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. Back to Film Program $15 TICKETS ($12 for members) Sat. April 16th, 2022 @ 10:30AM Venue: Austin Film Society Streaming April 22-24, Eventive Barah x Barah (12x12) India I 118 mins I Drama I 2021 I Hindi w/ English subtitles IN-PERSON TICKETS BUY & WATCH ONLINE Sooraj, a death photographer at the burning banks of Manikarnika, is going through troubled times. His ancient town of Kashi is being demolished as part of a large-scale civic beautification project. At the same time, the exquisite cameras on smartphones threaten to make his work irrelevant. He stands at a crossroads - either he continues as he is or he looks for greener pastures to secure a better future for his family. ", a remarkably tender and subtle debut" - First Post "tremendous lived-in feel. " - The Indian Express NOTE: This film is playing in theaters and our virtual cinema. About the Artist Gaurav Madan hails from Yamunanagar, a small dusty town in Haryana, India. He discovered a passion for the arts at age ten, publishing short stories and poems in children’s books such as Nandan, Champak and Hindi newspapers like Dainik Bhaskar and Punjab Kesri. Gaurav has been an ardent film buff since childhood. Gaurav did his Masters in Communication Studies from University of Pune and has produced and directed over 200 TV and digital commercials and has his own Ad Production Firm, Last Joker Pictures, based in Mumbai. In 2014, one of Gaurav’s feature scripts Shaktipur Crude was a part of prestigious Sundance Script Lab. He has been a part of many writer’s rooms and has been a semi-finalist in Cinestaan Storytellers 2017 and 2018. His 2017 short film Sambhavtaha travelled to 50+ festivals including IDSFFK, MAMI and Kolkata and won numerous awards including Best Director, Best Writer, and Best Short. Barah by Barah (2021), Gaurav's debut feature is currently doing rounds at festivals. Trailer Thank you to our community partners for this screening! Credits Crew Director: Gaurav Madan Writer(s): Sunny Lahiri Gaurav Madan Producer(s): Sunny Lahiri Gaurav Madan Jignesh Patel Co- Producer(s): Tanuj Bhramar Karan Singh Executive Producer(s): Subhash Jha Cinematography: Sunny Lahiri Production Design: Naveen Lohara Cast: Gyanendra Tripathi as "Sooraj' Aashit Chatterjee as ‘Tathagatha’ Bhumika Dube as 'Meena Geetika Vidya Ohlyan as 'Mansi' Prithvi Singh as 'Anshuman' Akash Sinha as 'Dubey'' Crew Cont'd Editor: Hira Das Music: Neil Mukherjee Sound Designer: Vineet Vashishtha Make-Up: Anisha Bhowmik Costume Design: Indu Sharma

2019 Indie Meme Film Festival - Lineup and Films IMFF2019@Austin Films All screenings are at AFS Cinema, 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin TX All Films have ENGLISH SUBTITLES Jonaki Chuskit LastColor Indus Blues HalfWidow YoursTruly namdev Her-Him-The Other SoundMan JIRGA kaamyaab YasminaPoster Fade gubbare resistance

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 Back to Film Program IN THEATERS: Any Day Now April 14th, 2022 AFS Cinema WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 Chai USA I 8 mins I Coming of Age I 2021 I English, Persian w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE 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. Soon enough, the conflict becomes much more than just selling the most drinks. Sanam, the older sister, takes this feud into her own hands. This film plays with feature, ANY DAY NOW , 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 Arshum Rouhanian was born and raised in Maryland after his parents fled Iran in light of the revolution. Arshum grew up in a small one bedroom apartment with 10 of his relatives. Too young to understand the financial issues his parents were facing, he just thought life was a big family sleepover. He'd sneak around the house at night and see what he could do without waking anyone up. Living in a space like that made him want to pretend. He think that's where he gets his creativity. Arshum graduated from American University in December 2017 with a BA in Film & Media Arts and a minor in Business Administration. He currently works as a Content Producer at Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA.

