When the middle-aged Kamble makes his weekly visit to the neighbourhood barber shop, it's not just for a shave. He can't wait to be touched by Jaan, the new barber-boy he has a crush on. It's the highlight of his otherwise dull existence as a married man leading a dual life in a society that abhors homosexuality. Back to Festival Program Texas Premiere Sunday India I 10 mins I Drama I 2020 I Hindi w/ English subtitles When the middle-aged Kamble makes his weekly visit to the neighbourhood barber shop, it's not just for a shave. He can't wait to be touched by Jaan, the new barber-boy he has a crush on. It's the highlight of his otherwise dull existence as a married man leading a dual life in a society that abhors homosexuality. SUNDAY is the debut short of filmmaker on the rise, Arun Fulara. Indie Meme is excited to introduce you to his work at this opportune moment, as Fulara's debut documentary, WALDEN, chronicling a harsh winter's day in a remote Himalayan village is currently in post-production. The script for his sophomore short, MY MOTHER’S GIRLFRIEND, recently won the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant and is currently in production. + Screens with SHORTS PROGRAM 3: In Your Head GET YOUR FESTIVAL BADGE VIRTUAL SCREENING : SAT. APRIL 24 - 4:00PM CT About the Artist Arun Fulara is a writer and filmmaker based out of Mumbai, India. His debut short, SUNDAY, travelled widely to world festivals including London India Film Festival, Shorts Mexico, Inside Out Toronto and BISFF Bengaluru. Arun won the prestigious Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Filmmaker for Sunday at Kashish MIQFF in 2020. He’s previously worked as an assistant on award winning films like Ajji & Bhonsle with acclaimed filmmaker Devashish Makhija. His short story – The Leopard of Bageshwar – won an ‘Honourable Mention’ in a contest by publishing firm, Juggernaut, and continues to be one of the most popular stories on their platform. He’s published half a dozen short stories across genres like science fiction and mythology. He’s also a frequent contributor for sites like Huffington Post and Film Companion and was previously the editor of filmmaking website Jamuura.com, which he built along with a young team of writers. Thank you to our community partner(s) for this screening: the Austin Film Society, and the Austin Film Commission! Credits Crew Writer/Director: ARUN FULARA Producer(s): ARUN FULARA, RANGOLI AGARWAL, DARSHANA BINAKAR POOJA CHAUHAN Editor: KAIVALYA KAYANDE Cinematographer: RANGOLI AGARWAL Cast SHRIKANT YADAV - 'Kamble' (The Customer) PRAKASH JOSHI -'Jann' (The Barber Boy) Art Director(s): SWAPNIL UPLEKAR AMANAT ALI Sound Dept: KARTIK KULKARNI ARKA GHOSH DI Colorist: SUNIL KAMAT Background Music: MANGESH DHAKDE

A young man who has grown and moved our of his family home reflects on the comforts of a family tradition.  Back to Film Program IN THEATERS: Shorts Program 2 April 17th, 2022 AFS Cinema WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 Eventive Hot Chocloate USA I 3 mins I Family, Animated Short I 2021 I English BUY & WATCH ONLINE A young man who has grown and moved our of his family home reflects on the comforts of a family tradition. This film plays with SHORTS PROGRAM 2 , in theaters and with the FAMILY SHORTS program online. WATCH IN THEATERS NOTE: This film is coming to theaters and our virtual cinema. About the Artist Lila Mali is an incoming University of Texas-Austin freshman who is 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 shorts 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.

