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 IMFF 2024 Jury 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. 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 Debut Jury Narrative Feature Jury Neeraja Rao Neeraja Rao is a distinguished filmmaker, producer, and podcaster with over 20 years of extensive industry experience. Having collaborated with leading Indian television and media entities such as Sony, Star, Channel V, Doordarshan, Zee, and CNBC, she has garnered recognition as the director of critically acclaimed TV shows and award-winning short films. During her five-year run on renowned travel docu-series “Surabhi," she captivated audiences with compelling narratives in over 300 stories and segments. Around her, it's always lights, camera, passport — her fervent dedication to filmmaking transcends geographical boundaries. Having served as the Director of Communications for the College Women's Association of Japan, she fostered a diverse community for Asian Film Study & Appreciation Groups in Singapore, building collaborations with well-known directors and actors across the Southeast Asian region. Being active in Singapore's theater, film, and filmmaking community, she continues to make significant contributions in her current role as Creative Director at Arclight Productions. She has spearheaded the direction of multiple award-winning films, including "Love Yours Truly," "Lifafe (The Envelope)," "Papa Mio," and "Unmasked." Her outstanding contributions have garnered acclaim at prestigious film festivals worldwide, including BIFF London, Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, and New York ISFF. Having relocated to Austin a year ago, she is now focused on establishing a presence for her films in her new world! Tania Romero Tania Romero is a Nicaraguan filmmaker, teacher, and scholar with a degree in Psychology with a Film Studies minor and a Master's in Media Studies. She has worked on several film projects and her credits include editing for the feature documentary YA BASTA (2007) which screened at South by Southwest Film Festival, script supervising for the Cannes Film Festival selected shorts SARATHI (2010), &CLAY (2012) and assistant directing for A PERFECT COCKTAIL (2013). She was also producer/director/editor for the short documentary HELMETS FROM HEATH(2013) which won Judge's Choice at the Faces of Austin competition. The film also won 3rd place at My Hero International Film Festival. Her film QUINCEANERA (2015) won a San Francisco Film Award of Merit, was an official selection at the Official Latino Short Film Festival, and was screened at the Mexic Arte Museum. Her two micro films DROP IT and #HUGME were official selections for the Austin Comedy Short Film Festival, Film Fest 52, South Texas Corpus Christi Festival, and the Albuquerque Film Festival. Her short SILLA DE RUEDAS (2015) was an official selection at the Icaro International Film Festival in Guatemala and the Central American International Film Festival. Kamal Khan Kamal Khan is a Pakistani film producer, director, and editor who found his passion for film while studying at the University of Southern California. He decided to pursue film full-time, and has since produced and directed award-winning music videos and commercials. His debut feature film "Laal Kabootar " was met with critical acclaim and was selected as Pakistan's official entry for the 92nd Academy Awards. Kamal is also known for his work with Coke Studio, including directing the most-watched Coke Studio music video of all time, "Pasoori." Christian Raymond Christian Raymond’s adventures in media run the gamut, from writing screenplays in Hollywood for the likes of Walt Disney Pictures to producing character-driven educational films and co-creating films across the globe in partnership with under-resourced communities in Transylvania. As a director at Austin Studios for eight years, he developed the Austin Film Society’s multifaceted community program de novo, to include building the youth media initiative, MCM (Minds Create Media) Studios, a creative mentorship filmmaking program serving over two thousand students at fifteen Title 1 schools. Raymond has also taught in high school and colleges, including in RTF at UT-Austin. As editor-in-chief of the film journal Persistence of Vision for years, he’s wrote extensively on such topics as using alternative digital storytelling approaches for community impact, work coinciding with integrated creative development, such as with animated exploratory storytelling model, the Transmedia Tesseract. After joining ACC in 2011, Raymond worked in a leadership role to not only evolve and build new dynamic RTF programs for students, but also to support and help drive the creation of a new vision-oriented educational creative digital media center, work years later now coming to fruition. During a 2019 sabbatical, Raymond combined a deeper dive into immersive digital storytelling technologies to write/produce the interactive VR film/app, Meditation Trek, with research and design of a new interdisciplinary innovation labs program model for the digital media center. The “ACC Creative Co-Labs” is now being collaboratively developed further with division partners as part of the Master Plan and is already connecting students. Raymond’s creative/community initiatives have received support or been honored by the National Endowment for the Arts, CEC Artslink, the South by Southwest Interactive Festival and others. Taking inspiration from the motto “Giving is Living,” Raymond is on a daily basis grateful to learn, teach and work with students, faculty/staff, and the community. Documentary Jury Syed Akbar Hyder Professor Syed Akbar Hyder is the Director of South Asia Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. He teaches classes in comparative literature, aesthetics, and religious studies. His scholarly writings have been published by Oxford University Press, Yale, and Brill. Among the prestigious awards he has received is the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award (2023) bestowed by the University of Texas at Austin on one professor every year. Mike Blizzard Mike Blizzard is President and co-founder of Blizco Productions and the producer of the award-winning NO NO: A DOCKUMENTARY, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and has been licensed by Showtime, Netflix, and ESPN. Mike is a former board member of the Austin Film Society and served two terms as Board President. Shorts Jury Vanessa Uhlig Vanessa has an MFA in Film and Media production from the University of Texas at Austin and also teaches at UT, where her class, Filmmaking to Decolonize, was named one of the top reasons to attend UT’s film program by The Hollywood Reporter. Prior to working in film, Vanessa worked in international development in Guatemala, New York, and Thailand, for organizations focused on preserving culture and providing economic opportunities for women. In 2019 she was part of a U.S. State Department delegation to Pakistan, where she presented her film work. An advocate for inclusive classrooms and industry practices, she spoke at SXSW in 2022 on diversifying the pipeline into the film industry. Her directing work in narrative and documentary has screened at Austin Film Festival, SXSW, and other festivals worldwide, and she has produced for PBS, PBS Digital, and the Discovery Channel. She is the Supervising Producer on a slate of films and shows currently in development with the Austin-based production company Go-Valley. Alex Salahi Cinematographer Alex Salahi favors a documentary style that achieves cinematic results. He prioritizes capturing the moment while skillfully adjusting crew and gear accordingly. Salahi’s cinematic images showcase contrast while his nuanced approach to lighting emphasizes realism in the story. These elements reveal themselves only when necessary to achieve the desired images for the film. His camera movements discreetly enhance the narrative without revealing the presence of the camera. Born in Iran, his career began in Austin in 2003. His dynamic body of work includes art house films such as Magic Lantern (2018), selected for the Venice International Film Festival and Busan International Film Festival, directed by Iranian master Director Amir Naderi and produced by Ramin Bahrani. Notable selections also include On Our Way (Sophie Lane Curtis, 2021), chosen for