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. U.S Premiere Back to Film Program IN THEATERS: LUNANA April 14th, 2022 AFS Cinema WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 Grasshoppers Sleep Here India I 8 mins I Coming of Age I 2021 I Malayalam w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE When a mowing man arrives to cut down a field, he finds a young girl sleeping there- determined to protect the insects that call it home. Inspired by the true experiences in the directors life, this simple yet layered story prompts us to acknowledge the small ecosystems that are inevitably important.. This film plays with LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM , in theaters and the FAMILY SHORTS program online. WATCH IN THEATERS NOTE: This film is coming to theaters and our virtual cinema. About the Artist Balaram J is a writer, designer and independent filmmaker from Kerala, India. He is a Communication Design graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Balaram has created animated sequences for Lijo Jose Pellissery's feature films JALIKATTU (2019) and CHURULI (2021). His animated thesis film STORY OF A BEGINNING' (2020) explores human's never-ending conflicts over ideas, beliefs and faiths and the constant search for answers .The film travelled to more than 45 international film festivals and bagged several awards. Balaram's stories are born from observing life around him and his personal experiences. He craves stories that make him a better human and wishes to make films that do the same to others. He enjoys telling compelling stories using different visual mediums and hopes to push the limits of the existing visual communication methods. Currently, he is working on a few music videos and feature film projects. Trailer

Announcing the official Jury & Audience Choice award winners of the 2022 Indie Meme Film Festival. 2022 Jury & Audience Awards Indie Meme is proud to announce the winners of our 2022 Jury & Audience Choice Awards. Read more about our esteemed jury of artists, filmmakers, academics, and leaders here: Meet the Jury Jury Award: Narrative Feature ANY DAY NOW JURY STATEMENT: For the jury, it was a true honor to view these wildly creative and diverse films, each of which provided a look at indelible characters and vibrant cultures. We applaud all the filmmakers for their achievements and the programmers for putting together a brilliant line-up that will have the festival audiences laughing, crying, gasping, and passionately debating. Special Jury Award : LUNANA : A YAK In THE CLASSROOM - 'Best Cinematography' Jury Award: Documentary Feature MIDWIVES JURY STATEMENT "A deft portrayal of one of the world's most violent ethnic conflicts ... Midwives inspired us with its protagonists' daily acts of resistance and resilience. As Hla and Nyo Nyo grow in relation to one another and the evolving political situation, their supportive yet fraught relationship reflects the cleavages surrounding them. Throughout, the beautifully photographed fields of rural Rakhine State are heavy with an intense calm that might erupt, and often does. The film necessarily leaves tensions unresolved and the future ambiguous, but it uplifts courageous acts of care, powerfully condemning state-sponsored violence and discrimination in the process. " Jury Award: Short Film DAL BHAT In acknowledgement of the strength and range of the 25 shorts in the program the jury has named one overall winner and three honorable mentions. The Jury selected Dal Bhat due to the film's powerful and enduring social relevance in exploring gender & identity - as well as the craftsmanship apparent in creating the film, from engaging screenwriting to excellent acting, production value, and direction. Kanya is noted for superb cinematography and a bold coming of age narrative. Cycle stood out for centering a minority group through the use of experimental filmmaking. Local Middle Schooler is notable out not only for the power of its key message, but also the clever use of satire and visual imagination in its storytelling. . Honorable Mentions: LOCAL MIDDLE Schooler CYCLE KANYA Audience Award: Narrative Feature LAST FILM SHOW In a very close audience award competition, the Gujarati language coming of age drama, LAST FILM SHOW, topped the list as the audience's favorite narrative feature with its tale of a young, rural boy falling headlong into love for cinema. It was closely followed by the heartwarming LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM and the surreal comedy, RK/RKAY . 2nd Place (tie): LUNANA : A YAK In THE CLASSROOM RK/RKAY Audience Award: Documentary Feature A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING Payal Kapadia's experimental documentary exploring the political and emotional life of students at India's FTII captivated the hearts & minds of Indie Meme audiences. Audience Award: Short Film TESTIMONY OF ANA This short-form documentary follows a modern woman recounting her experience being accused of witchcraft and abused by her community. It was supported by an Austin Film Society grant and directed by local filmmaker, Sachin Dheeraj.