Pakistan's 2019 Oscar contender about Adeel - a cab driver and conman with dreams to leave Karachi and start a new life in Dubai. And Aliya Malik, a widow desperate to find and bring justice to the target killers who murdered her husband. Neither of them realise they’re in over their heads. Laal Kabootar Austin Tickets Austin Screening on Wed, 12/11 AFS Cinema 2019 | 102 MIN. | Urdu ; English Subtitles DFW Screening on Thu, 12/12 Angelika Film Center - Plano DFW Tickets Film-maker in attendance at both screenings. SYNOPSIS Adeel is a cab driver and conman with dreams to leave Karachi and start a new life in Dubai. Aliya Malik is a widow desperate to find and bring justice to the target killers who murdered her husband.In a circumstantial meeting, the two realise they can help each other. Adeel, through his contacts on the streets, can help Aliya find her husband’s murderer. In exchange, she’ll give him enough money to flee to Dubai. But neither of them realise they’re in over their heads, and so begins an intriguing cat and mouse game through the streets of Karachi. Movies are better in groups - Invite friends and family to the event: MEDIA PARTNERS COMMUNITY PARTNERS AUSTIN DALLAS TRAILER DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Kamal Khan Kamal Khan is a Pakistani filmmaker who realized his passion for film while studying at the University of Southern California. After returning to Pakistan, he joined Frequency Media, as a Video Producer and worked on Coke Studio Pakistan for 5 years. After having produced & directed award winning music videos and commercials, Kamal Khan directed his debut feature film, Laal Kabootar, which was released to critical acclaim. FILM STILLS 1/1

Learn about our jury for the 11th Annual Indie Meme Film Festival! IMFF will be bringing 30+ acclaimed South Asian films to audiences in Austin, TX in April 22-26, 2026. IMFF 2026 JURY The 11th Indie Meme Film Festival comes to Austin from April 22 - 26, 2026 and is held at the Austin Film Society Cinemas. Each year, we assemble a prestigious group of filmmakers, industry experts, veteran film festival programmers and other film aficionados. These esteemed jurors dedicate their expertise to selecting the films deserving of recognition in various categories. The winners from each category are revealed during the Closing Night Party. These announcements are then accompanied by special citations presented by the jury. Narrative Jury Documentary Jury Shorts Jury Narrative Feature Jury Lindsey Ashley For 20+ years, Lindsey has worked on behalf of the Texas film and production community. As the SXSW Film & TV Industry Relations Manager, she works with agents, distributors, studios, networks and production companies to help them navigate their SXSW Film & TV submissions, programming and festival experience. Previously, she worked at the Texas Film Commission as a Location Scout, Production Consultant and ultimately Deputy Director. Lindsey's background is in Arts Administration, helping to match film, television and commercial projects of all shapes and sizes with filming destinations and available resources. She's a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Radio, Television and Film. Yen Tan Yen Tan is a Malaysian-born writer, director, and graphic designer. He premiered the critically-acclaimed "Pit Stop" at Sundance 2013. It was nominated for a John Cassavetes Awards at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards. His NYT Critic's Pick feature, "1985," premiered at SXSW 2018 and was inspired by his Short of the Week of the same title. His latest feature "All That We Love," premiered at Tribeca 2024 and will be released by Vertical this Fall. Yen has been a fellow of Austin Film Society’s Artist Intensive, IFP’s Film Week, and Film Independent’s Fast Track. He was an Out Magazine's OUT100 of 2018. Yen is based in Austin, where he also works as an award-winning key art designer for independent films and documentaries. Bijan Tehrani Bijan (Hassan) Tehrani is a film historian, writer, and critic whose career began 46 years ago with the publication of his first article in a weekly film magazine in Iran. