young married woman drawn to a mysterious man who saved her life. Read more... 'Best Actress' - Indus Valley International Film Festival (IVIFF) Official Selection of Rotterdam (IFFR) Online Only LEILA'S BROTHERS Texas Premiere Iran I Farsi I 165 mins I dir. Saeed Roustaee At 40 years old, Leila has spent her life caring for her parents and four brothers. Caught up in debts worsened by the economic sanctions in Iran, the family argues constantly. As her brothers try to make ends meet, Leila charts a plan for elevating the family's wealth. Read more... Cannes Film Festival - 'FIPRESCI Prize' Official Selection: Busan, Sao Paulo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Singapore In Theaters Only THE PORTRAITS India I 91 mins I Malayalam I dir. Bijukumar Damodaran From National-Award winning filmmaker, Dr. Biju, comes a collection of six cinematic sketches that depict the various means by which fascist governments conspire to silence their own people. Read more.. 'Critic's Choice Award' - Rajasthan Int'l Film Festival 2021 'Life Award' - Imagine India Int'l Film Festival , Spain 2022 Online Only POLITE SOCIETY UK I English I 103 mins I dir. Nida Manzoor A London schoolgirl and tireless martial-artist-in-training, Ria Khan is determined to become a world-renowned stunt woman. But when her big sister Lena drops out of school to marry a wealthy heir, Ria soon realizes something is wrong and enlists her friends to rescue her sister from her own wedding. Read more.. Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival 2022, SXSW 2022 In Theaters Only MARIAM India I Hindi I 78 mins I dir. Arvind Pradap Mariam, mother & breadwinner for her migrant family in Mumbai, decides to become an illegal surrogate to support her children. However, as the pregnancy progresses she faces unexpected challenges with the family awaiting the child. Read more.. Official Selection of Busan International Film Festival Online Only TELL IT LIKE A WOMAN India I Italy I Japan I US I 2022 I 112 mins I Multiple I dir. Catherine Hardwicke, Taraji P. Henson, Lucía Puenzo, Leena Yadav, Maria Sole Tognazzi, Mipo Oh, Silvia Carobbio A globe-spanning anthology film, comprised of seven short stories directed by women from across the world.S hot in Italy, India, Japan, and the U.S. - each segment is an inspirational and empowering story by and about women. Read more... Academy Award Nominee - 'Best Original Song' * Q&A with director Leena Yadav In Theaters Only UNTIL TOMORROW Iran I Persian (Farsi) I 86 mins I dir. Ali Asgari Fereshteh, a young student in Tehran, must hide the existence of her illegitimate two-month old baby for the night when her parents announce a surprise visit. She and her resourceful best friend must weigh up their true allies. As they traverse the city, their simple mission proves surprisingly treacherous. Read more... Official Selection: Berlinale '22 Online Only DOCUMENTARY FEATURES ALL THAT BREATHES India I Hindi I 94 mins I dir. Shaunak Sen As legions of birds fall from New Delhi’s darkening skies, and the city smolders with social unrest, two brothers race to save a casualty of the turbulent times: the black kite, a majestic bird of prey essential to their city's ecosystem. Read more... Academy Award Nominee '22- 'Best Documentary Feature' Sundance Film Festival - World Cinema Jury Prize - 'Best Documentary' In Theaters Only IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM Texas Premiere US I Bangladesh I Bengali, Bangla, English I 85 mins I dir. Vivek Bald, Alaudin Ullah A New York actor & playwright investigates the pasts of his Bangladeshi immigrant parents, unearthing a lost history in which South Asian Muslims, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans forged an extraordinary multiracial community in mid-20th century Harlem. Read more... Official Selection: CAAMFest & DOC NYC * Q&A with directors Vivek Bald & Alaudin Ullah In Theaters + Online THE SHOW MUST GO ON Texas Premiere India I English, Gujarati, Hindi I 60 mins I dir. Divya Cowasji, Jall Cowasji After decades of dormancy, the aging icons of Parsi theater return to the state for a final curtain call. The documentary chronicles the joy & resilience of the cast as they prepare to go out with a bang. R ea d more... Official Selection of Bangkok International Documentary Awards & Cambridge Film Festival Online Only WHILE WE WATCHED Texas Premiere UK I Hindi, English I 94 mins I dir. Vinay Shukla A turbulent newsroom drama that intimately chronicles the working days of broadcast journalist Ravish Kumar as he navigates a spiraling world of truth and disinformation. Read more... TIFF - 'Amplify Voices Award ' Busan Int'l Film Festival - 'Cinephile Award' DOC NYC - Special Presentation * Virtual Q&A with director Vinay Shukla In Theaters Only SHORTS PROGRAM Coming Out With The Help of a Time Machine USA I English I 15 mins I dir. Naman Gupta Sid (Karan Soni) plans to come out to his conservative, community-oriented parents at a local diner. Luckily, he has the power of time travel on his side in this heartfelt sci-fi twist on the coming out story. Read m ore... Official Selection - Tribeca Film Festival, BFI Flare, CAAMFest Screens in: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Birdsong Laos I Hmong I 18 mins I dir. Sparsh Ahuja, Omi Zola Gupta Birdsong explores the dying whistling traditions of the Hmong people of northern Laos. The film follows the personal stories of three individuals, as they reflect on their experience as practitioners of a vanishing musical language. Read more... Official Selection - SXSW '23 Screens in: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Desi Standard Time Travel Canada I English I Urdu I 20 mins I dir. Kashif Pasta When a new father suddenly loses his own dad, an opportunity to travel back in time for an evening gives him a chance to end things on a better note. Read more... 