In this psychological horror film, two young mothers having a rough day are unprepared to meet Lalanna, a precocious preteen girl who suavely pushes their buttons. Seeming to possess all the promise and confidence the two women have lost, Lalanna unleashes within them a merciless instinct to set her straight. Filmocracy Virtual April 28 - May 1, 2023 Lalanna's Song India | Short 2022 | 33 mins | Malayalam, Hindi, English TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL Restoration Process About the Artist Megha Ramaswamy is a filmmaker & writer based in Mumbai. Her first two shorts, NEWBORNS (2014) and BUNNY (2015), both premiered at Toronto International Film Festival. Her documentary, THE LAST MUSIC STORE (2016), won the audience 'Best Documentary' Award at South Asian International Film Festival. Her films have traveled to Indian and international festivals, including Clermont-Ferrand and Cork, winning top honors for their powerful storytelling and innovative technique. She is a beneficiary of the Chicken & Egg Grant for women filmmakers in collaboration with the Indian Documentary Foundation (IDF), and also the recipient of the British Council Screenwriters Grant 2008 (UK). Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Megha Ramaswamy Writer: Megha Ramaswamy Producer(s): Film Editor: Featured Cast: Rima Kallingal, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Nakshatra Indrajith Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

< Our Team Staff Davis Kurepa-Peers Webmaster & Videographer Davis is a professional creative specializing in multimedia marketing and video production. Since joining Indie Meme, she’s enjoyed capturing its spirit through video and ensuring a seamless website experience as their videographer and webmaster.

MONU’s (11) obsession with sighting SHERA, the elusive leopard living in the forest around his remote Himalayan village, is tested when his parents decide to migrate to the city. As the day of departure nears, MONU grows despondent but his friend RAJU is determined to help fulfill his wish. AFS Cinema Virtual May 3 - May 5, 2024 Texas Premiere Shera India | Short 2023 | 20 mins | Kumaoni TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL Winner Best Film - Bulbul Children's International Film Festival, Selections - LA Shorts International Film Festival When MONU’s (11) parents decide to migrate from their remote Himalayan village to the city, he realizes that he may never be able to see SHERA, the elusive leopard that lives in the forests around his village. Everyone in the village seems to have seen him but MONU. As the day of departure nears, MONU grows despondent but his best friend RAJU is determined to give him the best parting gift he can think of – a view of SHERA. Restoration Process About the Artist Arun Fulara is a writer and filmmaker based out of Mumbai, India. His short films SUNDAY (2020), MY MOTHER’S GIRLFRIEND (2021), and SHERA (2023) have travelled travelled widely to festivals to more than 150 festivals around the world and won over a dozen awards at festivals internationally. He previously assisted acclaimed filmmaker Devashish Makhija on award winning films like AJJI & BHONSLE. He’s also a published writer, his short story, THE LEOPARD OF BAGESHWAR, was published by Juggernaut in 2017 and a picture book based on his short film SHERA is on the anvil. He’s currently working on multiple projects, including his debut feature film – MY HOME IS IN THE HILLS – a coming-of-age drama set in a north Indian Himalayan village, and steeped in magical realism in the context of migration. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Arun Fulara Writer: Arun Fulara Producer(s): Sharib Khan, Vikas Kumar Film Editor: Vivekanand Daakhore Featured Cast: Sagar Kumar, Parth Pandey, Arushi Nagarkoti, Chia Joshi, Madan Mehra, Bijli (The Goat), the villagers of Mayoun. Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Meet our 2019 sponsors, patrons and supporters. We are grateful to these organizations to help bring independent films from Southeast Asia to our audience. Our Sponsors 2018 IMFF Sponsors IMFF 2019 is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin, Economic Development Department IMFF 2019 Producing Sponsors IMFF 2019 Directing Sponsors Indie Meme Patron Sponsors Indie Meme Benefactor Film Sponsors We are grateful to our 2015 , 2016, 2017 and 2018 sponsors. Media Partners