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Cinema Without Borders, an online publication dedicated to promotingn international cinema in the United States and around the world, now in its 19th year. For over four decades, Bijan has served as a columnist and film critic for numerous Iranian newspapers and magazines. In January 2025, he co-founded Cinema B.M. (cinemabm.com), a Farsi-language film publication based in Iran, in collaboration with Abbas Yari, a pioneering figure in Iranian film journalism. Bijan is also the Director of the International Animation Day Festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in May 2025. Through the Cinema Without Borders Foundation, he presents the Bridging the Borders Award at ten international film festivals, including the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival. A recipient of several awards recognizing his contributions to global cinema, Bijan is currently working on a book exploring the thematic parallels between the films of Asghar Farhadi and Rodrigo García. He is a member of the Iranian Film Writers & Critics Society, as well as ASIFA and FIPRESCI. Documentary Jury Sachin Dheeraj Sachin Dheeraj is a Producers Guild of America fellow and a Directors Guild of America Student Award-winning filmmaker whose work has been screened at prestigious film festivals such as Hot Docs, Raindance, EnergaCAMERIMAGE, and Kraków. His short documentary film, TESTIMONY OF ANA , won the National Film Award (Swarna Kamal/Golden Lotus) for the Best Non-Feature Film issued by the Government of India and was qualified for the 95th Academy Awards in the Best Documentary Short category. The film also secured distribution on reputable platforms, including Vimeo Staff Picks, MUBI, SIMA Academy, and Kinoscope. Dheeraj won the competitive Panavision New Filmmaker Program Equipment Grant and the UT Graduate Continuing Fellowship (an award given to support the final year of an outstanding graduate student) to implement his short narrative project, MEN IN BLUE, which was shortlisted for the 2023 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards. The film also won the Grand Jury Prize at the 21st Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) and the Special Jury Prize at the 22nd International Student Film and Video Festival (ISFVF) organized by the Beijing Film Academy. Dheeraj is developing a feature-length film, Mouna Tharangam (A Silent Wave), which was awarded the 'New Texas Voices Award' from the Austin Film Society as part of their Feature Film Grant 2023. The project was workshopped in the 2023 AFS Artist Intensive. It was officially selected for the 2025 Tasveer Producers Lab, 2025 IFFLA Connect, 17th edition of the NFDC Film Bazaar's Co-Production Market, a finalist for the 2024 IFFLA Industry Day: Launchpad Competition, and was among the top ten shortlisted finalists for the AT&T Presents: Untold Stories by Tribeca Film Festival 2024. The project also got the 2025 PGA Create Fellowship, won the 2024 SFFILM Rainin Grant, and got into the inaugural DESI LIST curated by THE BLACK LIST. His other feature project in development, Mano Prapancham (The World Within), was officially selected for the 2024 Produire Au Sud (PAS) Workshop in Nantes, France, and won the 2024 Austin Film Society Feature Film Grant. It also won the 2024 Screenwriters Association of India (SWA) Script Lab and Pitch Fest by becoming one of the top six scripts from about 1300+ submissions after multiple rounds of evaluation. Stephen Jannise Stephen Jannise is the Senior Director of Film Programming for the Paramount & State Theatres in Austin, TX. He curates the annual Summer Classic Film Series and Panic at the Paramount horror series along with other screenings throughout the year. Prior to taking this role in 2013, he was Director of Film Programming at Austin Film Festival. Shorts Jury Jim Kolmar Jim is an independent film curator, writer, and consultant with over twenty years of festival experience, notably with South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. His curatorial work includes Curaçao International Film Festival, Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival, KINO! Germany Now (Goethe Institute/German Film Office), and PANORAMICA for PLAY Acción Cultural in Spain. Jim's consulting and jury work include Adelaide Film Festival, Cannes Docs, EFM, Locarno Industry Academy, and Sarajevo Film Festival. Asha Magarati Asha Magrati is an acclaimed actress, screenwriter, and producer