the POFF - Tallinn (Estonia). His body of work spans various genres, from films like While We Sleep (2021) and Crescent City (2024). His expertise and hybrid body of work continue with sports promos and documentaries for NFL, ESPN, HBO and Disney, including memorable Super Bowl campaigns like "Rihanna" and "Usher." Beyond the silver screen, Alex's talents extend to commercials for tech giants like Google and Qualcomm, featuring esteemed talents like Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh. In his collaborations, he has worked with talented filmmakers like Catherine Hardwicke, serving as a cameraman(operator) for Prisoner's Daughter(2022), and collaborating on four projects with Andrej Sekula as a camera operator and DP. Beyond his work, Alex enjoys ethnic food, traveling , football, and of course photography. Lila Mali Lila Mali is an emergent animator and filmmaker. She is currently a junior at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Arts and Entertainment Technologies. She has a passion for animation in storytelling and is an officer for UT’s animation club. She also works as a graphic designer for her school. Her first animation short, Bloom, won best animation film at the 2016 Youth Austin Film Festival. Her 2020 animation short, Pilot, was selected for the All American High School Film Festival. Her 2021 short, Hot Chocolate , was a finalist at the Texas State UIL. Lila is interested in developing concepts, directing, writing, using animation for the entertainment industry. When it comes to her work, she is always looking for new challenges to improve her skills and loves to experiment with different styles and try new mediums. Gabriel Ornelas Gabriel Ornelas is Executive Director of Cine Las Américas, a multicultural organization based in Austin, Texas, USA. Celebrating 26 years, Cine Las Américas, offers theatrical screenings of films made by and/or Latinos or indigenous peoples of the Americas. Films from Spain and Portugal are also included, enhancing a truly Pan-American cinematic experience. The organization schedules film screenings throughout the year and produces the annual Cine Las Américas International Film Festival (May 15-19, 2024, Austin, TX). Gabriel's experience focuses on managing cultural arts programs and events, venue coordination, and supporting the performing arts. His work has included managing a statewide film program with the Texas Film Commission, producing municipal events, and managing events with academic institutions. He resides in Austin, TX and grew up in the border city of El Paso, TX, USA. Debut Jury Jake Martinez Jake Martinez moved to Austin ten years ago from Fort Worth, Texas. He has been fascinated with movies since childhood, and in high school won awards for filmmaking. Since being in Austin, Jake has aided many organizations around the city including Indie Meme, Cine Las Americas, and the Austin Asian American Film Festival. Jake has worked in the Development and Studio departments at the Austin Film Society, and is currently a personal art assistant to local director Richard Linklater. Jake is in the final stages of completing his first feature-length film. Sweta Rajesh Sweta's passion and interest in independent cinema and its relevant social causes brought her to Indie Meme as a volunteer in 2016. She served as a programmer on the committee for 2 years and then became the Programming Director in 2020 when the festival had to go virtual during the pandemic. After a 5 year stint with Indie Meme, she became an entrepreneur and currently has a clothing boutique in Dallas. Sweta is very happy to be back as a Jury member this year.

Artistically inclined villager Avdhut Kale struggles to find his place in the metropolis of Pune. Working as a reporter for the local newspaper, he is stuck writing the horoscopes. At home, he faces the prospect of an arranged marriage. Back to Festival Program Texas Premiere Trijya (Radius) India I 91 mins I Drama I 2019 I Marathi w/ English subtitles In an age where, being oblivious to your true self has increasingly become a reality for many, artistically inclined villager Avdhut Kale struggles to find his place in the metropolis of Pune. Working as a reporter for the local newspaper, he is stuck writing the horoscopes. At home, he faces the prospect of an arranged marriage. The mounting societal pressures create a disconnect from his true self, yet he is overcome by his own passivity and seeks perspective from friends & family, who encourage him to find wisdom and spiritual insight. Divided into five chapters, the film traces the journey of Avdhut from his rural hometown in India to the big city, taking us through the challenges of today's modern way of life and the compromises one inevitably makes along the way to find peace and a place we can call our own. GET YOUR FESTIVAL BADGE VIRTUAL PREMIERE : SAT. APRIL 24 - 10:00PM CT $7 TICKETS About the Artist Akshay Indikar is a 27-year old filmmaker from India. Hailing from a nomadic tribe, he is an ex-student of The Film and Television Institute of India and the writer, director, & editor of TRIJYA. The film is his feature debut feature and is derived from deeply personal, autobiographical experiences. His last short film, DOH, premiered in Kerala at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival and travelled to various other festivals. Later he made a docu-fiction film based on the Indian author/ poet, Professor Bhalchandra Nemade, who is a Jnanpith Award recipient. TRIJYA had its world premiere at Shanghai International Film Festival and was nominated for Asian New Talent Award for Best Film, Best Director, & Best Cinematography. Currently he is developing his second feature length film CONSTRUCTION. Trailer Thank you to our community partner(s): the Austin Film Society, and the Austin Film Commission ! Credits Crew Writer/Director: AKSHAY INDIKAR Co-Writer: KSHAMA PADALKAR Producer(s): ARFI LAMBA ARVIND PAKHLE KATHARINA SUCKALE Creative Producer TEJASHRI KAMBLE Cinematographer: SWAPNIL SHETE AKSHAY INDIKAR Editor: AKSHAY INDIKAR Production Companies: CHITRAKATHI NIRMITI BOMBAY BERLIN FILM PRODUCTIONS Cast ABHAY MAHAJAN - 'Avdhut' AARYA ROTHE as 'Savani' KARISHMA RATHOD as 'Bride' PRASHANT GITE as'Journalist Friend' AVANISH GAIKWAD as 'Father' MAHESH BHOSALE as 'Friend' Additional Crew Prod. Design: TEJASHRI KAMBLE Asst. Director(s): YOGESH SALVE BHUSHAN KOLTE VISHWESH JOSHI Costume Designer: TEJASHRI KAMBLE VASUDHA HERWADKAR Sound Design: MANDAR KAMALAPURKAR

A writer-director struggles with her profound sense of loss after the sudden death of her father, who dies while visiting his homeland of India. Hena wrestles with their strained relationship the only way she knows how: making a film. and Sufi are forced to face past secrets and reflect on what makes a family. Streaming April 28-May 1st, 2023 On Filmocracy Back to Festival Program 1/3 THE RETURN US I India I 18 mins I Docu-Hyrbid I 2021 I English, Urdu w/ English subtitles WATCH ONLINE Official Selection of DOCNYC, CAAM Fest, IFFLA, Dharamshala IFF 'Grand Jury Award' - Seattle Asian American Film Festival A writer-director struggles with her profound sense of loss after the sudden death of her father, who dies while visiting his homeland of India. Hena wrestles with coming to terms with their strained relationship the only way she knows how: making a film. About the Artist 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. Her films have screened at Outfest, Dharamshala, DOC NYC, and dozens of more festivals. Hena has an MFA in Film Directing from UCLA and is based in Los Angeles. Trailer Credits Crew Writer/Director: Hena Ashraf Producer(s): Kajri Akhtar Hena Ashraf Mo Hussain Tejas Karguppikar Yugandhara Muthukrishnan Linda Nhem Christelle Zeinoun Film Editor(s): Georgia Fu Esther Shubinski Hena Ashraf Featured Cast: Roshni Shukla Shurud Shanto Aishveryaa Nidhi Ahana Paul Shrey Tomar Amartya Paul Art Director: Denver Kotian Costume Designer: Keelin Quigley Make-Up: Oasis Nguyen