The 9th Annual Indie Meme Film Festival brings 30+ acclaimed South Asian films to audiences in Austin, TX and nationwide in April 2024. BUY A BADGE Indie Meme Film Festival 2024 Our Flagship Program The 9th Indie Meme Film Festival came back this April— sharing the best of independent South Asian and Iranian cinema in Austin—with in-person screenings, Q&As, mixers, and filmmaker events. The festival was held from April 17th through April 21st at AFS Cinema in Austin. Become an Indie Meme member for benefits, including discounts on badges and tickets when you attend our events . Check out the schedule , and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for upcoming information. Can't attend the festival? Watch the films virtually from May 3-5. FILMS ATTEND SCHEDULE JURY VIRTUAL AWARDS PLAN YOUR VISIT MEMBERSHIP IMFF2023

Lakshmi is the story of a beautiful 14 year old girl whose life takes a tragic turn. Top of Page Tickets Top of Page Tickets Lakshmi SYNOPSIS Lakshmi is the story of a beautiful 14 year old girl whose life takes a tragic turn. She is snatched from her family in the village and sold to a brothel in the city. Lakshmi is thrown into this horrific, inhuman, world run by the ruthless Reddy brothers. Quietly rebellious, Lakshmi’s efforts to escape result in her being brutally beaten. She manages to survive her hellacious predicament with the help of the other girls and her own will to never give in. Finally she is rescued in a sting operation by a government organization. Against all odds, the traumatized and broken child-woman shows courage where everybody else fails. Resisting all pressure - violent threats, coercion and bribes, she stands up in court and in a historic landmark case succeeds in putting the traffickers behind bars. Based on true events, Lakshmi is a story of heroism and untold courage. Film maker will be in attendance Thursday, May 14th @ 7pm Southwest Theaters 13729 Research Blvd, Suite 1500 Austin, TX 78750 Follow event on Facebook Interested in screening this in your hometown? Write to us EVENT SUPPORTED BY PARTIALLY FUNDED OR SUPPORTED BY TICKETS NOT AVAILABLE Tickets TRAILER Viewer discretion advised. Please don't watch in the presence of children. DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Nagesh Kukunoor Arriving on the Indian film scene 15 years ago, and blazing a new path and genre- the Indie film, Nagesh has written, produced, acted & directed immensely successful and acclaimed films. His very first film broke the traditional barrier of both commercial and art cinema. Nagesh has consistently crafted stories that depict realism & authenticity over sheen & gloss, delivering to audiences a brand of cinema that is entertaining with a difference. facebook ID : facebook /LakshmiTheFilm twitter ID : https://twitter.com/LakshmiTheFilm instagram ID : http://instagram.com/lakshmithefilm Follow our blog : http://lakshmithefilm.blogspot.in/ SPECIAL EVENT - MEET THE MAKER Meet the Maker... of "LAKSHMI" : Film Director, Writer, Actor & Producer NAGESH KUKUNOOR AN EXCLUSIVE COMPLIMENTARY WINE & CHEESE SOCIAL FOR INDIE MEME MEMBERS. Guests welcome for a small entry fee at the door. Wednesday, May 13th 2015 8-10 pm Thursday May 14th we screened our toughest film yet..."Lakshmi". The audience cried but not a single person walked out of the theater! Nagesh Kukunoor is a hero for bringing to light such an ugly reality of our lives so honestly. Lakshmi is brave & perhaps even lucky to have found redemption...not the case for the millions of other victims all over the world. The Q&A with Nagesh Kukunoor conducted by Lalitha Gopalan, Prof. RTF,UT, was enlightening to say the least and Todd Latiolais from 'Children At Risk' provided the Texas perspective in the big picture... Thank you Animon Jose for these wonderful photos.

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. Back to Festival Program Sat. April 15th @ 12:45PM AFS Cinemas Virtual: April 28- May 1 Texas Premiere Describe your image Describe your image 1/4 Limited copies of the book Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South A sian America will be for Sale at the screening. IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM US I Bangladesh I 85 mins I Documentary I 2022 English, Bengali w/ English subtitles BUY TICKETS WATCH ONLINE *LIVE, In-Person Q&A w/ directors Alaudin Ullah & Vivek Bald Official Selection of DOC NYC & CAAMFest 2022 As a teenager in 1980s Harlem, Alaudin Ullah was swept up in the revolutionary energy of hip-hop. He rejected his working-class Bangladeshi parents and turned his back on everything South Asian and Muslim. Now, as an actor and playwright contending with the Islamophobia of post-9/11 Hollywood, Ullah wants to tell his parents' stories - but he has no idea who they really were. In Search of Bengali Harlem follows Ullah from the streets of New York to the villages of Bangladesh to uncover the pasts of his father and mother. In doing so, he discovers a lost history - in which South Asian Muslims, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans forged an extraordinary multiracial community in the tenements of mid- 20th century Harlem. "It resonates because, in many ways, it is the story of all of us. " - T he Juggernaut " visually striking and emotionally affecting" - MIT, Comparative Media Studies Department About the Artist Alaudi n Ullah is a playwright, actor, and the son of one of the first Bengali Muslim men to settle in Harlem. Ullah is the author of the acclaimed