His late grandfather's spirit haunts twelve-year-old Jayaram Siddi. He loses touch with reality. His family embraces tribal rituals and Dammam music to restore his balance and address inter-generational trauma. December 7, 2025 at 2:00:00 PM AFS Cinema Followed by a member mixer at VIVO. Austin Premiere Rhythm of Dammam India | Narrative Feature 2024 | 92 min | Konkani, Kannada Live Q&A with Writer-Director, Jayan Cherian, following the screening Followed by a member mixer at VIVO. TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL In Uttara Kannada, India, Jayaram Siddi, a twelve-year-old boy, is believed to be possessed by the spirit of his late grandfather, Rama Bantu Siddi. Despite seeking help from local black magicians, Jayaram's condition remains unchanged. He escapes into a dream world, using 'magical' instruments from his grandfather to connect with his ancestors. However, he becomes overwhelmed by the agonizing history of his ancestors' chattel slavery, losing touch with reality. Jayaram drops out of school, and his family strives to restore his balance by embracing tribal rituals and Dammam music, both vital to their cultural heritage. The film delves in Jayaram's struggle with the intergenerational trauma, emphasizing the challenges faced by him and his family in finding healing and stability. --- For historical context, the Siddis are an ethnically Southeast African community who have been in India since ~600 CE, coming either as soldiers in Arab armies or as enslaved people brought into the ports. Restoration Process About the Artist Jayan Cherian, from Kerala, holds an MFA in filmmaking from The City College of New York as well as a BA in film and creative writing from Hunter College. He has received numerous honors and recognition for his cinematic works, which have been featured at prestigious film festivals around the world, including the Berlin International Film Festival, Durban International Film Festival, BFI London Lesbian Gay Film Festival, NARA International Film Festival, Rio-de-Janeiro International Film Festival, Kolkata International Film Festival, and Montreal World Film Festival. His career features notable titles including Ka Bodyscapes (2016), Papilio Buddha (2014), The Shape of the Shapeless (2010), and the much-awaited Rhythm of Dammam (2024). He has also contributed significantly to numerous documentaries and short films over the course of his career. --- The live Q&A will be moderated by Jacqueline Rush Rivera. Jacqueline is dedicated to seeking out and supporting hidden cultural gems and sharing their stories through a decolonial framework. She has curated film exhibitions, directed film festival programs, directed film distribution projects, designed large and complex art exhibitions, stage managed theater productions, and has worked in a variety of cultural spaces. She currently contributes to projects for VoxFem Festival, Cinema Without Borders, and LeRay Music. Born on the Island of Borinquen/Puerto Rico, Jacqueline is a long-time resident of Austin, Tejas. Libraries, dancehalls, and mountain tops are some of her favorite things. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Jayan Cherian Writer: Jayan Cherian Producer(s): Jayan Cherian Film Editor: Shinos Rahman Featured Cast: Chinmaya Siddi Prashant Siidi Nagaraj Siddi Girija Siddi Parashuram Siddi Mohan Siddi Lilly Jacki Siddi Gundayya Rama Siddi Katrina Francis Siddi Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Sooraj, the last remaining death photographer at the burning banks of Manikarnika, is going through troubled times like old Kashi. The ancient town is being demolished to build modern beautified pathways. The death photographer is out of work because of the fancy smartphones with exquisite cameras. He stands at the crossroads - either he continues seeking dummies to click or he looks for greener pastures beyond the singed banks of Manikarnika to secure a better future for his family. Eventive Virtual May 2 - 4, 2025 Barah x Barah (12x12) India | Narrative Feature 2021 | 118 mins | Hindi TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL IFFK, Kerala 2021 Shanghai International Film Festival 2021 IFF Stuttgart 2021 Sooraj is the last remaining death photographer at the burning banks of Manikarnika in Banaras. Kashi, one of the most ancient towns in the world, is undergoing a cosmetic facelift. Old heritage is being demolished to build beautified modern structures. The death photographer is going through the same ordeal as the town. People aren’t availing his services thanks to the advent of fancy smartphones with exquisite cameras. Sooraj has an ailing father, a beautiful caring wife and a young son whom he wants to keep away from the burning banks. He is struggling to make ends meet but still isn’t giving up on dummies. There are many who capture the living but only a few who click the departed. Unable to sight a future for his family in Banaras Sooraj is forced to look for greener pastures beyond the singed banks of Manikarnika. He knows he is a migrant amidst a great many migrants in this ancient town stuck in time bubble.Life will soon give him a chance to experience death and yet another shot at life as well! Restoration Process About the Artist Gaurav Madan is a screenwriter, director, and producer based in Mumbai, with extensive experience across narrative fiction, advertising, and audio storytelling. He has directed over 100 ad films, corporate films, and music videos. His short films, including the award-winning Sambhavtaha (Probably), have received wide recognition. Gaurav's debut feature film Barah by Barah (12x12 Untitled, 2024) premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). It went on to screen at several prestigious festivals. The film received the Grand Prix for Best Feature at FIPRESCI India and Best Director at the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF). An alumnus of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, NFDC Filmcity Screenwriters Lab, and Film Independent's Global Media Makers program, Gaurav is also passionate about reviving oral storytelling traditions through audio fiction and podcasts. Most recently, he completed work on Galli No. 26, starring Abhishek Banerjee and Raghubir Yadav, where he served as writer, creative director, and second unit director. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Gaurav Madan Writer: Gaurav Madan Sunny Lahiri Jignesh Patel Producer(s): Gaurav Madan Sunny Lahiri Jignesh Patel Film Editor: Hira Das Featured Cast: Gyanendra Tripathi Harish Khanna Bhumika Dube Geetika Vidya Ohlyan Aakash Sinha Aashit Chatterjee Prithvi Singh Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

