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.

Romi is an idealistic, uninspired musician. Alia is a vocal social activist. A conversation between them about the world they inhabit shows the power of union between two who are worlds apart. Hangout India | 11 MIN. 43 SEC. |Hindi, English Subtitles Virtual Screening Details: "Shorts Showcase" Sunday, Nov 8 2020 | Screening : 7.00pm Register SYNOPSIS Hangout is an ode to human relationships. What started as a passing musing turned into a powerful short film with a simple message for all of us. Romi is an idealistic, uninspired musician. Alia is a vocal social activist. A conversation between them about the world they inhabit inspires Romi to write a song. The film shows the power of union between two who are worlds apart. DIRECTOR'S BIO Kabeer Khurana Kabeer Khurana is a 9-time international award-winning filmmaker and the co-founder of India's youngest publishing venture, Bombaykala Books. Apart from winning awards in Italy, USA and Ukraine, his films have received several festival selections internationally, including the Global University Film Awards, and have been screened at other festivals in Brazil, Prague, Singapore, Indonesia, Morocco, Croatia, etc. His recent short film, Karma Cafe, starring Amole Gupte (Taare Zameen Par, Stanley ka Dabba) and produced by Anjum Rizvi (producer of A Wednesday). His film Dali won the highest honour Audience Choice Award at the Flatlands Dance Film Festival in Illinois (USA) and Hangout (2020) was released on Disney+ Hotstar. Apart from direction, he has also assisted on Ghost Stories (2020) for Netflix, directed by Zoya Akhtar, and T for Taj Mahal (TBD). He's also the founder of several youth-based social organizations like Navrang (Ashoka University's film society), Artyculate India and The Mumbai Art Collective, for which he was featured on the cover story of India Today. Kabeer has been featured in The Hindu, Scroll, Mid-day, Harper's Bazaar, TOI, Film Companion, DNA, Firstpost, Bombay Review, Mumbai Mirror, etc. for his work in social entrepreneurship and filmmaking. Kabeer is also a part-time graphic designer, illustrator and writer on film theory. STILLS SLIDE DECK 1/3

The 2018 Indie Meme Film Festival is right around the corner! Get your tickets today! April 19-22nd. Quick links: Non-Member Tickets Senior/Student Tickets Member Badges/Tickets What does the All Inclusive MEMBER Festival Badge include? All film Screenings over the 4 days Family & Friends Night on April 19th Opening & Closing night parties Red Carpet event Exclusive, invite-only "Meet the Maker" Mixer I bought the badge/band/ticket. What next? Badges and bands will be available for pick up at the IMFF Registration desk at the theater starting at 5:00 pm on April 19, 2018 If you purchase tickets to individual screenings, we will have your name on the list of attendees All-inclusive Badges are sold out!! LIMITED FESTIVAL WRIST BANDS STILL AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS ONLY (Parties not included with BAND purchase) I ndividual film tickets available (except for TURUP) / DHH - tickets for the free family film will be now given away at the theater against no shows. Please be there by 9:30am for a possible spot. PLEASE CHECK FINAL SCHEDULE FOR ALL INDIVIDUAL SCREENINGS HERE Problems loading the Ticket widget? Click here SCHEDULE FILMS ATTEND YOUTH SPONSORS ABOUT PRESS Presented by IndieMeme.org Follow event on Facebook