one-man show, "DISHWASHER DREAMS," based on his father’s life in New York City in the 1930s-60s. Ullah premiered the show at the New Works Now! Festivalat New York’s Joseph Papp Public Theater, and was subsequently awarded one of the Theater’s prestigious Emerging Writers Group Fellowships. Ullah has since performed DISHWASHER DREAMS across the US, including most recently a 2021-22 run at Chicago's Writers Theater and at Connecticut’s Hartford Stage. Ullah’s three-act play "HALAL BROTHERS" centers on the interactions between African American and Bengali Muslims in a Harlem halal butcher’s shop on the day of Malcolm X’s murder in 1965. This emotionally charged ensemble drama is in development for stage production in 2022. Vivek Bald is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, digital media producer, and scholar. His work over the past twenty-five years has explored the stories and experiences of South Asians in the U.S. and Britain. Bald’s first documentary TAXI-VALA/AUTO-BIOGRAPHY (1994) which examined the lives and activism of New York City taxi drivers from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, was showcased by the Whitney Museum, the San Francisco Int'l Asian American Film Festival and PBS. His second documentary MUTINY: ASIANS STORM BRITISH MUSIC (2003) focused on South Asian youth, music, and anti-racist politics in 1970s-90s Britain. It premiered in New York as part of Lincoln Center’s Independents Night series and screened at two dozen film festivals in thirteen countries. In 2020, Bald consulted upon and appeared in the Peabody Award winning PBS documentary series, ASIAN AMERICANS. He is the author of Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America (Harvard University Press, 2013) and the faculty Director of MIT’s Open Documentary Lab, a unit devoted to the analysis and incubation of new forms of documentary: including VR & AR projects. Trailer This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Credits Crew Writer/Director: Alaudin Ullah, Vivek Bald Producer(s): Susannah Ludwig Cinematography: Joseph Alvarado Kitra Cahana Shaha dat Hossain Shamsul Islam Editor/Writer: Beyza Boyac ioglu Featuring Music By: Vijay Iyer Anik Khan Ganavya Doraiswamy Zakir Hussain Yosvany Terry Imani Uzuri

When an idealistic young trade unionist investigates the sudden death of a favorite uncle, he comes face to face with the terrifying practice of Thalaikoothal, the killing of the infirm elderly by their own families in rural Tamil Nadu. The film is a drama based on true events. Sindhustan India | Documentary | 2019 | 63 MIN. |Sindhi, English; English Subtitles I was 36 when I realised I was a daughter of a refugee. I remember being at concert in Mumbai and watching some Sufi Fakirs from Sindh perform, I was so blown away, I ran home and googled Sindh for the first time. When I found out Sindhi migration was the largest migration of a culture in history and I being a Sindhi had no idea, I knew it was time to start. SYNOPSIS (From the Director) What is Sindh? In 1947 when India was partitioned, Punjab and Bengal were divided but Sindh was left intact in Pakistan. In the province, it was believed that nothing would change - the Hindus had been a minority for centuries, they were the ones with the wealth and power. However, when the time came, the best they could do was escape with their lives. Hordes of prosperous people became homeless and penniless overnight. A large majority had never left Sindh before. They crossed the new border to settle in unfamiliar lands with unfamiliar food, language and customs, stepping from a zone of sparse rain into monsoon country. There are lots of books written on Sindh and loads of information online but I did not want my film to be a history lesson. It took me 2 year figure out how I want to tell my story. This moment with my grandma came to mind. I had just started getting inked, and remember covering myself to meet my grandmother for lunch one day. She looked at me and called me old fashioned. I couldn't believe a 70 year old woman was calling me old fashioned. She told me when we first came on this planet we lived in tribes we didn't have borders and governments and countries. We had extended families and all had their own markings. "When I see you I see you are going back to your roots that makes me very happy." It was evident that ink was going to be the ink I would write their stories with. My documentary includes many stories - some from India and some from Sindh (which is now in Pakistan) along with mine illustrating their journey on my skin. I aim at inking my skin using an art form from Sindh (Ajrak) and one from Hindustan (Madhubani) to tell the story of a land carried on the shoulders of its people and not rooted in any soil. no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well - Warsan Shire TRAILER DIRECTOR'S NOTE My ancestors come from a land called Sindh, which was a part of India till 1947. Post which India became independent and split into Pakistan. Sindh remained in Pakistan and the "Hindu" Sindhis were forced either to convert to Islam or leave their homeland. The Sindhis were peace loving people who spent their time singing sufi songs and did not want violence. They left willingly in hordes leaving everything behind. This migration is the largest migration of a culture in history but very few, including Sindhis, are aware of it. In India and worldwide, they had to learn a new language, adapt to new cultures, learn new trades, just