whose work has premiered at major international film festivals, including Venice, Berlin, Toronto, and Locarno. Her recent work includes Pooja, Sir (2024), which she co-wrote, produced, and stars in as the lead, Inspector Pooja Thapa. The film premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival to critical acclaim, with Screen Daily describing her as “a striking presence” and Film Fest Report calling her performance “flawless.” Nominated for the Queer Lion Award, Pooja, Sir has also screened at major festivals including Busan, Göteborg, Tallinn Black Nights, Thessaloniki, and Mumbai, and was Indie Meme 2025 ’s centerpiece presentation. The film also earned Magrati a Best Actress award at FilmOut San Diego. Magrati played Durga in White Sun (2016), which won the Interfilm Award at the Venice Film Festival. Variety noted that she “shines as the devoted and extremely pragmatic single mother.” Her performance in Four Nights (2022) further strengthened her international profile, with the film earning a nomination for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Her screen credits also include Highway (2012) and Kagbeni (2008), among many others. An alumna of Berlinale Talents and the School of Playback Theater, Magrati has an extensive background in theater. She is also the co-founder of Aadi Films, the acclaimed production company behind films such as Pooja, Sir, White Sun, and Highway. In addition to her creative work, she has served on juries at multiple international film festivals, including as Jury Chair at the 2025 Fribourg International Film Festival. Mindy Raymond Mindy Raymond is a Texas-based producer, consultant, and passionate advocate for the state’s film and media industry. She co-founded The Shine Company (ShineCo.), where she works with communities to grow creative economies through film production, infrastructure, and tourism. Mindy is also the co-owner of Rolling Reels, a production company behind multiple feature films, including Texas Cult House and A Christmas in New Hope. A former Chair of Women in Film & Television Austin (WIFT Austin) Advisory Board, Mindy has long been dedicated to supporting and elevating voices across the industry. With a career spanning production, policy, and community-building, she brings a unique perspective to every project she touches. She is proud to support emerging filmmakers as a screener for Indie Meme Film Festival and remains deeply committed to championing Texas as a thriving hub for film and media. AWARDS FILMS 2025 AWARD WINNERS Narrative Documentary Shorts

Experience an exclusive preview of Austin's rising stars in the world of cinema, brought to you by Indie Meme. Indie Meme takes pride in championing the fresh voices and untapped potential of our local filmmaking community. Join us for an intimate evening celebrating the works of these promising talents In addition to these outstanding short films, we're thrilled to unveil the title track music video of Where The Stars Are, crafted by another talented Austin filmmaker Kirtana Banskota. The film was shot exclusively in Austin Special Screening of Austin Filmmakers' Short Films with Cast and Crew 0 DAYS TO THE EVENT Austin Short Films Showcase Oct 08, 2023, 3:00 PM Austin Meet South Asian Filmmakers in ATX at a special cast & crew screening Details THE 3 SHORTS RELIEVE Directed by Rajesh Vemula In the rural Texas countryside of 1947, Dhruv and his wife, Tara, encounter Anna while on their way home. They kindly offer her a ride to a nearby village. However, as they resume their journey, they discover that Anna has accidentally left her bag in their car. Returning to the deserted village to return Anna's belongings, as they navigate the abandoned village in search of Anna, they find themselves separated, leading them into a dangerous situation they could never have anticipated. How To Wash The Dead Directed by Asad Kirmani Saif is young, angry, Muslim, American. Vulnerable after his father’s death, and enthralled by online extremist content, he drags himself and his brother into the depths of misplaced vengeance. He is forced to deal with the devastating aftermath Men & The Art of Contemplation Directed by Kumar Mayank While a man shows no recovery from his recent breakup, his friends get fiercely involved in an absurd discourse on a rainy afternoon.