Goopi & Bagha are two wise fools, one lives to sing and the other to play the drum. Despite their acute ineptness, their passion for music knows no bounds. Top of Page Tickets Top of Page Tickets Goopi Gawaiyya Bagha Bajaiyya Animated.Hindi with English subtitles. 78 minutes SYNOPSIS Goopi & Bagha are two wise fools, one lives to sing and the other to play the drum. Despite their acute ineptness, their passion for music knows no bounds. When the villagers cannot bear to listen to them anymore, both are banished to the same forest. Here, Goopi & Bagha encounter each other and their fates become entwined for life. A strong and immediate bond is forged by the two hapless souls, both in search of connoisseurs of their musical craft. They sing and play together to celebrate their newfound friendship only to be surrounded by melancholic ghosts who they manage to enchant with their peculiar musical talent. As a gift, they acquire four boons from the king of ghosts, using these they can always be well fed, transport themselves anywhere in an instant and mesmerize anyone with their music, albeit only together and in ‘jugalbandi’. One boon is still owed to them, this would be granted by the ghost king when they need to use it. And thus begins the extraordinary adventure of Goopi & Bagha... Saturday Sept 19, 2015 | 2:30pm Southwest Theaters - Lake Creek 13729 Research Blvd #1500, Austin, Texas 78750 Follow event on Facebook Interested in screening this in your hometown? Write to us TICKETS UNAVAILABLE Tickets TRAILER Listen to Tripti Bhatnagar talk about "The World of Goopi and Bagha" on Radio Azad DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Shilpa Ranade is an associate professor at the Industrial Design Center at IIT Mumbai. She did her M.Phil at the Royal College of Art in London. She has been a lecturer in the Audio Visual Unit at the Tata Institute of Social Science. There she was involved in the making of educational videos on social issues and teaching communication through graphic design to students of social sciences. DIRECTOR'S NOTE I first encountered Goopi Gayne Bagha Bayne in the form of Ray’s classic film from the 60’s. This enduring film had a timeless charm that drew me to watch it repeatedly over the years. The film was based on the original writing by his grandfather Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury and has seen countless retellings and versions; several of these were brilliantly illustrate bringing the story immediately to life. The story was thus embedded in my mind as a jigsaw of the many images associated with it, each equally powerful and evocative. My work as a book illustrator brought me a version of this classic to illustrate. As exciting as the prospect of doing this was, it seemed equally daunting. It was almost impossible to come close to the absolute magic of the imagery that came with the story. Yet along the way the intimidating prospect of re visualizing and retelling a classic turned into an exciting engagement with what my own interpretation of the story was. While illustrating the book the thought crossed my mind that the story was given to the moving image and could be transformed into a wonderful animated film, it was an idea story with its delightful everyday characters mixed with high fantasy, traversing a path full of exhilarating adventure. The images for the book came from a legacy of old woodcuts and printmaking, these were intense and dark. For the film they underwent yet another transformation and took on a quirky, twisted, feel, creating a world that is peopled with idiosyncratic characters in equally improbable settings. The story recalls the original but builds around its skeleton with many new details unfolding layer by layer, spring boarding and spiraling skyward from the narrative where our two blundering yet lovable musician protagonists meet ghosts, obtain boons, avert, wars, marry princesses and help the common people live happily ever after. FESTIVALS Toronto International Film Festival - 2013 Bhusan International Film Festival - 2013 Asia Pacific Screen Awards - 2014 18 Golden Elephant- ICFFI - 2013 Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI) - 2013 Dubai Film Festival - 2013 ASIFA ( International Animated Film Association). - 2014 Best Animation Film - FICCI -2014 CMS International Children’s Film Festival – April 2014 , India Chicago International Movies and Music Festival, USA – May - 2014 London Indian Film Festival – July 2014 Stuttgart Indian Film Festival – July 2014 Trinidad + Tabago Film Festival, Spain -2014 Lucas International Kids Film Festival -2014 Anifest India 2014, India , August 2014 Puchon Student Film Festival, Korea 2014 AWARDS Jury Prize for Best Art work @ 18 Golden Elephant, ICFFI Best Animation Film In the Professional Category @ ASIFA Best Animation Feature Film @ FICCI BAF, India Best Animation Feature Film @ CMS international Children’s Film Festival -2014 , India INTERVIEW WITH SHILPA RANADE

The story revolves around Vincent Pepe (and his friends) who wanted to be a powerful leader of a righteous gang that ruled the city, like his seniors. And then there's the rival clan with the malicious gangsters of Angamaly, a local on which the entire film is based. Angamaly Diaries India | 2h 12min | Fiction | Malayalam | Action, Comedy, Thriller 4/21/18, 4:15-6:30 pm GET TICKETS SYNOPSIS The story revolves around Vincent Pepe (and his friends) who wanted to be a powerful leader of a righteous gang that ruled the city, like his seniors. And then there's the rival clan with the malicious gangsters of Angamaly, a local on which the entire film is based. The movie goes through all the gang-fights, the failed romances, an accidental death, a messy business deal and much more in the backdrop of a soundtrack with local fervor - with folk songs from Angamaly, retained in their vibrant rhythms and the voices of seasoned local folk singers. Through Pepe's amusing point of view, the film steers through the ups and downs of his life, how he handles the pickle he is in. The winning and losing end of the battle of the gangs of Angamaly is shown through the perspective of Pepe. TRAILER DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Lijo Jose Pellissery is an Indian film director, popular for his Malayalam films. Pellissery made his debut with the crime film Nayakan, following it up with the crime-drama City of God, the black comedy satire Amen & the experimental Double Barrel. Angamaly Diaries (2017) is his fifth film, starring almost 90 new actors. It received much critical and commercial success. He won the Best Director Award at the 48th Kerala State Film Awards for his sixth film Ee.Ma.Yau. STILLS angamaly_diaries_still angamaly-diaries4 images angamaly fc1ea0be-e7f6-4502-97f8-fe747ccf9fb0 images (1)