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. THERE WAS NOBODY HERE WE KNEW A film by Khaula Malik 2021 | USA | 10 mins BUY TICKETS Outside Washington, DC in the suburbs of Northern Virginia, Waleed Malik, a middle-aged Pakistani immigrant becomes fascinated by a mysterious glowing orb outside his 12th-floor apartment window. Meanwhile, Riffat Malik, his wife, has been seeing the orb for a year and believes it’s a UFO sent from outer space. It’s 2020, and millions of people around the world are confined to their homes in government-sanctioned lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In this possible documentary about possible aliens, a Pakistani couple in quarantine bicker and ruminate about extraterrestrial and terrestrial border-crossings of multiple kinds. There Was Nobody Here We Knew is as much about finding answers as it is about looking inward to understand how we arrived to where we are at and where we are headed. About the Director Khaula Malik Khaula Malik is a filmmaker whose work explores intersectional identity and ideas of home. Most recently, she was selected for the 2020 Tribeca Chanel Through Her Lens program and the 2020 Cine Qua Non-Revisions Lab for her narrative feature, SUTOON. Her short film HOW THE AIR FEELS premiered at AFI Docs and won the National Board of Review Student Grant Award and the Special Jury Award at the Sharjah Film Platform. She associate produced the award-winning feature documentary, OF LOVE & LAW. She has served on the review committee for the Peabody Awards and The Gotham Documentary Lab. She was a fellow in the 2018 Hot Springs Emerging Filmmaker program with her feature documentary, THE NOBLE HALF, and an artist-in-residence at Governor’s Island for her multimedia project, THE WARMEST ZEROES. Khaula’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Sight & Sound, Brown Girl Magazine, as well as on CUNY TV. She is a proud member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia and a graduate of the MFA program at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema. Credits Hosted by Director: Featuring: Producer(s): Cinematography: Editor(s): Additional Editing: Consulting Editor: Music & Sound Design: Colorist: Production: Year: Length: Screening Format: Funding & Support: Khaula Malik Waleed Malik Riffat Malik Mahnoor Malik Farooq Malik Nazish Jonathan Bryan Kelly Khaula Malik Khaula Malik Laura Kulik Khaula Malik Karishma Dev Dube Hemal Trivedi Travis Devin Cedric Von Neiderhausern Virginia, USA 2020 10 minutes DCP The India Center - South Asian Artists Resiliency Fund

Indie Meme's virtual film festival, streaming May 2 - 4,  will bring second screenings of many of our in-person favorites, fresh virtual-exclusive feature and short programs, and a retrospective showcase featuring your past favorites. IMFF 2025 Virtual Festival Join us this year on Eventive to watch over 30 amazing films spanning 10+ countries. The virtual festival, streaming May 2 - 4, 2025, will bring second screenings of many of our in-person favorites, as well as fresh virtual-exclusive feature and short programs. Narrative Features Narrative Features Kherwal United States Premiere undefined | 2023 | Santhali,Bengali,English 122 mins | Uttam Kamati Norwegian academic Samuel passed away in an Indian tribal village, leaving behind a final wish to be buried there. Bidu, a Santhali man, is determined to honour Samuel’s last request. Meanwhile, Bidu's young son struggles with the painful realisation that his cherished dream of visiting Norway, a promise made by Samuel, may never come true. However, hope flickers anew with the arrival of Samuel’s daughter, Lauren, in the village, rekindling the boy’s aspirations and bringing new possibilities to light. Read More 29th Kolkata International Film Festival 28th International Film Festival of Kerala 2023-Best Debut Director Indian Cinema Now 16th Jaipur International Film Festival -Awarded for Best Original Script, Best Released Film, Best Cinematography, Best Actor Lead Virtual Only, Virtual Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman North America Premiere undefined | 2023 | Hindi 79 mins | Nidhi Saxena Nidhi (43) and her mother Meera (70) exist in a decaying ancestral house, a physical manifestation of their stagnant lives. Nidhi's childhood was marred by a traumatic event involving her father that left her emotionally isolated and perpetually melancholic. She grapples with her past by writing haunting letters to her younger self, lamenting what could have been and warning her of what awaits. Meera harbors deep regrets over an unrequited love affair that never came to fruition, a wistful yearning that compounds her sense of failure as a mother witnessing Nidhi's profound despair. Yet, a flicker of hope remains – the possibility of Nidhi finding solace. When Nidhi discovers an ancient mystical ritual that promises oblivion through vanishing, the idea takes root. Meera, in a last act of love, decides to join Nidhi on this metaphysical journey into nothingness. As mother and daughter perform the rites, the barriers between past and present dissolve. Memories bleed into the present, echoing their anguished cries long suppressed by society's expectations.On one transcendent night, enveloped in darkness, they disappear - two flightless birds finally freed from their corporeal and emotional prisons. An experimental meditation on the complex struggles women endure. Read More Virtual Only, Virtual Documentary Features Documentary Features Agent of Happiness undefined | 2024 | Dzongkha,Nepali,English 94 mins | Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó How can you measure happiness? The country of Bhutan invented Gross National Happiness to do just that, and Amber is one of the agents who travels door to door to meet people and measure how happy they really are. He is still living with his elderly mother at the age of 40, but is nevertheless a hopeless romantic who dreams of finding love: a happiness agent who is in search of his own happiness. We embark with Amber on a cross-country road trip meeting citizens from all walks of life, reminding us of the fragility and beauty of our own happiness. No matter where we live. Read More Jury and Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary - IMFF 2025, Austin, USA Sundance Film Festival 2024 71st Sydney Film Festival 2024 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 Recorded Q&A with Director Arun Bhattarai In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Land of Dreams Texas Premiere undefined | 2025 | Punjabi,Hindi,English 40 mins | Ambarien Alqadar Filmed for nearly a decade, Land of Dreams is an intimate portrait of Virender Rana, a taxi driver from India, chasing his dream of telling his story in America. While he points the camera at his own life and films a Bollywood style movie, the film follows his journey of coming to America, finding joy as part of a larger Sikh community and that of taxi drivers and laying roots as an immigrant. As he joins the elite Uber Black fleet hoping for his dreams to come true, he faces challenges of being a brown immigrant on the streets of post 9/11 America. Land of Dreams is a letter of solidarity and hope to anyone who has searched for a home and a land for their dreams in a place where they were not born. Read More Virtual Only, Virtual And, Towards Happy Alleys United States Premiere undefined | 2023 | Persian,English 75 mins | Sreemoyee Singh Fascinated by Iran’s film culture and the poetic works of the feminist poet Forough Farrokhzad, Indian filmmaker Sreemoyee Singh sets out in search of the protagonists of Iranian cinema. The numerous interviews she conducts over a period of six years with filmmakers Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Shirvani, and human rights activist Nasrin Sotudeh, among others, show the precarious situation in which critics of the regime find themselves, including the constant threat of imprisonment and being banned from practicing their profession. With a keen eye for unusual situations, she documents the effect of the Islamic Republic’s strict and omnipresent censorship on the daily lives of Iranian women whose uncompromising struggle has put them at the forefront of the protests that are currently rocking the country. And, Towards Happy Alleys is a passionate declaration of love for the cinema and poetry of Iran which also provides a frank view of daily life, and bears witness to a fearless generation raising its voice and implacably demanding its civil liberties. Read More Best Film in the International Competition at BAFICI, Argentina, April 2023 Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari award for Best Debut Director at Mumbai International Film Festival, June, 2024 Best Documentary in World Cinema Festival, Calcutta, 