Winner of top prizes at the Venice and Mumbai film festivals, Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court is a quietly devastating portrait of injustice, caste prejudice. Court India — 2014 – 116 mins | In Marathi, Hindi, English & Gujarati with English subtitles SYNOPSIS Winner of the Best Feature Film award at the 62nd National Film Awards (India) and the Best Film in Horizons at the Venice International Film Festival, Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court is a quietly devastating, absurdist portrait of injustice, caste prejudice, and venal politics in contemporary India. An elderly folk singer and grassroots organizer, dubbed the “people’s poet,” is arrested on a trumped-up charge of inciting a sewage worker to commit suicide. His trial is a ridiculous and harrowing display of institutional incompetence, with endless procedural delays, coached witnesses for the prosecution, and obsessive privileging of arcane colonial law over reason and mercy. What truly distinguishes Court, however, is Tamhane’s brilliant ensemble cast of professional and nonprofessional actors; his affecting mixture of comedy and tragedy; and his naturalist approach to his characters and to Indian society as a whole, rich with complexity and contradiction. Interested in screening this in your hometown? Write to us SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS Tickets TICKETS NOT AVAILABLE TRAILER DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Chaitanya Tamhane Born in Mumbai in 1987, Chaitanya Tamhane is an English literature graduate. Six Strands (2010), his first short film, was screened at various international film festivals including Rotterdam, Clermont-Ferrand, Edinburgh, and Slamdance. In 2012, he was selected for the Berlinale Talent Campus at the Berlin Film Festival. Court is his first feature film. The film was awarded the Hubert Bals Fund from the Rotterdam Film Festival. DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT I was surprised by my urge to explore the Indian judiciary. After all, so much has been done and said in the genre of courtroom dramas. But when I attended a nondescript lower court in suburban Mumbai, the sheer lack of drama, and the casualness with which life and death decisions were being made, was what sparked my imagination. Every face has a story of its own; the stenographer who disinterestedly types away all day, the peon who runs errands for a small bribe, the inarticulate lawyers reading out long, technical passages from outdated law books, the appellants who have probably spent years waiting for their case number to be called out. Amidst all this theatre, are the hopes and fears of ordinary people, who cling on to every word they can understand, as their fates are decided. Although the film is set in very peculiar sub-cultures of Mumbai, the attempt is to explore the invisible fabric of a collective. The characters are constantly acting upon the invisible triggers of caste and class politics, patriarchy, and feudalism. The challenge for me was to lend dignity and humanity to these people, despite their flaws. CAST Narayan Kamble Vira Sathidar Vinay Vora Vivek Gomber Public Prosecutor Nutan Geetanjali Kulkarni Judge Sadavarte Pradeep Joshi Sharmila Pawar Usha Bane Subodh Shirish Pawar CREW Writer & Director Chaitanya Tamhane Producer Vivek Gomber Cinematography Mrinal Desai Editing Rikhav Desai Music Sambhaji Bhagat Production Design Pooja Talreja and Somnath Pal Costume Design Sachin Lovalekar Sound Design Anita Kushwaha and Amrit Pritam AWARDS 71st Venice International Film Festival (Orizzonti) Best Film Lion of the Future / Luigi De Laurentiis Award for best debut film 16th Mumbai Film Festival (International competition) Golden Gateway of India - Best Film Silver Gateway of India - Best Director Jury Special Mention for Ensemble Cast 51st International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival SİYAD International Feature Film Award Vienna International Film Festival FIPRESCI award Hong Kong Asian Film Festival New Talent award Minsk Film Festival Listapad (Youth on the March competition) Best Film Auteur Film Festival (International Competition)(Serbia) Grand Prix Aleksandar Sasa Petrovic - Best Film FIPRESCI Prize Serbia Slobodan Novakovic Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival (International competition) Special mention of the jury Singapore International Film Festival Best Film: Asian Feature Film section (Silver Screen Award) Best Director 2morrow Festival (Moscow) Best Script (Chaitanya Tamhane) Best Cinematography (Mrinal Desai) FICUNAM (Unam International Film Festival) (Mexico) Special mention of the jury (International competition) 62nd National Film Awards (India) Best Feature Film