2023 Phar Yar Sin (The Altar) Short, Documentary Burmese mins 11 Texas Premiere In-Person, Virtual 2023 Myanmar Animation, Experimental, Documentary A buddhist fable-like story about the guilt of a childhood incident of killing an ant while washing hands in the sink. Animated through photographic sequences painted with golds and grays, the Zen-like visuals sweep into one another with whispering monologues and glitching noises reflecting the realms of cosmos, power, guilt, prayers, and existence. Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen Germany Tickets 4/20/24, 10:30 AM All Badges, Shorts Program Ticket AFS Cinema Director Moe Myat May Zarchi Moe Myat May Zarchi (born in 1994, Myanmar) is a filmmaker, musician and a multidisciplinary artist. Her short films have been screened at Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg, Women Make Waves Int’l Film Festival, Minikino Film Festival and have won awards at Singapore International Short Film Festival (SGIFF), Bangkok Asean Film Festival (BAFF) and UK Asian Film Festival. She was also a finalist in Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize in Moving Image and won the Prince Claus Seed Awards as an Emerging Artist. In most of her works, Moe loves to explore the metaphysical, identity, femininity and personal aspects through innovative use of visuals and sound. She also founded a cinema magazine and organization called “3-ACT” to support cinema education in Myanmar. https://moemyatmayzarchi.cargo.site/ Director: Moe Myat May Zarchi Producer: 3-ACT Writer: Moe Myat May Zarchi Cast: Editor: Moe Myat May Zarchi Crew: This Event is supported in part by a Mini Grant from Humanities Texas. Community Partners for the Film More Films

A school boy being questioned by his teacher- his first bitter lesson in social discrimination. As he struggles to understand this silent injustice, he begins to see the world through new, questioning eyes. April 12, 2025 at 12:45:00 PM AFS Cinema Virtual May 2 - 4, 2025 International Premiere Da'Lit Kids India | Short 2024 | 6 mins | Malayalam Followed by the film The Glassworker . TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL A school boy being questioned by his teacher- his first bitter lesson in social discrimination. As he struggles to understand this silent injustice, he begins to see the world through new, questioning eyes. Restoration Process About the Artist Appu Soman is an animation filmmaker from kerala, currently based in Kolkata as a student of SRFTI (Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute). Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Appu Soman Writer: Appu Soman Producer(s): Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute Film Editor: Featured Cast: Hridhya Raveendran Aromal A R Melvin Babu Aaron P J Dhivahar Muthuveeran Cookie Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