2024 Live Q&A with director Sreemoyee Singh and lead actress Aida Mohammadkhani In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual BACK THEN - The Story of Live Music in Bombay Texas Premiere undefined | 2024 | English 57 mins | Anindita Dutta Roy, Abhishek Chandran 'BACK THEN - The Story of Live Music in Bombay' is a documentary film that takes the viewer back 30 years in time to explore the sounds of the city's musical counterculture as it was. It puts you into the shoes of its mercurial artists, passionate folks behind the scenes, and misfits who went to gigs through the 90s, 2000s, and 2010s. The film puts a spotlight on what happened in the shadowy world of underground live music and answers questions like what it meant to watch an artist live in 1994, what it’s like today, and what kind of underground music was played in 2006. Over the span of 53 minutes, it cruises through real and rare DIY stories all the way from the 1990s, right up to 2023. Read More Yellowstone International Film Festival Best Documentary Film Winner Recorded Q&A with directors Anindita Dutta Roy and Abhishek Chandran In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Shorts Program Short Film Block I Texas Shorts Cowboys and Hindus World Premiere undefined | 2025 | English 16 mins | Tejal Desai A depressed, affluent, middle aged Hindu woman, ASHA, accompanies her domineering husband to a Texas cattle ranch. While there, she befriends a cattle woman who takes the Hindu woman under her wing and teaches her all about cowboy culture. Asha soon finds purpose on the ranch and in her life. She discovers the meaning of true American grit. Read More In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Lost. Texas Premiere undefined | 2024 | N/A 9 mins | Rohit Battepati Life Lost is not the same as Life Taken. Lost is a story that explores the themes of loneliness, inner battles, and helplessness. The protagonist has no “name” in the film and is seen going through a series of emotions that feel both rushed and deliberate, each serving a purpose within the narrative. In the opening two minutes, the film symbolizes the struggle and mental turmoil that one experiences in intense situations at a thought level, particularly when grappling with the desire to escape from the reality. As the story progresses, the character becomes both expressive and reactive, engaging in a series of mundane activities that seem to provide some comfort to him. A timer, counting down an hour, heightens the tension as the character grows increasingly anxious as time passes. The film ends with a moment of revelation, where the character's journey becomes clear, tying together the events shown and offering clarity to the emotions and experiences portrayed. Read More Hyperreal Film Club Official Selection, Reale Film Festival - Best Super Short, Tamizhagam International Film Festival - Best Actor In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Fragments of Us World Premiere undefined | 2024 | Telugu,English 24 mins | Sushanth Nallapareddy Fragments of Us follows Drithi and Arjun, a south asian couple navigating the intricate challenges of love, marriage, and self-discovery. As cultural expectations and personal ambitions collide, they confront the fragile nature of their bond through a non-linear narrative that reveals defining moments from their past, present, and possible future. Each fragment of their journey invites reflection on whether there is ever a "right" time to address issues within a relationship, or if it ultimately comes down to resilience and choice. Read More In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Nirmalya Texas Premiere undefined | 2024 | Marathi,English 18 mins | Aniket Chandrakant Dhavale An Indian family in the USA is confronted with a difficult decision regarding the future of their newborn child. What choice will they make, and what factors will influence their decision? Read More In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Lost in Concrete Woods World Premiere undefined | 2025 | Telugu 24 mins | Pruthvi Teja Anumandla Ram, an ambitious man consumed by his routine, oblivious to the world around him. When he gets locked out of his home on a freezing night, he is forced to navigate an unfamiliar reality—one without comfort, technology, or control. As the long night unfolds, every passing hour presents new challenges—physical, emotional, and existential. Unexpected encounters and moments of isolation begin to shift his perspective, nudging him toward a realization that had always been waiting in the shadows. Read More In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Smoke Cheyyaku Bro (Don't Smoke Bro) Austin Premiere undefined | 2024 | Telugu 13 mins | Prithvi Raj Karredula Anirudh, devastated by job loss, finds comfort in the advice of gas station clerk Sai Santosh. But when a seemingly innocent whistled tune triggers a sudden emotional outburst, the night takes an unexpected turn. Read More Audience Choice Award for Best Short - IMFF 2025, Austin, USA Oakcliff International Film Festival, Dallas Dallas International Film Festival Shorts, Dallas In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Short Film Block II We Are Family! Aloo Poori Texas Premiere undefined | 2025 | English,Hindi 13 mins | Aditi Sridhar Aloo Poori follows the story of a mother and daughter during their last day of living together in a small town in Western Pennsylvania. Sejal is on the cusp of leaving her home and mother behind, unsure if she’s scared to go, or scared to stay. Her mother Madhuri is avoiding a recent mental health diagnosis and her daughter's departure by throwing her heart into her cooking. The two have never had to function without each other, and on the eve of Sejal’s departure, they realize they might not know how to-- grappling with what forgiveness and farewell truly mean to them. Read More Chicago South Asian Film Festival Red Rose International Film Festival Planet Female Global StoryFest (Best Student Film) In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Flowering Man North America Premiere undefined | 2023 | Hindi 24 mins | Soumyajit Ghosh Dastidar In The Flowering Man, a middle-aged man experiences an inexplicable transformation when a delicate flowering plant begins to sprout from his mouth. As the phenomenon takes hold, he struggles to understand its significance while navigating his relationship with his teenage daughter. What begins as a surreal affliction soon becomes a profound metaphor for growth, acceptance, and the silent emotions that often go unspoken between loved ones. Through striking visuals and an evocative narrative, the film explores themes of metamorphosis, human connection, and the quiet resilience found in embracing change. Read More "Paridrishya" International Festival of Short Films and Documentaries Karnataka Symbiosis Film Festival International Festival for Short Documentary & Fiction Films- Best Director Award in the Short Fiction category JIO MAMI year Round Programme, Goa Virtual Only, Virtual Chashma International Premiere undefined | 2024 | Hindi 20 mins | Nitin Baid An 11-year-old boy with poor vision must confront more than his physical limitations when a school conflict forces him to make a difficult decision. Set against the backdrop of 1992 amidst India's rising sociopolitical tensions, Supriyo's journey boldly explores the emotional and societal blind spots around him. Read More In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Hema Texas Premiere undefined | 2024 | Hindi,English 16 mins | Ritvik Dhavale After immigrating to Los Angeles from India with her husband and son, Hema finds herself navigating the daunting task of settling into American life while grappling with a deep yearning for her homeland. The complexities of cultural adjustment weigh heavily on her, and she seeks comfort and familiarity in maintaining connections to her roots. However, her delicate balance is unexpectedly disrupted when she crosses paths with a young Marathi man. This encounter stirs a mix of emotions within her, from nostalgia to uncertainty, threatening to unravel the fragile stability she has managed to establish in a foreign land. As she confronts this unexpected challenge, Hema is forced to reevaluate her identity and aspirations, torn between the pull of her past and the realities of her present life in America. Read More San Francisco Frozen