2021 The Return Documentary English, Urdu mins 18 Virtual 2021 India Family Tickets 4/28/23, 12:00 PM Free with IMFF Badge Director Hena Ashraf Hena Ashraf is a writer-director who creates character-based multi-layered narratives, showing how truly connected we all are with the specific being universal, focusing primarily on stories about migrants and migrant life, as migration is such a common, while disruptive, experience. Born in London to Bihari Muslim working-class parents from India, she spent her early years in the United Kingdom before immigrating to America. Hena’s work has been supported by the Brooklyn Arts Council, Tribeca Film Institute, the Islamic Scholarship Fund, the Norris Foundation, BAFTA Los Angeles, MPAA, Wasserman, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, an ISF National Film Grant, Telluride FilmLAB, the Caucus Foundation, Tasveer Film Fund, and more. Director: Hena Ashraf Producer: Writer: Hena Ashraf Cast: Roshni Shukla, Shurud Shanto, Aishveryaa Nidhi Editor: Crew: This Event is supported in part by a Mini Grant from Humanities Texas. Community Partners for the Film More Films

< Our Team Board of Directors Animon Jose Programming Chair An avid advocate for independent cinema and its impact on social causes, Animon has been a volunteer with Indie Meme since 2014. Starting as a photographer, Animon has seamlessly transitioned into roles encompassing programming, hospitality, and graphic design for the Indie Meme Film Festival. Between 2018 and 2020, Animon served on the board of Indie Meme, assuming the role of President in 2020. He rejoined the board in 2022 and currently serves as the Programming Director. Beyond Indie Meme, Animon is an active volunteer for the Shanti Bhavan Children's Project, where he currently serves as the co-chair of the Texas Chapter. In his professional capacity, Animon leads the custom solutions team in KPMG's Tax Technology division.

Bringing you the best of South Asian Cinema. Don't miss this event, Aprl 15-17 2016 in Austin, TX. Top of Page Schedule Promo Videos Tickets Pictures IMFF @ Austin 2016 First Indie Meme Film Festival | Best of South Asian indie cinema April 15 - 17 2016 | The Marchesa Hall & Theater Follow this event on Facebook or Twitter Promo Videos IMFF@Austin Official Selection & Schedule Presented by: All films have English subtitles FRIDAY APRIL 15th 2016 6:30 PM Our filmmakers & special guests walk the red carpet from 6:30 pm. You are invited to come join us early to meet them all, register, pick up badges, meet the Indie Meme team, mingle with the other attendees or relax with a glass of wine at bar :-) Many photo opportunities here!!! 7:30-9:30PM LYARI NOTES Filmmakers in attendance In Pakistan a rock star teaches a group of girls to express themselves through music in Karachi’s most volatile district. Read More Community Partners - Austin Arts & Drama Initiative( AADI ) Austin Documentary Fans (ADF) Film Sponsors - Greater Asian Austin Chamber of Commerce (GAACC) 9:30-11:30PM With international, award winning filmmakers from South Asia! The party will kick-off with the eastern soulful music of Austin's, Nagavalli & her band who have consistently been featured as the top 10 world music bands in the city. This year Nagavalli is among the top 10 female vocalists. Hors d'oeuvres served. Cash bar for drinks. Party Sponsors - Austin Bollywood Cultural Association BADGEHOLDERS ONLY SATURDAY APRIL 26th 2016 11:30-1:30PM RASIKA MATHUR : TRUTH TELLER Short Film Filmmaker and lead actress in attendance This short documentary tells the personal journey of actress-comedianne and writer, Rasika Mathur after working on MTV's Wild N Out for five seasons. Drawing on her previous improvisation and stand-up experiences, she demonstrates how performance and real life blend, as she delivers insight into her own childhood fears and her relationship with her parents during her one-woman show. Read More THE THRESHOLD Filmmaker in attendance A North Indian couple, in their early 60s, at their mountain retreat. Their son has just gotten married, a reception has ended and all the guests have left. She chooses this moment to tell her husband she is leaving. What follows is an endless day: the avalanche of this