When Ria visits her boyfriend’s parents for the first time, she’s determined to make a great impression—but there’s one problem. She’s left behind her squat stool. April 25, 2026 at 8:15:00 PM AFS Cinema Texas Premiere Squat N Stool Canada | Short 2025 | 11 mins | English Followed by the film Fucktoys TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL Chicago South Asian Film Festival, Sep 2025 MISAFF Mississauga IFFSA Toronto JIFF New Delhi When Ria visits her boyfriend’s parents for the first time, she’s determined to make a great impression—but there’s one problem. She’s left behind her squat stool. As the days pass and desperation grows, her increasingly absurd attempts to find a substitute lead to near-disasters, awkward encounters, and mounting suspicion from Ben’s father, William. Just when all hope (and dignity) seems lost, an unexpected hero emerges with the perfect solution— proving that sometimes, the strongest bonds are formed in the most unexpected places. "Squat & Stool" is a quirky comedy about love, first impressions, and the universal struggle for proper posture. Restoration Process About the Artist Ram Rajagopalan is a Vancouver-based filmmaker and founder of RAMAR Productions Ltd., a boutique production company dedicated to bold, socially resonant storytelling. In the past two years, he has independently produced several short films with budgets ranging from CAD 4K to 40K. Thematically wide-ranging, these projects explore subjects such as childhood trauma, passive racism, teenage suicide prevention, and cultural hybridity. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Ram Rajagopalan Writer: Ram Rajagopalan Producer(s): Ram Rajagopalan Film Editor: Olivia McCormac Featured Cast: Ritisha Jhamb Dave Gibson Brandon Caul Lori Shock Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

On the night before leaving her small-town home, Sejal discovers her widowed mother has stopped taking the medication she relies on for her mental health. As Sejal tries to confront her, her mother remains lost in making aloo poori—a farewell meal steeped in family ritual. April 12, 2025 at 10:30:00 AM AFS Cinema Virtual May 2 - 4, 2025 Texas Premiere Aloo Poori USA | Short 2025 | 13 mins | English, Hindi TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL Chicago South Asian Film Festival Red Rose International Film Festival Planet Female Global StoryFest (Best Student Film) Aloo Poori follows the story of a mother and daughter during their last day of living together in a small town in Western Pennsylvania. Sejal is on the cusp of leaving her home and mother behind, unsure if she’s scared to go, or scared to stay. Her mother Madhuri is avoiding a recent mental health diagnosis and her daughter's departure by throwing her heart into her cooking. The two have never had to function without each other, and on the eve of Sejal’s departure, they realize they might not know how to-- grappling with what forgiveness and farewell truly mean to them. Restoration Process About the Artist Aditi Sridhar (she/her) is a narrative and documentary filmmaker dedicated to telling culturally specific stories that challenge perspectives and foster action-oriented conversation. Raised in small town Pennsylvania, her storytelling practice is deeply rooted in the intersection of community, identity, and place. She recently produced a feature-length documentary on Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson, exploring how his Pittsburgh roots shaped his iconic body of work. Aditi has worked at Warner Brothers Pictures and is an alum of the AMPAS Gold Rising Program, where she was selected as a Trophy Presenter at the 95th Academy Awards. Her directorial debut short film, PIVOT, was featured at festivals across the country, including the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, Fargo Film Festival, and DC South Asian Film Festival. She is currently developing new projects that blend homegrown storytelling with global perspectives, with a focus on amplifying underrepresented voices in media. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Aditi Sridhar Writer: Aditi Sridhar Producer(s): Aditi Sridhar Owen Gambill Film Editor: Featured Cast: Sangeeta Agrawal Anvita Gattani Advika Ravishankar Mike Puthumana Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