Film Festival (SFFFF) PROOF Film Festival - Gold Jury Award Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) - Audience Choice Award In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Da'Lit Kids International Premiere undefined | 2024 | Malayalam 6 mins | Appu Soman A school boy being questioned by his teacher- his first bitter lesson in social discrimination. As he struggles to understand this silent injustice, he begins to see the world through new, questioning eyes. Read More In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Short Film Block III Little Women A Lazy Noon United States Premiere undefined | 2025 | Bangla 15 mins | Monon Muntaka Nira, a highly educated 38-year-old woman who comes from an upper-middle-class family. Her husband is a senior executive at a corporate company, and she is a homemaker. She married with the intention of enjoying a modest and peaceful life. She was going about her regular activities. But, as time passes, she becomes increasingly aware of the emotional abuse she is subjected to. She made the decision to stand up and protect her dignity and self-worth. Read More 23rd Dhaka International Film Festival - Best Short Film Fipresci Award In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual The First Film Texas Premiere undefined | 2023 | Hindi 19 mins | Piyush Thakur In a small town in 1960s India, deep-rooted in orthodox traditions, cinema is believed to corrupt young minds, and women are forbidden to watch films. Devi, a 14-year-old girl, is obsessed with films and dreams of watching one in a theater. Her neighbor, Mohan, a 14-year-old mute cinephile boy, narrates stories from his favorite films to her at night. When an unforeseen incident shakes their world, Devi has one last chance to pursue her dream. The First Film celebrates friendship, courage, and the magic of cinema. Read More Audience Choice Award for Best Short - IMFF 2025, Austin, USA Festival de Cortos de Bogotá - BOGOSHORTS Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival South Asian Film Festival of Montréal – Montréal In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual An Orphanage of Memories Austin Premiere undefined | 2024 | Kashmiri 21 mins | Rayit Hashmat Qazi In a small village of Kashmir, Farah, the caretaker of a small piece of land has lost her husband under tragic, unexplained circumstances. Feeling overwhelmed with grief, Farah clings onto her late husband's memories. Under threat of her home being uprooted by the prospect of a new buyer, Farah finds a new lease of life when she discovers the saplings her husband brought to their kitchen garden. Just as she is done planting them, she discovers small rat droppings around the garden. With this, Farah dives deep into a point of no return as she dedicates her life towards protecting the saplings at the cost of affecting her sanity. Read More Tasveer Film Festival Jakarta Film Week - Winner (Global Short Award) Izmit International Short Film Festival (Finalist) Virtual Only, Virtual Virundhu (The Feast) Texas Premiere undefined | 2024 | Tamil 25 mins | Rishi Chandna A fisherwoman takes on a powerful local politician by hosting a feast for him using an unforgettable secret dish that could save her dying lake. Read More Jury Award for Best Short - IMFF 2025, Austin, USA Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, February 2024, World Premiere - Special Jury Prize Winner, International Competition Sydney Film Festival, June 2024 In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Taak North America Premiere undefined | 2024 | Hindi 40 mins | Udit Khurana When a security breach shakes the foundations of a Delhi nightclub, the management enforces a new policy: mandatory tracking smartwatches for all staff members. Senior among the staff is Shalini, a bouncer who is a single mother. They are told that the smartwatches are tools for safety and efficiency. However, the watches soon reveal a darker purpose—constant surveillance. As the smartwatches begin to intrude on personal lives, harvesting data and controlling movements, the nightclub faces opposition from Komal - a young recruit from Shalini’s village who is extremely resistant to wearing the smartwatch. Berated for her team’s incompetence, Shalini must ensure that her colleagues wear the smartwatch or face severe consequences. In a world where every move is tracked, Shalini and Komal’s fight becomes one of autonomy, dignity, and the right to be unseen. Read More Film Critics Guild's Critic's Choice Award for Best Actress MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Dharamshala International Film Festival, FILMKUNSTFEST MV (Germany) Virtual Only, Virtual Short Film Block IV Cryptic Stories... Blue North America Premiere undefined | 2024 | Tamil 12 mins | Praveen Kumar Nagendran A young boy persuades a fisherman to take him out to sea. Once there, he reveals his true intentions, sparking the fisherman’s anger. The film leaves us wondering whether the boy ultimately succeeds in his plan. Read More Special prize from Arctic Open International Film Festival 2024, Russia In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Pyaar Andaaz (Love Undoes) International Premiere undefined | 2024 | English,Hindi 6 mins | Laksh Banthia A man tries to keep himself together as he waits in a university canteen for his beloved from yesteryear. "Pyaar Andaaz" is a short experience attempting to capture the ephemeral nature of love and human connection in a single continuous take. Read More In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Dadresi (The Claimant) Texas Premiere undefined | 2024 | Persian 20 mins | Nadereh Sadatserki “Claimant" is about a father who discovers that his teenage daughter was assaulted and raped, so he decides to confront and punish the rapist, but since the culprit is a very proficient lawyer he uses laws in a way that he not only escapes from justice but also legally make the father the criminal. Read More Fajr International Film Festival, Iran - Winner Best Short Film Tehran International Short Film Festival, Iran - Winner Best Direction Accolade Global Film Competition, United States - Winner Best Woman Filmmaker Virtual Only, Virtual Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know undefined | 2023 | Kannada 15 mins | Chidananda S Naik The sun never rises again after an elderly woman steals the village's rooster, which throws the community into disarray. To bring the rooster back, a prophecy is invoked, sending the old lady's family into exile. Read More 1. First Prize - LA CINEF- the 77th Edition of Festival De Cannes, France 2. Best Film in Indian Category - 14th Bengaluru International Short Film Festival 2024 3. Best First-Time Filmmaker Award - 4th Greece International Film Festival In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Ouroboros International Premiere undefined | 2024 | N/A 6 mins | Anuj Choudhary The film is about the propagation of evil curses in the form of a beautiful ring that invokes greed. The story revolves around a simple man who stumbles upon the ring and steals it. Read More Birsa Munda international film awards- best horror short film 13th Mumbai shorts international film festival - best student animated film 17th jaipur international film festival - best upcoming film award In Theater & Virtual, In Theater, Virtual Waterman United States Premiere undefined | 2023 | Marathi,Kannada 24 mins | Vishwas K In a low-income neighborhood in Pune, 'Kitty', an eight-year-old boy, lives with his mother 'Saroja' amidst severe water shortages. During Kitty's summer vacation, Kitty fills his days playing with his imaginary friend while Saroja struggles to manage household tasks and water collection alone, due to her husband's absence. Their neighbor Gullamma suggests Kitty should grow-up quickly to help his mother. Meantime Kitty becomes intrigued after encountering a stiltwalker and playing with Gullamma's son, Dasthgir. He convinces Dasthgir to get him a pair of stilts. Later, Kitty discovers that whenever he walks on stilts, all the taps around him start running with water. When he shares this news with other people, he gets laughed at. His own mother gives him a scolding. Angered, Kitty runs away but is found and brought back home by Dasthgir. Saroja reassures Kitty that they will use his ability to bring water to the neighborhood. Soon after, in the middle of the night, stilts emerge from Saroja's house, and wherever Kitty's shadow passes, taps and containers start running with water, flooding the lanes and roads. Kitty continues to walk as his stilts echoes through the neighborhood. Read More 16th IDSFFK - Best Film Award in Short Fiction Category 14th Bengaluru International Short Film Festival 2024 - 1st Runner Up in Kannada category Virtual Only, Virtual Retrospective Showcase In honor of Indie Meme Film Festival's 10th anniversary, we are bringing back 10 audience favorites! Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha undefined | 2019 | Hindi 49 mins | Tanuja Chandra Three hours outside India's capital is a village called Lahra. This film follows two widowed sisters, aged 86 and 93, who have retired to this village, and whose days are spent with their adopted family of domestic help. Pulling along with their walkers (because of bad knees that turned inoperative a decade ago) the sisters do as they please, pay heed to no one and don’t bother with unsolicited advice. They don’t let their ailments unsettle them much and remain largely unfearful of death. With a rare acceptance of old age and all that it brings, they spend their time gossiping, watching T.V., soaking in the sun and bonding with the help of a hearty sharing of community life. With the filmmaker being their niece who visits their home for the first time, the film resolutely assumes the tone of this oddball group of people – a facile easy-going manner, that gazes lightly at the passing of days. And yet, from this light-heartedness, emerge lessons. Of courage and perseverance, of camaraderie and care-giving, of destiny and faith, and the most significant one: when we engage in conversations of death, we improve the quality of life. Read More Madrid International Film Festival – Spain JIO MAMI 21st Mumbai Film Festival New York Indian Film Festival – NY Virtual Only, Virtual In Flames undefined | 2023 | Urdu 98 mins | Zarrar Kahn Mariam lives with her younger brother and their mother, Fariha, in a tiny apartment in Karachi. When Mariam’s maternal grandfather passes, his brother tries to manipulate them into signing over their apartment to him, a common occurrence in Pakistan, where women’s property rights are fragile. Mariam’s mother, grieving and isolated, is easy to influence. Mariam, distraught by her mother’s foolishness, finds solace in a secret romance with a fellow student, Asad. When their relationship takes an unexpected turn, Mariam becomes consumed by nightmares. Meanwhile, her mother, caught between her coercive Uncle and a murky legal system, is oblivious to her daughter’s deteriorating mental state. Mariam’s nightmares begin to bleed into reality. Mother and daughter must come together if they hope to overcome the real and phantasmal forces that threaten to engulf them. Read More Golden Yusr at Red Sea FF, TIFF, Cannes Virtual Only, Virtual Pebbles undefined | 2021 | Tamil 75 mins | Vinothraj P S A hot-tempered alcoholic father drags his reticent son to a distant village to fetch back his wife whom he had chased away. But when the encounter turns ugly, the journey home through unforgiving Tamil Nadu barrens is fraught with the sweat and smudge of the deserted terrain where the land and human emotions lay brazenly palpable in the scorching heat. Read More Winner of the 'Tiger Award' at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021, Netherlands, held in February 2021 Winner of the PREMIO SNCCI “Best Feature Film” adjudged by the National Syndicate of Italian Film Critics at ShorTS International Film Festival 2021, Italy held in July 2021 Winner of the 'Audience Award' at Burgas International Film Festival 2021, Bulgaria held in July 2021 Virtual Only, Virtual Turup undefined | 2017 | Hindi 72 mins | Ektara Collective In the neighbourhood, chess is a popular pass time with roadside games bringing together men from different strata. Their pawns include morality and religion, causing social and political tensions to erupt when a tournament gets underway. But the men are only the most visible players. Against this simmering backdrop, a domestic worker with a secret hobby, a young woman in love and a former journalist struggling with married life must make their moves with care. When caste, class, religion and gender come into play, there are boundaries to be negotiated, and the very rules of the game stand challenged. Read More Virtual Only, Virtual Barah x Barah (12x12) undefined | 2021 | Hindi 118 mins | Gaurav Madan 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! Read More IFFK, Kerala 2021 Shanghai International Film Festival 2021 IFF Stuttgart 2021 Virtual Only, Virtual Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom undefined | 2019 | Dzongkha 109 mins | Pawo Choyning Dorji 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. Read More 2022 Academy Award Nominee for 'Best International Feature' Virtual Only, Virtual Sthal (A Match) undefined | 2023 | Marathi 104 mins | Jayant Somalkar In a village in the Vidarbha region of India, a determined young girl, Savita, yearns for education and a brighter future. However, as her farmer parents anxiously struggle to find a suitable match for her, societal expectations place immense pressure on her to prioritize marriage over personal aspirations. Being dark-complexioned and short in height, Savita is seen as an added ‘burden’ on her parents and ‘marrying her off’, as difficult as finding fair price for their crop. Facing countless rejections from potential suitors, she must navigate a world where the pursuit of marriage overshadows the very sustenance of life. Shot on real locations with real people from the village, all non-actors, Sthal (A Match) is the director's debut feature film that explores the tradition of arranged marriages in rural India while highlighting patriarchy, colorism and social evil deeply rooted in society. Read More Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival 2024 (Best Film, Best Actress) Third Eye Asian Film Festival 2024 (Best Film, Best Actress) Pune International Film Festival 2024 (Sant Tukaram Award - Best Marathi Film, Best Screenplay) Virtual Only, Virtual Eikhoigi Yum (Our Home) undefined | 2022 | Manipuri 86 mins | Romi Meitei Belonging to an isolated fishing community of the Loktak lake, Chaoren makes the best use of his exclusive existence by excelling in school. When the canoe he uses every day to attend school has to be sold off because of his father’s illness, his spirit is not dampened. He beats the long distance from his shanty floating hut to his school by swimming his way through. But when the Government issues an eviction notice demanding Chaoren’s family to leave their home, his dreams are left with an angst of a displaced person. Read More IMFF2023 - Audience Choice Award for the Best Narrative Feature at IMFF, Austin, USA 69th National Film Awards, Best Manipuri Film, India Best Director at Kazan International Muslim Festival, Russia FIPRESCI Award for the Best International Film at 27IFFK, Kerala/India Virtual Only, Virtual Lyari Notes undefined | 2015 | Urdu 70 mins | Miriam Chandy Menacherry & Maheen Zia In Pakistan a rock star teaches a group of girls to express themselves through music in Karachi’s most volatile district. Hamza Jafri travels in an armed vehicle. He is a musician famous for his hard hitting political lyrics since the 1990s. Since then religious fundamentalism has been on the rise with shops selling music torched, concerts bombed and musicians threatened with death. Seeing the shrinking space for music and artists Hamza opens a music school. Captured over 3 years Lyari Notes is the narrative of four young girls who attend Hamza’s music school and learn what it takes to express oneself despite the cycles of violence. Read More World Premiere and nominated by the Alliance of Women Film Journalists – EDA Award at the International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam – Nov 2015 Winner of the Golden Boddhisattva Award (Patna) at the Bodhisattva International Film Festival – Feb 2017 Winner of excellence in best documentary feature (red category) at the ARY Film Festival (Karachi) – May 2017 Virtual Only, Virtual The Threshold undefined | 2015 | Hindi,English 87 mins | Pushan Kriplani The Threshold details one day in the life of a couple who have been married over two decades. On this day, the day after their newly married son, and the guests from his wedding party, have left, the wife informs her husband that she is leaving him. For good. Presented with this fait accompli, two people on the verge of an idyllic retirement are forced to confront the truth of their marriage, without the masks. Even as the couple tries to get to the heart of the matter, they find the big questions of their lives beyond their grasp. They are two people, isolated in a house in the hills, preparing for the harsh Himalayan winter, trying to find themselves one last time. This film was an opportunity to explore a corner of our world that never makes it onto screen. The people we don’t normally notice. The people who are always at the edges of the family photograph. Except we know these people. They are our aunts and uncles. They are our parents. They are our grandparents. We will become them. It was an opportunity to examine an existential crisis: The unraveling of the idea of the ideal Indian marriage all of us are familiar with. Read More Virtual Only, Virtual How to Access the Festival/FAQ Narrative Features Documentary Features Shorts Block I Shorts Block II Shorts Block III Shorts Block IV Retrospective Showcase FAQ