to sustain. The lack of a physical "land" has led to the slow death of their culture and language and the new generation has no idea or access to their heritage. It was important for me to document their journey so that the youth had some information. It took me 2 years to figure out how I wanted to tell this story. My father was born in Shikarpur Sindh in an area called Hajampara (barbers street). The fact that I am a barber in my adult life does not surprise me at all. After partition he travelled with his family by ship from Karachi to Bombay where they lived in refugee camps. My father did not carry the burden of the past with him. He didn't raise me Hindu or Muslim. Indian or Pakistani or Sindhi. He didn 't raise me boy or girl. I was free to be whatever I wanted. Free of all burdens. He ran a cabaret joint called Blue Nile and I grew up with the sounds of jazz and jiggling thighs instead of Sufi singers. Bombay was my Sindh and Sindhi Curry my culture. History books explained Partition just like a doctor explains 4th stage cancer. Clinical and cold. When the govt denied me a visa to visit Sindh the land of my ancestors, I became the land. My legs carry the stories of their journey and my feet the lack of our roots. no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark You only run to the border when you see the whole city running as well They say revolutions start from home. Home to me is where the legs are. I carry the stories as witness on my legs in a hope that they will never die. DIRECTORS' PROFILE Sapna has naturally assumed poster-child status as a powerful female figure. She traverses mainstream success with just as much ease as she skirts the youth art & culture movement. Ageless, formless and forever metamorphosing, Sapna has recently begin giving her celebrity-hood the voice of an activist. Just recently, she was awarded the "iBelieve" award by Savvy Magazine" and the "FemEmpowerment" Award by Zee TV for her work with ex sex workers by starting a free hair academy called Pathshala . Currently Sapna is writing a book "Chapter One;' and travelling the world festival circuit with her debut film Sindhustan which has won the Best Feature Documentary at NYIFF, AIFF, IFFStuttg art, MISAFF, Caleidoscope Boston, Los Angles Motion Picture Festival, MIFF and Official Selection at LAHFF, MAM I, VISAFF, CHALTA PHIRTA DOC FESTIVAL, 50th International Short & Independent Film Festival Dhaka, and Asia Peace Film Festival. She is currently in post production on her short "My Dog Is Sick;' and working on the screenplay of a feature "Hara Kiri'. Actor, spoken word artist, hairstylist, writer, director, producer - Sapna embodies it all as a visionary and change-maker. No matter how many times she evicts herself, the public always votes her back in! The rest, like they say, is herstory. STILLS SLIDE DECK 1/2

Amidst the daily din of the local trains in Calcutta, a lonely working woman in her late fifties finds herself falling in love with the voice of the railway announcer. Yours Truly India 2018 | DRAMA | 84 MIN. | HINDI with English Subtitles 4/27/2019 | 3:45 - 5:45 pm This feature will be preceded by short films - THE LAYOVER and THE LAST LETTER ATTEND SYNOPSIS Amidst the daily din of the local trains in Calcutta, a lonely working woman in her late fifties finds herself falling in love with the voice of the railway announcer. Yours Truly is a story about seeking connection and discovering how love can strike at any age- and in the most unexpected places. As 57 year old government employee Mithi Kumar finds herself on the brink of retirement from her mundane office job, she realizes there’s just one thing she’ll miss about work- or rather her daily commute. It’s the voice of a stranger that she has been irresistibly drawn to; one she has felt a deep connection with amidst the everyday din of the railway station. That voice belongs to the station announcer- her invisible but constant companion as she goes to work every day. Ever since the first time she heard his voice, she felt something stir in her- and over the last decade it began to feel as if he was speaking directly to her, as she began conjuring up her own images of him- even writing letters to him, sharing her deepest emotions with this stranger. As her days at work come to a close, Mithi searches anxiously for her imagined soulmate. Will she ever find him- and more importantly, is he for real? Yours Truly is a story about seeking connection and discovering how love can strike at any age- and in the most unexpected places. DIRECTOR'S PROFILE SANJOY NAG Sanjoy Nag, born and raised in Kolkata, started out with documentaries before branching out to feature films. His debut feature Memories in March, was world premiered at the New Currents Section, Busan International Film Festival 2010 & won the Indian National Award in 2010 apart from featuring in the Indian Panorama, IFFI, Goa ‘2011; MAMI, Mumbai; Kerala IFF, Durban IFF, South Africa and numerous others across the globe. Parapaar, starring Rituparna Sengupta, Paoli Dam and based on a Moti Nandy novel was his sophomore feature, released in 2014. He has just completed his first Hindi feature Yours Truly starring Soni Razdan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aahana Kumra & Mahesh Bhatt. Yours Truly will have its World Premiere in the Windows on Asian Cinema section at the Busan International Film Festival 2018 before travelling to other Festivals and a release later in the year. Sanjoy is currently busy