long-gathering decision and what it means to a decades-long relationship. Read More Community Partner - SAIVA Film Sponsor - The Center for Relationships 2:30-4:45PM DHANAK An enchanting fable that reinforces the belief that life is beautiful. The story revolves around a blind boy Chotu, his sister Pari, and the road trip of a lifetime they take across the dunes of Rajasthan to get his eyesight back. Read More Community Partner - Shankar EYE Foundation , The Magellan International School , South Asian Austin Moms Children 5 and under attend for FREE. 5:45-7:15PM JAAL Short Film Filmmaker in attendance Wandering the streets of America, a young and frail Indian girl, who doesn't speak a word of English, is in desperate need of help. Read More UTOPIA The story follows Janan, a woman from Afghanistan who travels to the UK for artificial insemination. Complications arise when a medical sciences student who works in the clinic switches the donor’s semen for his own. What will happen when Janan finds out? Read More Community Partner: North Austin Influencers 7:15-8:15PM FILM MAKER PANEL A panel discussion led by Shaku Selvakumar with the visiting filmmakers. The topic of discussion is "Impact of reel life on real life". A discussion for inquisitive minds. Panel Sponsors - The Center for Relationships BADGEHOLDERS ONLY 8:15-10:00PM "MEET THE MAKERS" PARTY (Indie Meme Mixer - FREE for members) An intimate party with the visiting filmmakers who are each brilliant, vibrant & creative in their own unique way. Eat, drink & catch up with fellow Meme-ers. Kick off your shoes and indulge in some Persian dance with the performers of Ravaan, the only dance company dedicated to celebrating Persian (Iranian) artistic expression through dance in Austin. Also - a standup by Rasika Mathur! Sponsors - Austin Bollywood Cultural Association (ABCA) BADGEHOLDERS & INDIE MEME MEMBERS ONLY SUNDAY APRIL 27th 2016 2:00-4:00PM SAGAR MANAV A society that runs on rich dreams often looks over the hardships of the working class. There are a few people who choose not to climb this ladder and instead watch the battle for rich dreams unfold in front of them. Almost as if they are spectators, standing on blood shed, in the war between the mighty gladiators. Read More GOONGA PEHELWAN A documentary that follows India's most successful deaf athlete on his unlikely quest to reach the Rio Olympics 2016 and become only the second deaf wrestler in the history of the Olympics to do so. Read More Community Partner - ADF 4:45-7:15PM KOTHANODI Film maker in attendance The folktales on which this film is based are well known and much loved by generations of Assamese children. While the stories have traditionally been presented as tales for children, Kothanodi tries to push them towards darker, unorthodox directions. Read More Co-Presenter - Austin Film Society 8:00-10:00PM DANDEKAR MAKES A SANDWICH A short, comedic film about RK Dandekar, who goes to the grocery store to gather the ingredients for the perfect sandwich, and makes an unlikely connection. Read More X: Past is Present With 11 different parts directed by 11 different directors, "X: Past is Present" represents the next level of the average anthology film -- with all of its stories woven together to make one overarching narrative. Read More Community Partner: Agni Dance Company Schedule Tickets TICKET SALES CLOSED Pictures

< Our Team Elizabeth Avellán Advisors Advisor Elizabeth Avellán is a Producer of bold narrative diversified content. She is Co-Owner and Vice President of Troublemaker Studios. In addition to producing family and genre films that have collectively grossed over a billion and a half dollars in box office, she has played a primary role in developing Austin, Texas as a thriving film community. Avellán began her producing career when she co-founded Los Hooligans Productions in 1991 with Robert Rodriguez as the two began their feature film project “El Mariachi.” Made for just $7,000, “El Mariachi,” was the winner of the 1993 Audience Awards at the Sundance and Deauville Film Festivals. Over the past twenty years, she has produced such films as the “Spy Kids” franchise, “Sin City,” “Predators,” “Machete,” “Desperado,” “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” among others. Also, Avellán proudly produced “Spy Kids Armageddon”, a film for families in which she worked with Rodriguez and their 5 children. The film was Netflix release in the Fall of 2023. Through her EYA Productions banner, she produced the