A millennial, multicultural, Cinderella searches for her own magical 'happily ever after'. Yasmina (US/Short film /6min 41sec /English & Farsi) 4/27/2019 | 4:45 pm This short film will be screened prior to HALF WIDOW ATTEND SYNOPSIS A surprise encounter leads a daydreaming, young, line cook to discover that perhaps her heart’s desire may be found in the unlikeliest of places. DIRECTOR’S BIO Known for her fierce determination and brazenly unapologetic heart, AJ SIMMONS is a Mestiza Canadian actor, writer, and filmmaker. With a diverse foundation in classical theatre and dance, AJ’s passion for storytelling is infused with a layered complexity. As an emerging filmmaker AJ has produced several short films which went on to screen at festivals including the ReelAsian Film Festival, Toronto Urban Film Festival and the Toronto Silent Film Festival; as an actress she has appeared onstage with The Factory Theatre, Young People's Theatre, Aluna and Playwrights Theatre Centre; and on the small screen you can catch AJ on The 100, Fast Layne, and the award winning webseries All For One, and Someone Not There. As an emerging director, AJ believes change begins with action, which is why she endeavours to create films which champion and empower diverse voices both in front of and behind the camera. STILLS

A coming-of-age, drama about an adolescent girl growing up between the values of occidental and traditional cultures, whose aspirations of becoming a competitive swimmer take an unexpected turn when she gets her first period. Back to Film Program Virtual Exclusive WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 Kanya India I 15 mins I Coming of Age, Drama I 2021 I Tamil w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE A coming-of-age, drama about an adolescent girl growing up between the values of occidental and traditional cultures, whose aspirations of becoming a competitive swimmer take an unexpected turn when she gets her first period. This film plays with the A MATTER OF SURVIVAL shorts program online. About the Artist Born and raised in Chennai, a colorful conglomerate of urban villages, Apoorva Satish was fascinated by the power of Tamil film in state politics, igniting a passion for creating films that are socially and politically aware. To hone her creative skills as a filmmaker, Apoorva travelled extensively to work on fiction and non-fiction projects. In 2016, she was selected to attend the International Filmmaking Academy in Bologna under the tutorship of Academy Award-winning director Danis Tanovic and Academy Award nominee, Claudia Llosa. Apoorva received her MFA rom the Film & TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague. Her graduation film KANYA premiered at Busan International Film Festival (2020) followed by a successful festival run across the world. Kanya was shortlisted for the 2021 student academy awards placing her in the top 7% of the total number of entrants from across the world. Apoorva's passion lies in telling personal stories around socially relevant contemporary ideas and themes. She is currently based in Prague, developing her debut feature film while exploring other short and long-format film projects in India as well as the Czech Republic. Trailer

Donate today to help Indie Meme bring cultural films to Austin Texas and enrich the city's cultaral heritage. Our mission is to bridge the social and cultural awareness between local communities and South Asia & Iran through independent cinema from South Asia. Support Us Help us showcase indie South Asian programming for years to come Indie Meme is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to showcase socially relevant independent cinema from South Asia & Iran, in an effort to influence social and cultural awareness and consciousness and encourage and facilitate conversations. SPONSOR US Our work is driven by the generous financial support from you, our supporters. Together, we can ensure that our programming builds bridges, brings people together, and fosters understanding and community. DONATE

In the neighbourhood, chess is a popular pass time with roadside games bringing together men from different strata. Their pawns include morality and religion, causing social and political tensions to erupt when a tournament gets underway. But the men are only the most visible players. Turup 1h 12min | 2017 | Hindi with English subtitles Austin TX - 4/20/18, 7:00-9:00 pm Screening in DFW on 4/26/18 GET TICKETS SYNOPSIS In the neighbourhood, chess is a popular pass time with roadside games bringing together men from different strata. Their pawns include morality and religion, causing social and political tensions to erupt when a tournament gets underway. But the men are only the most visible players. Against this simmering backdrop, a domestic worker with a secret hobby, a young woman in love and a former journalist struggling with married life must make their moves with care. When caste, class, religion and gender come into play, there are boundaries to be negotiated, and the very rules of the game stand challenged. SPONSOR TRAILER DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Ektara Collective is an independent, autonomous, non-funded group of people who seek to combine creative efforts and imagination and collaborate with trained and untrained people to make films that are content wise and aesthetically located in people’s subjective, contextual realities and experiences. Through this process, Ektara has made and produced 2 short fiction films earlier (Chanda Ke Joote, 22mins, 2011; Jaadui Machchi, 38mins, 2013). This is our first fiction feature film. DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Turup (Checkmate) looks at the contemporary issues of caste, class, gender and growing right wing vigilantism prevalent in the country (India) today. It also brings out resistance and solidarities existing within these realities that quietly yet resolutely subvert the growing repression in their own manner. This film has been made collectively by Ektara Collective over a period of a year. It was made along with the residents of different working class settlements living in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. All of the cast and much of the crew were from the settlements. Other technical and non-technical people came from across the country to become a part of the film. The process of making the film was a collaborative and evolving one where ideas about the script, dialogues, shoot, edit and music were shared, finalised and eventually executed. The film thus is a product of collective effort where each person involved has contributed her/his own unique vision, skill and perspective to it, guiding and often maneuvering it to reach its logical conclusion. FILM CREDITS Producer: Ektara Collective Story, Script, Screenplay: Rinchin and Maheen Mirza Cinematography: Maheen Mirza Editing: Puloma Pal Sound Design: Bigyna Bhushan Dahal Production Design: Sanjay Raraiya, Priyanka Gaikwad, Tina Sharma Music: Dev Narayan Saroliya, Kaluram Bamniya, Narayanji Delmia, Sangeeta Lahiri Shrivastav Direction: Ektara Collective Principal Cast: Moulina Midde, Anil Singh, Madhu Bhagat, Syed Saim Ali, Nidhi Qazi, Hariram Darshyamkar, Aakash Jhamra, Kuldeep Arakka, Sheela Rawat, Abhinav Kumar, Deepak Nema, Hasanuddin, Madhu Dhurve, Geeta Dhrve, Preeti Jagat, Bali Jagat, Neelam Borkar, Seema Deshmukh, Pushpa Yadav, Tushar Pawar STILLS Turup_2 Turup_3 Turup_1

