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Amid the backdrop of the Kashmiri conflict, a young woman must come to grips with the disappearance of her doting husband and embarks on harrowing journey of self-discovery. Half Widow 4/27/2019 | 12:45 - 2:45 pm This feature will be preceded by a short film - YASMINA ATTEND SYNOPSIS Amid the backdrop of the Kashmiri conflict, a young woman must come to grips with the disappearance of her doting husband and embarks on harrowing journey of self-discovery. A young Kashmiri woman, Neela is enjoying her new marriage. Her doting husband Khalid has welcomed her little brother Zakir into their home. But outside their walls, the Kargil War of 1999 rages, and suddenly Khalid is kidnapped by paramilitary forces in the middle of the night. So begins Neela's journey as a half-widow, held in limbo without her husband and unable to start a new life. The search for Khalid consumes her. Times passes, as does the war, and yet still Neela learns nothing. Her sorrow becomes a shackle and apathy for life settles in. Neela's sense of self is all but lost, consumed with the fact she is without her husband, a man she loved. But after Zakir is arrested defending her from police, a new light of hope flickers as she recognizes the importance of family sacrifice, igniting inside her a new quest for meaning and fulfillment. TRAILER DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Danish Renzu - A native of Kashmir and alumnus of UCLA, film director Danish Renzu hopes to inspire a new generation of Kashmiri filmmakers to practice their art as a force for unity in the conflicted region. He has directed several short films including award winning "In Search of America, Inshallah" (2014). His first film “Half Widow” (2017) showcases the plight of a Kashmiri half widow and received rave reviews worldwide premiering at Seattle International Film Festival. “The Illegal” (2018) stars Academy winning “Life of Pi” star Suraj Sharma in the lead explores a journey of an immigrant in Los Angeles and his journey towards the American dream. His next film “Pashmina”, set for release next year and telling the tales of several Kashmiri lives upended by decades of strife. The film comprises of a stellar cast and crew. He is also working on a musical Songs of Paradise set in Kashmir reviving music and art in Kashmir. He opened his own home production in Kashmir with a goal of reviving cinema back in the valley encouraging youth and local talent to pursue their dreams, also bring the lost culture, music and traditions of Kashmir to a worldwide audience. CREDITS Crew: Director/Producer/Writer: DANISH RENZU Producer/Writer: GAYA BHOLA Co-Producer(s): VIJAY BHOLA, RHONDA LEAL, FARZANA ALI, FAROOQ RENZU SHAH, & HEIDI BASCH HAROD Creative Producer(s): SUNAYANA KACHROO Executive Producer(s): NAHIDA NAZIR, VIJAY BHOLA, CORINE ARZOOMANIAN, RICHARD FRIEDMAN, J. VICTOR, SARWAN WASON, UMA WASON & SHAFAT QAZI Line Production Company: Renzu Films Cinematographer: ANTONIO CISNEROS Music: ALOKANANDA DASGUPTA Sound Design: AVINASH SONAWANE Playback singer(s): SONU NIGAM, DALIP LANGOO, NOOR MOHAMMAD & MAHMEET SYED Editor: NITIN BAID Dialogues, Poetry & Lyrics: SUNAYANA KACHROO Colorist: ROBERT CURREIRI Music on: Zee Music Company Production Companies: Renzu Films Gaya Art Films, LLC Rock On Motion Pictures Zee Music Company Instagram handle: @Halfwidow Facebook: www.facebook.com/halfwidow Cast: NEELOFAR HAMID (Neela) SHAHNAWAZ BHAT (Zakir) MIR SARWAR (Khalid) HASEENA SOFI (Khaala) YASMEENA WANI (Zynab) AYAAN SIKANDER (Faizan) YOUSUF SHAHNAZ (Bakarwaal) RHONDA LEAL (Eva) AWARDS Audience Choice Best Feature Film at SAIFF Best Director, Dada Sahab Phalke Film Festival 2018 Best Director, NJIFF Best Film, NJIFF In Competition at Asia Pacific Star Awards, Australia Best Actress, Best Cinematographer, Best Film Nomination, Boston India & International Film Festival Best Director Rising Star, DCSAFF, Washington DC Best Cinematographer Antonio Cisneros, Boston India & International Film Festival Best Feature Film, Vancouver South Asian International Film Festival Best Actress, Caleidoscope International Film Festival Rhode Island Movie STILLS HALF WIDOW_still_Neela pic HALF WIDOW_still_8 HALF WIDOW_still_4 HALF WIDOW_still_6 COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Thank you to our 2021 jurors for the narrative feature, documentary, and shorts programs! Award winners will be announced at the end of this festival this April. JURY & AWARDS CLOSING NIGHT - AWARDS CEREMONY On Sunday April 25th, come celebrate the films & filmmakers of the IMFF 2021 program with our closing night awards ceremony - streaming LIVE from our virtual village on FILMOCRACY. Award winners will be announced, closing remarks will be shared, and fun will be had - hosted by the brilliant Indian writer, film critic, video content creator and former radio jockey - Sucharita