with the postproduction of his recent feature film Good Morning Sunshine starring Revathy, Shweta Tripathi, Rituparna Sengupta, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Shabana Azmi. Presently involved with the scripting of his feature film concept Starring Ranbir & Hrithik which was selected for the Asian Projects Market, Busan International Film Festival, 2016. A web series is also on the anvil. An obsessive foodie and traveller, he dons the grease paint for exciting roles in films which have had their share of critical acclaim and commercial success. DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT Yours Truly is a poignant parable of unconventional love between two emotions, who constantly create new templates to remain connected in a world fashioned to obeying clichés and stereotypes as defined by society. How Mithi, no longer considered a suitable candidate to cultivate and express amorous feelings, shares her life with the idea of love – a potent which excites her. At times light-hearted and funny, it counter analyses the love story and family paradigm from the perspective of the non-confirmative marginalized yearning souls, in the process inspiring countless others. CREDITS CAST Soni Razdan Pankaj Tripathi Aahana Kumra Mahesh Bhatt Vinay Pathak Written & Directed by Sanjoy Nag Produced by Shiladitya Bora; Nikhil Chaudhary; Milapsinh Jadeja Executive Producer Aniruddha Dasgupta Director of Cinematography Stanley Mudda Editor Sankha Sound Design Sukan Majumdar Music Debojyoti Mishra BGM Madhubanti Bagchi Lyrics Amitabh Varma Film Mix Anindit Roy Costume Designer Shilpi Agarwal Colorist Sidharth Mirchandan COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The 9th Annual Indie Meme Film Festival comes to Austin in-person from April 17-21, 2024 and is held at the Austin Film Society Cinema. Festival Schedule 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. The virtual fest ival , streaming May 3rd - May 5th , will bring second screenings of many of our in-person favorites, as well as fresh virtual-exclusive feature and short programs. Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Wednesday April 17 Vivo Tex-Mex 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Member Mixer + Badge Pickup Vivo-Tex Mex is next to AFS Cinema, just inside The Linc. J oin us at Vivo Tex-Mex, just across from the AFS Cinema, to kick off IMFF 2024! 2024 membe rs and badge holders only. Become a member here to attend! AFS Cinema 6:15 PM - 9:00 PM Sultana's Dream Spain, Germany, India | Basque, Spanish, English, Italian, Hindi, Bengali | 83 mins Inés, a Spanish artist, lives in India and stumbles upon a story about a utopia in which women rule the country while men live in seclusion. Fascinated by the story Inés embarks on a journey to search for the one place where women can live in peace. Preceded by two short s, So, That Happened and The Road Not Taken , as the Texas Shorts Program. Filmmakers Neha Aziz and Sarthwik Bollu will be in attendance. Free for 2024 members! Log in to receive the discount. Recorded Q+ A with Filmmaker Isabel Herguera. Tickets Thursday April 18 AFS Cinema 11:30 AM - 1:45 PM Shivamma India | Kannada | 104 mins Shivamma, a mid-day meal cook in a village government school juggles entrepreneurial aspirations with family obligations, but are her dreams built on lies? Included with our Debut Filmmakers Showcase ticket , along with Amar Colony and In Flames . R ecorded Q+ A with Filmmaker Jaishankar Aryar. Tickets AFS Cinema 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Amar Colony India | Hindi | 75 mins The residents of a dilapidated building in the hills encounter each other and the surreal in this experimental film about loneliness and finding connection. Included with our Debut Filmmakers Showcase ticket, along with Shivamma and In Flames . Free for 2024 members! Log in to receive the discount. Rec orded Q+ A with Filmmaker Siddharth Chauhan. Tickets AFS Cinema 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM In Flames Pakistan, Canada | Urdu | 98 mins In the aftermath of a patriarch's death, a mother and daughter must find the courage to face malevolent forces of both the past and the present. Included with our Debut Filmmakers Showcase ticket , along with Shivamma and Amar Colony . Free for 2024 members! Log in to receive the discount. Recorded Q+ A with Filmmaker Zarrar Khan. Tickets AFS Cinema 6:15 PM - 8:45 PM Mithya India | Kannada, Marathi | 98 mins A stunningly shot, poignant story of a newly orphaned boy who is coming of age whilst figuring out how to to live with both grief and a new family. Preceded by the short film Ullarivu . Live, Virtual Q + A with Filmmaker Sumanth Bhat. Tickets Friday A pril 19 AFS Cinema 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Opening Night Red Carpet . Attend our opening night red carpet with attending filmmakers, cast, and fellow members! B adge and ticket holders only! Purchase a badge here. AFS Cinema 6:15 PM - 8:45 PM Footprints on Water India, UK | English, Malayalam | 107 mins The untold story of "illegal" immigrants in the UK - a father's search for his missing daughter unearths the seedy underbelly and unfulfilled promises of immigration. In-Person Q+ A w ith Filmmaker Nathalia Syam and Lead Actor Adil Hussain. Tickets Expansive Austin - Highland 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM Opening Night Celebration Celebrate the ninth year of Austin's premier South Asian film festival with us! Platinum