A selection of locally and internationally produced shorts touching on the distances between people - in time, space, and circumstances - and the ways in which they are bridged. $15 TICKETS (FREE for members) Sun April 17th, 2022 @ 12:30PM Venue: Austin Film Society Back to Film Program NOTE: The majority of these shorts can also be caught at our online festival, April 22-25. Texas Premiere Shorts Program 2 - Locals and Long Distance India, USA I 79 mins I Coming of Age, Romance, Drama, Documentary I Hindi, English w/ English Subtitles IN-PERSON TICKETS EXPLORE ONLINE SHORTS 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. FEATURING: Mono No Aware (dir. Koushik Sarkar) On a field trip, a girl reflects on the passage of time. The Blind Date (dir. Mihir Dhiraj Upadhyay) A young, blind couple visit the ocean together to discuss an upcoming change. Hot Chocolate ( dir. Lila Mali) A son reflects on a family tradition after moving out. Testimony of Ana ( dir. Sachin Dheeraj) A woman recounts the abuse of a modern witch hunt. Turning Point ( dir. Rakhesh Raveendran) An immigrant father drinks too much and faces a frightening consequence. About the Artist(s) Koushik Sarkar is a filmmaker and photographer who grew up in Krishnanagar and studied at the National Institute of Design (NID). In 2007, he started APOPSTROPHE, one of India's premier commercial production companies. He has produced advertisements for Dell, Samsung, Gillette, Amazon, & more. His latest venture, KALI Collective, a content development company, focuses mainly on narrative projects. Sachin is an engineer turned filmmaker from India. He is currently studying and practicing film at The UT- Austin as part of the MFA program in Film & Media Production. His short doc, The Bubbleman, premiered at SXSW Denius Longhorn Showcase and has played many world festivals. He is also a recipient of the Austin Film Society Grant for his pre-thesis film, Testimony of Ana , which premiered at HOT DOCS. Mihir Dhirajlal Upadhyay has a long relationship with filmmaking, from working as a camera attendant at 16 to producing international features with collaborators across the globe. As a producer, he's facilitated projects that have won the hearts of critics and audiences, including Pan Nalin's The Valley of Flowers. The Blind Date is his second short as writer/ director. He is currently developing web shows and a feature. Rakhesh Raveendran is a business professional and self-taught local filmmaker who has also served as President of the Greater Austin Malayalee Association. His short film, Turning Point, was shot on iPhone with a largely debut crew and inspired by the experiences of immigrants on work visas. 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. Trailer

Three Sri Lankan filmmakers renowned for their internationally acclaimed films based on the Sri Lankan civil war, join in to make one film to express their views on post-war reality. Her. Him. The Other Sri Lanka | Drama | 1 hr 56 min (116 min) | Sinhala and Tamil with English Subtitles 4/27/2019 | 6:30 - 8:50 pm This feature will be preceded by a short film - I DREAM ATTEND SYNOPSIS Three Sri Lankan filmmakers renowned for their internationally acclaimed films based on the Sri Lankan civil war, join in to make one film to express their views on post-war reality. The war between Tamil militants and government forces of Sri Lanka lasted for three decades. Thousands from both parties, combatants and civilians died due to the battle. The government forces crushed Tamil militants in May 2009. It's time to assess each other’s conscience. He (an ex-militant videographer for the LTTE) travels from the North in search of HER (a young widow of a government army soldier) in the South to find relief from the pain that disturbed his conscience. Having been raised in a religion that has faith in reincarnation, he (a Sinhala language teacher) tries to deceive his own conscience by refusing to believe the re-birth of a Tamil militant into a Sinhala family witnessed by HIM with his own eyes. One's hero is THE OTHER's traitor. But a mother will lose a son in a war. How many wars must a man live through before he feels the suffering of THE OTHER? TRAILER DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Prasanna Vithanage is a veteran filmmaker, Director, writer and a producer who is currently reside in Sri Lanka. He was involved with theater before he directed feature films. His filmography contains highly political stories and all of his films are internationally and locally acclaimed. He has been in the international festivals as the Jury and he is a film mentor & a lecturer for Sri Lankan upcoming filmmakers. Vimukthi Jayasundara is an award-winning Sri Lankan director known for his surreal films that erase the borders between fiction and documentary, between cinema and visual art. After finishing his documentary film “The Land of Silence” (2002) about the victims of civil war. He made his directorial debut with the “Forsaken Land” (2005), which won the Camera d’Or for best first feature at Cannes, Jayasundra followed this with between two worlds (2009), which competed at the Venice Film Festival, and has been shown at over 100 festivals internationally. His third feature “Mushrooms” (2011) was filmed in India and went on to be selected for Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes. Handagama is considered as the leader of the third generation of Sri Lankan cinema. His films, aiming to tackle harsh socio-political realities in the society, always tend to explore new forms and narratives. This is My Moon (2000), Flying With One Wing ( 2003), Letter of Fire ( 2005 ), Him, Here, After (2012), Let Her cry ( 2015), Asandhimitta ( 2018 ) are notable films which have been critically acclaimed at international film festivals. Amiens International Film Festival, paid tribute to Asoka Handagama for his contribution to development of independent cinema in Asia, at its 33rd edition, held from 8-16th November, 2013. CREDITS Directed by Asoka Handagama, Vimukthi Jayasundara, Prasanna Vithanage Writing Credits (in alphabetical order) Asoka Handagama Vimukthi Jayasundara Prasanna Vithanage Cast Dharshana Vidya Aravinda Mohamed Atheef F. Jules Colin Juliyan Gaarvith Galindawattha Asoka Handagama Krishantha Jayabahu Malkanthi Jayasinghe Perlija Jeyaraj Juliyan Kawshalya Mendis Kesavarajan Navaratnam Roshan Polwaththage Pradeep Ramawickrama Shirly Yasvin Ravishankar M. Saffeer Sethmika Samarasinghe Nipuni Sharada M. Raj Shri Weeramma Weeramma Janapriya Wickramasinghe Music by K Krishna Kumar Kapila Poogalaarachchi Cinematography by Channa Deshapriya M.D. Mahindapala Eeshit Narain ... director of photography Film Editing by Saman Alvitigala Ravindra Guruge Sreekar Prasad Second Unit Director or Assistant Director Shiladitya Bora ... second assistant director Daminda D. Madawala ... assistant director Chathurangi Rasikala Pathirage ... assistant director (as Chathurangi Pathirage) Trilan Shastri ... first assistant director Sound Department Tapas Nayak ... sound designer Editorial Department Dinindu Jagoda ... colorist P.V. Ram Prasaanth ... assistant editor Raghavendra Thirun ... associate editor STILLS Him_05 Him_02 Him_01 Him_04 Him_03 COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Meet our sponsors, patrons and supporters. We are grateful to these organizations to help bring independent films from South Asia to our audience. Our 2026 Sponsors Thank you to our generous sponsors for their support of Indie Meme's Festivals & Programs. Our corporate, media, institutional, & local business sponsors sustain our work and further the presence of independent South Asian Cinema in Texas. We appreciate all of your support, and could not do it without you! Indie Meme is supported in part by the City of Austin Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Presenting Sponsor Producing Sponsor Directing Sponsors Scripting Sponsors Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors Bronze Sponsors Hospitality Sponsors We are grateful to our 2015 , 2016, 2017 , 2018, 2019 , 2020 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 , 2024 , and 2025 sponsors. BECOME A SPONSOR