Durga and her family depend on the 'Bahurupi' - a dying folk art in rural India - for their survival. When the opportunity to leave her bonded, small-town life comes knocking, Durga prepares to leave. Little Goddess India | 14 MIN. 36 SEC. |Bengali, English Subtitles Virtual Screening Details: "Shorts Showcase" Sunday, Nov 8 2020 | Screening : 7.00pm Register SYNOPSIS Durga and her family depend on the 'Bahurupi' - a dying folk art in rural India - for their survival. When the opportunity to leave her bonded, small-town life comes knocking, Durga prepares to leave. 'The Little Goddess' was shot on location in rural West Bengal with a family of Bahurupis who play themselves. The film blends their life events with fiction to depict the coming of age of a young girl in rural India, where dreams and reality are often in conflict with each other DIRECTOR'S BIO Gauri Adelkar Gauri Adelkar is an Indian writer & director based in Los Angeles. She received her MFA in screenwriting & directing at Columbia University, where she was the 2018 recipient of the Breaking Barriers Award for Female Directors. In 2020, Adelkar was the only participant selected by Film Independent as a Writer/Director Project Involve fellow and was a finalist for Tribeca's THROUGH HER LENS program. Adelkar’s film ‘THE LITTLE GODDESS’ was shortlisted for the 2019 BAFTA student film awards and won the Breaking Boundaries Prize at the Academy Qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival. Her work has screened globally at venues such as the Hamptons International Film Festival, Athens International Video & Film Festival, Dharamshala International Film Festival and New York Women in Film & Television Immigrant Series amongst others. Adelkar recently completed production on her film starring Kalieaswari Srinivasan ('DHEEPAN’, 2015 Cannes Palme d'Or). She is currently writing a feature for Guru Films and co-writing a feature for Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar. STILL

A reluctant young teacher, Ugyen, finds himself assigned to the world’s most remote village school. Situated in Northern Bhutan, Lunana is an 8-day trek into the Himalayas - an alienating experience for the city-dwelling Ugyen, who plans to move to Australia to pursue music as soon as possible. Eventive Virtual May 2 - 4, 2025 Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation Indie Meme Special 10th Year Retrospective Showcase Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom Bhutan | Narrative Feature 2019 | 109 mins | Dzongkha ORIGINAL FILM PAGE WATCH ONLINE Limited tickets available on site. 2022 Academy Award Nominee for 'Best International Feature' A reluctant young teacher, Ugyen, finds himself assigned to the world’s most remote village school. Situated in Northern Bhutan, Lunana is an 8-day trek into the Himalayas - an alienating experience for the city-dwelling Ugyen, who plans to move to Australia to pursue music as soon as possible. He arrives to find a welcoming community amid the beautiful but forbidding surroundings - and an especially eager student body, whose access to teachers and materials from outside has been inconsistent. Filmed using cameras operating on solar-powered batteries, and starring primarily villagers from the real Lunana in child & adult roles, this charming drama transports us to a rarely seen part of the globe. 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 Pawo Choyning Dorji (Director & Writer) is a writer, photographer and filmmaker from the Kingdom of Bhutan. Pawo's introduction to film came in 2012 when he worked as Khyentse Norbu's assistant for the later's feature; Vara: A Blessing. In 2016 he produced the critically acclaimed Bhutanese feature Hema Hema: Sing me a song while I wait. The film had its world premiere at the 69th Festival del film Locarno and went on to win the Special Mention at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation Trailer Credits Crew: Director: Pawo Choyning Dorji Writer: Pawo Choyning Dorji Producers: Pawo Choyning Dorji Steven Xiang Stephanie Lai Jia Honglin Film Editor: Ku Hsiao-Yun Featured Cast: Sherab Dorji Ugyen Norbu Lhendup Kelden Lhamo Gurung Pema Zam 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!