Badge holders only ! Purchase a badge here. Saturday A pril 20 AFS Cinema 10:30 AM - 12:45 PM Shorts Program India, Myanmar, USA | Malayalam, Burmese, Hindi | 70 min Five independent short films: This is TMI , Phar Yar Sin , Vakuppu , Kamathipura , and Places I've Called My Own . A carefully curated selection of incredible shorts that feature (1) a taboo-busting discussion of a group of young women (2) a surreal confession (3) the humour and horror of police bureaucracy (4) an unearthing of a mythical prostitute in Mumbai and (5) a heart-rending reunion between the prodigal daughter and her ex- girlfriend. Free for 2024 members! Log in to receive the discount. In-Person Q+A with Filmmakers Sushma Khadepaun & Vidushi Gupta. Tickets AFS Cinema 1:00 PM - 3:15 PM Something Like An Autobiography Bangladesh, USA | Bengali | 84 mins A filmmaker couple in Bangladesh butts up against corruption and a patriarchal society as they strive to live a life of independence, autonomy and honesty. Preceded by the short film Helena . Recorded Q+A with Filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki . Tickets AFS Cinema 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is Family) India | Marathi, English, Hindi | 96 mins An extremely personal documentary that unearths archival footage and home videos that reflect the change in Indian society from the independence movement to today. In-Person Q+A with Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan. Tickets AFS Cinema 6:15 PM - 8:45 PM Sthal (A Match) India | Marathi, English, Hindi | 104 mins A young, ambitious girl in Maharashtra faces the abyss of arranged marriage and does her best to resist it. Preceded by th e short film Next, Please . In-Person Q+A with Filmmaker Jayant Somalkar and Producer Shefali Bhushan. Tickets AFS Cinema 9:00 PM - 10:45 PM Terrestrial Verses Iran | Farsi | 77 mins A series of vignettes about everyday people encountering the never-ending mazes of bureaucracy and finding hope and resilience through it all. LIVE, Post-Screening Zoom Q+A with Filmmaker Alireza Khatami. Tickets Sunday A pril 21 AFS Cinema 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Bahadur: The Brave India | Hindi, Nepali | 90 mins At the height of the pandemic, a Nepali migrant worker decides to take on a new opportunity to earn cash to take home. Recorded Q+ A with Filmmaker Diwa Shah. Tickets AFS Cinema 12:45 PM - 3:15 PM Against The Tide India, France | English, Marathi, Hindi | 97 mins This stunningly shot documentary about Koli fishermen asks tough questions about sustainability, livelihood and the future for traditional communities. Recorded Q+A with Filmmaker Sarvnik Kaur . Tickets AFS Cinema 3:30 PM - 5:45 PM Pushtaini (Ancestral) India | Hindi | 84 mins A young actor on the cusp of a big break must return home to reconcile with family and the demons of his past. P receded by the short film Shera . In-Person Q+A with Filmmaker Vinod Rawat. Tickets AFS Cinema 6:15 PM - 9:00 PM Girls Will Be Girls India | English, Hindi | 112 mins A story about gendered power, a young teenager is thwarted in her romantic aspirations by her mother. In-Person Q+A with Filmmaker Shuchi Talati. Tickets Origin Hotel - Austin 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM Closing Night Party Help us close out this year's Indie Meme Film Festival at Origins Hotel! Food and drink will be provided. This event is for Platinum Badge holders only ! Purchase a badge here. Festival Schedule Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Indie Meme presents Film Showcase. Don't miss this fun event! Film Showcase - February 2015 VENUE : Jones Auditorium, St. Edwards University 3001 South Congress Avenue Austin TX 78704 DATES : Saturday Feb 7th & Sunday Feb 8th 2015 Follow event on FaceBook PRICING : Indie Meme MEMBER FILM PASS - ONLY For Indie Meme Members (members to get their cards at venue) Access to ALL films for the 2 days ......................................................$15.00 ($16.52 w/service fee) Non-Member FILM PASS - Access to ALL films for the 2 days.............................................................................$25.00 ($26.87 w/service fee) Indie Meme MEMBERSHIP - Membership for 1 yr. For Member benefits ........................................................$20.00 DETAILED SCHEDULE AND TICKETS Online ticketing is now closed Saturday, February 7, 2015 ... 11:00am - 1:20pm LIFE 14mins / Short Narrative/ India (screening followed by Skype Q&A with filmmaker) Filmmaker – Srinjay Thakur Chhattisgarhi & Hindi with English Subtitles The film deals with the complex idea of how technology takes over life. A layered idea executed with disarming simplicity. TRAILER - http://vimeo.com/117203875 WITH YOU WITHOUT YOU 90mins / Narrative Feature/ Sri Lanka Filmmaker – Prasanna Vithanage The film set, in post war Sri Lanka, brings us close to two characters who collide quite accidentally, and through them we experience the deep and seemingly unbridgeable chasm that conflict almost always creates. Will love help them cross the bridge? Or will the past continue to color the present? A man and a woman from the two ends of the thirty-year-old bloody civil war in Sri Lanka discover that the color of love is blue, and life, shades of grey. TRAILER - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZV1tJgv9KE Sinhala with English Subtitles Saturday, February 7, 2015 ... 