A man tries to keep himself together as he waits in a university canteen for his beloved from yesteryear. April 12, 2025 at 10:30:00 AM AFS Cinema Virtual May 2 - 4, 2025 Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation Indie Meme Special 10th Year Retrospective Showcase International Premiere Pyaar Andaaz (Love Undoes) India | Short 2024 | 6 mins | English, Hindi TICKETS WATCH ONLINE Limited tickets available on site. A man tries to keep himself together as he waits in a university canteen for his beloved from yesteryear. "Pyaar Andaaz" is a short experience attempting to capture the ephemeral nature of love and human connection in a single continuous take. Film Heritage Foundation used the best surviving elements for the restoration – the original camera negative and the 35 mm print preserved at the NFDC – NFAI. Unfortunately, the sound negative was not available. We digitized the sound from the 35 mm print preserved at Film Heritage Foundation. The film elements were repaired by the Film Heritage Foundation conservators and the scanning was done in Prasad Lab in Chennai We found that due to the deterioration of the print, there were vertical green lines on many parts of the film. While the scanning and digital clean-up was done at Prasad under the supervision of L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, the grading, sound restoration and mastering was done at the lab in Bologna. Both Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani, the cinematographer of the film, have been involved in the restoration of the film. Restoration Process Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation The screening will be preceded by a performance by Specific Thing. Specific Thing is the project of local musician Román. Sometimes he plays by himself and sometimes he plays with his snazzy band — he loves to do both! And the music? It draws from folk, punk, pop, latin, communism, animals, friends... He likes to keep it cartoony, quick, and catchy. The band released an album in 2025 called "Now Is Actually Not A Good Time". Find more at @specificthing on Instagram. Meet Specific Thing About the Artist Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation Laksh is interested in exploring themes such as visibility, alienation and shame in contemporary society. This interest emerged through his ongoing training at SRFTI, but really takes root in his experience of watching films alone in theaters since the age of eight. In college, apart from studying English Literature, he engaged with cinema by completing a concentration in film studies, founding the film society, and making a short film for his undergraduate dissertation. He also participated in the Ji.Hlava Academy in Czech Republic in 2024. To him, cinema is about the unknown, and he strives to tell stories of the unknown with emotional authenticity and visual flourish. Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation Trailer Credits Crew: Director: Laksh Banthia Writer: Laksh Banthia Producers: Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute Film Editor: Hitesh Panwar Featured Cast: Saayak Chakraborty Dora Bhattacharjee Shreya Acharyya Prem Vatsa Digvijay Andhorikar Restoration Effort Led By: Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Director, Film Heritage Foundation Restoration Credit: Restored by Film Heritage Foundation in association with Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.(Amul), the cinematographer Govind Nihalani and the director Shyam Benegal. Funding supported by Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.(Amul) Thank you to our community partners for this screening!

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. Filmocracy Virtual April 28 - May 1, 2023 Kamli Pakistan | Narrative Feature 2022 | 130 min | Urdu TICKETS DONATE TO NEPAL 'Best Actress' - Indus Valley International Film Festival (IVIFF) Official Selection of Rotterdam (IFFR) A young married woman, living with her blind sister-in-law, has been waiting eight years for her husband to return home. One day, she nearly drowns but is rescued by a mysterious wanderer named Amaltas, putting her in a dilemma between her husband and her savior. A tale of love, loss, and hidden secrets centered on Pakistani women. Restoration Process About the Artist Sarmad Sultan Khoosat is a Pakistani director, actor, producer, and screenwriter, best known for his feature film, MANTO, which received tremendous critical acclaim locally & internationally. With a career spanning 20+ years, Sarmad has directed some of Pakistan’s most celebrated TV series, such as Humsafar and Shehr-e-Zaat. Films Khoosat has directed and produced have been awarded at renowned festivals from Cannes to Jaipur, Toronto, Busan, and the UK Asian Film Festival. In 2016, he was awarded the prestigious President of Pakistan’s Pride of Performance Award for his outstanding contribution to Pakistan’s Film & TV industry. Trailer For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions. Credits Crew: Director: Sarmad Sultan Khoosat Writer: Fatimah Sattar Producer(s): Kanwal Khoosat Film Editor: Saim Sadiq Nadeem Abbas Featured Cast: Saba Qamar Sania Saeed Nimra Bucha Hamza Khawaja Omair Rana Adeel Afzal Thank you to our community partners for this screening! This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.