'Best Short Film' - Audience Award - Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival Screens in: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Faces USA I English I 11 mins I dir. Kumar Mayank Problems in a relationship come to the surface during a cinematography group exercise..Read more... An Austin Local Production, In-Person Q&A Screens w/: ALL THAT BREATHES (In Theaters), Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online Felt Cute Might Delete Later Nepal I Nepali I 12 mins I dir. Swati Regmi While 45 year old @Kalatmakabita is enjoying her newly found fame on tiktok, her daughter, @Princessxorimoh, also a micro- influencer, is embarrassed by her mother’s social media persona. Read more... Screens in: Shorts Program 1 (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online Hajur Nepal I Nepali I 10 mins I dir. LSM Sarita, a young mother working from home during COVID-19, tries to balance her work and family- but her endurance reaches a breaking point as responsibilities keep piling up. Read more... Screens in : Shorts Program 1 (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online The Horse From Heaven India I Assamese I 15 mins I dir. Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap A lonely elderly man, Kuxhol, becomes a prophet when he is gifted with the legendary ‘horse of heaven' - even if the horse is just a donkey. Re ad more... Oscar-Qualifying Indian Entry for 'Best Short Film' - 2023 Academy Awards Screens in : Shorts Program I (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online Junko Nepal I Nepali I 15 mins I dir. Minsho Limbu A newly married girl is left by her husband in her mother's home and waits years for news. Eventually, she finds comfort in her resilient mother. Read more... 'Best Cinematography' - Linz Int'l Short Film Festival Screens in: IN SEARCH O F BENGALI HARLEM (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming . In Theaters + Online Lalanna's Song India I Malayalam, Hindi I 33 mins I dir. Megha Ramaswamy 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. Read more... Official Selection: Mumbai Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) Sc reens in: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Lori (Melancholy of My Mother's Lullabies) Nepal I Hong Kong I Nepali I 15 mins I dir. Abinash Bikram Shah A mother sings lullabies to her 12 year-old daughter in order to calm her down. But, when the lullabies end, their reality turns out to be much grimmer. R ead more... Special Jury Mention - Cannes Film Festival Screens w/: IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online Man & Wife India I English, Bengali I 9 mins I dir. Rahul Roye Just before their arranged wedding ceremony, a groom comes out to his would be bride, sharing that he secretly cross-dresses. Read more... Official Selection of Dharamshala, UK Asian Film Festival, & NYIFF Screens w /: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Learning Not To Drown When a father awakens to find his family missing her turns to community members for help. Read more... An Austin Local Production, In-Person Director Q&A Screens w/: ALL THAT BREATHES (In Theaters), Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online USA I English I 20 mins I dir. Prithvi Raj Karreddula Murder Tongue Pakistan I Urdu, Sindhi I 18 mins I dir. Ali Sohail Jaura May 1992. A state-sanctioned 'Operation' has put the city of Karachi in a state of unrest. Abdul Aziz A nsari wakes up at night and is informed that his son hasn’t returned home. Read more... 'Programmer's Choice - Narrative Short - Bushwick Film Festival Screens w/: HAWA ( In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online Murmurs of the Jungle India I Marathi I 20 mins I dir. Sohil Vaidya A grandmother tells a story to her grandson about the origins of their remote indigenous village in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. Read more... 'Best Short' - NFDC Film Bazaar Official Selection: Chicago International Film Festival, IFFR Screens w/: Shorts Program I (In Theaters) + Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online Periyanayaki New Zealand I English, Tamil I 11 mins I dir. Bala Murali Shingade A recent Sri Lankan immigrant begins another day at her job stacking shelves at the local supermarket. Today, on her wedding anniversary, she is forced to reconcile with the difficult realities of her life. Read more... 'Best Short Film' & 'NZ’s Best Audience Award' - New Zealand Int'l Film Festival Screens in: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Queer Parivaar UK I English, Hindi, Urdu I 27 mins I dir. Shiva Raichandani When a mysterious gatecrasher appears at their wedding, Madhav and Sufi are forced to face past secrets and reflect on what makes a family. Read more... Iris Prize - Best British Short' - Film4 & Pinewood Studios S creens in: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Sona Canada I English I 15 mins I dir. Zahra Torkamanlou On the verge of turning forty, how should Sona face the problem of her loneliness? Read more... Screens w/: LEILA'S BROTHERS + Online Shorts Programming Online Only The Return USA, India I English, Urdu I 18 mins I dir. Hena Ashraf A writer-director struggles with her profound sense of loss after the sudden death of her father, who dies while visiting his homeland of India. Hena wrestles with their strained relationship the only way she knows how: making a film. Read more... Official Selection of DOCNYC, IFFLA Screens w/: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Swipe Pakistan I Urdu I 14 mins I dir. Arafat Mazhar A young boy addicted to iFatwa, an app that crowdsources religious death sentences, spends his days swiping on the lives of strangers. Read more... Official Selection: Annecy International Animation Festival Screens w/: Shorts Program I (In Theaters) + Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online Wheels on the Bus Nepal I Nepali I 16 mins I dir. Surya Shahi 12 year old Bhyal, a blacksmith, is bullied into making iron wheels for their upper-caste peers. Exhausted by the situation, Bhyal and his best friend are compelled to break social conventions and take matters into their own hands. Read more... Official Selection: Berlinale '22 S creens w/: Shorts Program I (In Theaters) + Online Shorts Programming In Theaters + Online What Are You Searching For? India I Hindi I 35 mins I dir. Princy Pal Living in a small village in Himachal, Jyotsana is in denial of her husband’s demise. The turmoil of living a life between the past and the present make her more hostile towards motherhood. Read more... Official Selection: South Asian International Film Festival, NYC Sc reens in: Online Shorts Programming Online Only Follow event on Facebook

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!