holiday feature film, “Angels Sing”. She also executive produced several projects including “Blacktino” that world premiered at SXSW Film Festival in 2011 and “Secuestro Express” which was released by Miramax Films. Avellán is dedicated to creating opportunity for undiscovered voices while working diligently with seasoned craftsmen and established filmmakers. She is enthusiastically focused on Latina/Latino storytelling which is very dear to Elizabeth’s heart. Besides producing “Spy Kids Armageddon” in 2023, she has also been producing independent films during the past several years: “The Blazing World” – premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021, “Deadland” premiered at SXSW 2023, “Switch Up” premiered at SXSW 2024. Avellán also helped produce documentary “American Sons” with Director/Producer/Writer Andrew James Gonzales and Writer/Producer Laura Varela. “American Sons” is a powerful documentary which offers a gripping and deeply personal look at the enduring impact of war on U.S. Veterans, had its World Premiere at SXSW 2025, also won the Audience Award at the Houston Latino Film Festival and has been selected for its West Coast Premiere at LALIFF, the Los Angeles Latino Independent Film Festival in late May 2025. At this time, she is in postproduction on a mysterious horror movie, filmed in the Canary Islands with Venezuelan Filmmaker Gisberg Bermudez and she is in preproduction on a family movie about kids’ soccer filmed in her hometown of Austin, Texas. Her life’s mission continues to grow and expand with this ethos of creating opportunities for undiscovered voices and diversity among the cast and the crews. Infusing possibility in the next generation is a mission which comes naturally to Elizabeth, who is the mother of 6 children. Passionate about her adopted hometown of Austin since 1986, she has given her time and experience as a board member and supports several organizations. Those boards include Capital Area Statues, which commissions unique statues for the capital city and The Austin Film Society dedicated to empowering the community to MAKE, WATCH and LOVE film and creative media. She has participated since 2015 in ConnectHER and the ConnectHER Film Festival, whose mission is to elevate the status of women and girls everywhere. Also, since 2023 she has served as an Advisory Council member of the “Indie Meme Film Festival”, a wonderful festival in Austin that celebrates South Asian Films and Filmmakers. Avellán was born in Caracas, Venezuela, where her grandfather, Gonzalo Veloz Mancera, was the pioneer of commercial television. At the age of thirteen, she moved to Houston, Texas with her family and later graduated from Rice University. She resides in Austin, Texas with her children.

2021 Queer Parivaar Short English, Bengali mins 27 Virtual 2021 India Drama, Family Tickets 4/28/23, 12:00 PM Free with IMFF Badge Director Shiva Raichandani Shiva Raichandani is a multidisciplinary non-binary artist whose works harness the power of storytelling to create inclusive spaces for positive gender-expansive representation in media. Shiva is a screenwriter, director, and producer for film and TV. As an awardee of the inaugural Netflix Documentary Talent Fund, they directed a short film called PEACH PARADISE, which premiered on TikTok’s first-ever live film showcase. Shiva’s independent short QUEER PARIVAAR won the prestigious BAFTA-qualifying Iris Prize ‘Best British Short’ award, making it available for broadcast and streaming on Channel 4. Director: Shiva Raichandani Producer: Writer: Shiva Raichandani Cast: Shiva Raichandani, Taru Devani, Asifa Lahore Editor: Crew: This Event is supported in part by a Mini Grant from Humanities Texas. Community Partners for the Film More Films

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 Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation Indie Meme Special 10th Year Retrospective Showcase Barah x Barah (12x12) India | Narrative Feature 2021 | 118 mins | Hindi ORIGINAL FILM PAGE WATCH ONLINE Limited tickets available on site. 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! 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 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. Photo courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation Trailer Credits Crew: Director: Gaurav Madan Writer: Gaurav Madan Sunny Lahiri Jignesh Patel Producers: 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 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!