2:00pm - 4:30pm HAMARE GHAR 30mins / Short Narrative/ India (screening followed by Skype Q&A with filmmaker) Filmmaker – Kislay Kamla works as a full time maid in upwardly mobile modern India family’s home. Where the lady of the house is affectionate and regularly showers her with gifts and old clothes. In this ‘modern’ home, there is no obvious violence and hierarchies but, as Kamla slowly realizes, it is hidden behind caring words and gestures of love. The film attempts to understand a class relationship in an atmosphere of love and affection. Hindi with English Subtitles BIDESIA IN BAMBAI 87mins/ Documentary Feature/ India (screening followed by Skype Q&A with filmmaker) Filmmaker – Surabhi Sharma Bidesia is Bhojpuri for ‘the one who leaves home’. Bambai is their name for Mumbai/Bombay. Like most migrants in a global city, the migrant in the film too inhabits the precarious edges of Mumbai. Along with his meager belongings though, the migrant brings with him a vibrant musical culture. Frequently sexually charged, at times religious, often lyrical and occasionally political, the migrant is both the subject of, and the audience for this music. Bidesia in Bambai charts the travails of two ambitious singers – Ramanuj Pathak, a one-time taxi-driver chasing his first record deal; and Kalpana Patowary, one of the stars of the Bhojpuri music industry. The lives of these singers are punctuated by the changing landscape of the city, where, much like their lives, structures are built and torn down regularly. TRAILER - https://vimeo.com/70196507 Hindi/ Bhojpuri with English Subtitles Saturday, February 7, 2015 ... 4:45pm - 7:45pm TIMBAKTU 30min short Documentary/ India (screening followed by Skype Q&A with filmmaker) Filmmaker – Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh When a small farming community in South India decided to switch from their decades-old practice of chemical agriculture to organic farming, little did they know that they were planting the seeds of a silent revolution. By showcasing the exemplary efforts of farmers of a tiny village in Andhra Pradesh, Timbaktu explores critical issues of food security and sovereignty. At its heart, Timbaktu looks at the relationship that a farmer shares with her land, her seeds and raises critical questions about food, the very essence of human life. TRAILER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjPQ6KM2FIY Telegu with English Subtitles AASHPORDHA 13mins / Short Narrative /India - (screening followed by Skype Q&A with filmmaker) Filmmaker – Anirban Roy It starts out over a song and ends up where no one could have expected. A thirteen-year-old Indian girl has her first real confrontation with authority when her father forbids her to play the American dance music she loves. When she decides to take revenge, the situation escalates to become a neighborhood scandal. A dark comedy about parental authority, teenage rebellion, curry, whiskey, and house music. TRAILER- https://vimeo.com/53911754 Bengali with English Subtitles I AM 110mins/ Narrative feature / India Filmmaker – Onir I AM is about issues and dilemmas that bruise the modern Indian society. Unraveling and exploring these tribulations, the film unfolds many a tale of individuals struggling to find their identity, and uphold their dignity in a world that is callous, cold and unsympathetic. Shot in four different cities across India, I AM is a fusion of stories where the protagonists share a common dream – a desire to regain their lives, to regain an identity which has been taken away from them. TRAILER - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUNXJiynpUw English/Hindi/Marathi with English Subtitles Saturday, February 7, 2015 .... 8:00pm - 9:30pm INDIE MEME HAPPY HOUR!!! for Indie Meme Members and film pass holders @ Marigold Gateway to India 2200 South Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX 78704 Sunday, February 8, 2015 ... 10:30am - noon NEWBORNS – 9min / doc short / India (screening followed by Skype Q&A with filmmaker) Filmmaker – Megha Ramaswami Newborns attempts to provide a lens to the survivors of acid violence, to look forward and gaze back. They take us through the ennui of their domestic and public spaces in a nameless dystopian city, its factories, houses and motels, and its promises, never honored. TRAILER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fw28XOR5Xk Hindi with English Subtitles THE RAT RACE 56min / Documentary / India (screening followed by Skype Q&A with filmmaker)Filmmaker – Miriam Chandy The Rat Race winds its way through the grimy underbelly of Mumbai, through dimly lit alleys and crowded markets to tell the story of the city’s rat killers. Using the vehicle of the rat the documentary explores issues of livelihood to paint a moving account of India at the crossroads. TRALER https://vimeo.com/72389205 Hindi with English Subtitles Sunday 12:20pm - 3:00pm, February 8, 2015 SHIP OF THESEUS 143mins / Narrative Feature /India Filmmaker – Anand Gandhi A blind photographer grapples with the loss of her intuitive brilliance as an aftermath of a clinical procedure; an erudite monk confronting an ethical dilemma with a long held ideology, has to choose between principle and death; and a young stockbroker, following the trail of a stolen kidney, learns how intricate morality could be. Following the separate strands of their philosophical journeys, and their eventual convergence, Ship of Theseus explores questions of identity, justice, beauty, meaning and death. TRAILER http://vimeo.com/84744058 Hindi/English/Arabic/Swedish with English Subtitles PICTURES FROM THE EVENT