Tyagi. JURY AWARD WINNER - NARRATIVE FEATURE NASIR (dir. Arun Karthick) - Best narrative feature Nasir India I 80 mins I 2020 I Tamil w/ English subtitles Nasir is a wryly funny, romantic family man going about the daily errands of his job as a salesman. As the day unfolds, his course will be altered by an act of communal bigotry. SEVEN AND A HALF (dir. NAvid MAHMOUD) - Honorable Mention Seven and a Half Iran I 75 mins I 2019 I Persian w/ English subtitles The tales of 7 Iranian & Afghani girls, told in seven episodes. The stories deal with overlapping issues of marriage, violence, and the loss of control over one's own destiny. AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER - NARRATIVE FEATURE ZINDAGI TAMASHA (dir. Sarmad Khoosat) - audience Choice Zindagi Tamasha Pakistan I 138 mins I 2019 I Urdu w/ English subtitles A devout Muslim man's life is turned into a public circus when an exposé from his private life becomes an internet sensation, calling into question his piety, respect, & sexuality. Narrative Features: Jury Members LARA MORGAN Lara is an Austin-based filmmaker and film fan. During her time working at the Austin Film Society, she worked with festivals such as Indie Meme, Austin Asian American Film Festival, Cine Las Americas, and Austin Polish Film Festival. She has worked with SXSW over the years in several different capacities: as a QC team member, a projectionist, and as a film screener. In addition to exhibiting film, she has worked on Austin projects such as NO NO: A DOCKUMENTARY, which premiered at Sundance, ALSO STARRING AUSTIN, which played at Austin Film Festival and Dallas International Film Festival, and most recently Richard Linklater’s APOLLO 10 1/2, which is currently in post-production. CHITHRA JEYARAM Chithra makes intimate documentaries about identity, human relationships, race, art, and health. A failed attempt to fund a film in India led her to quit a decade-long career as a Physical Therapist and get an MFA in film. Her work is supported by BGDM Sustainability Grant, Jerome Foundation, Center for Asian American Media, NY Council for the Arts, American Institute for Indian Studies, & more, and is pitched at competitive events like IFP and Sheffield. In the near future, she hopes to direct narrative features & fantastical episodic content. She is an avid runner and has completed 14 marathons. Food is her first love. Her current documentary project, OUR DAUGHTERS, provides a rare look at adoption through an immigrant lens. When a South Asian woman desperate for motherhood and a white woman seeking a home for her twins cross paths unexpectedly, both take risks and make surprising choices for their daughters. BIJAN TEHRANI Bijan Tehrani is president and founder of Cinema Without Borders Foundation and Editor in Chief of Cinema Without Borders & CineEqul, two online publications dedicated to international and social justice cinema. Bijan has been an award-winning writer and film director that has also received multiple awards for his services for promoting international cinema in the US and around the globe. During the last half of the century Bijan has been a member of numerous international film festivals. He has also organized several film festivals and recently he has been the Director of ELAC International Animation Day Festival, that in April 2021 will hold its 7th edition. Bijan also founded Bridging The Borders Award fourteen years ago, that has been given to a film that helps to bring people of the world closer together, in eight festivals around the world. Jury AWARD WINNERS - DOCUMENTARY SHUT UP SONA (dir. Deepti Gupta) - BEST documentary feature Shut Up Sona India I 85 mins I 2019 I Hindi, English, Oriya w/ English subtitles A sharp, tongue-in-cheek documentary following a rebellious female singer as she fights for space in modern day India, a country deeply uncomfortable with her emancipation. Documentary ProGRAM: Jury Members MARISA MIRABAL Marisa Mirabal is a native Texan with a passion for film and business. She applies her love for local business and free press by working full-time as an advertising account executive at The Austin Chronicle . She is also a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic providing festival coverage during Fantastic Fest, SXSW, Austin Film Festival, MondoCon, and Texas Frightmare Weekend. Her film analysis is geared towards amplifying marginalized voices, maverick filmmaking techniques and the exploration of taboo subject matter through thematic storytelling. Marisa's work has been published by Birth.Movies.Death. , /Film , Collider, The Austin Chronicle, Eater Austin , and Fangoria. She served on the Documentary Jury for the Austin Asian American Film Festival and became a board member for Women in Film and Television International's Austin chapter in 2019. The next year, Marisa was inducted into the Austin Film Critics Association. She also spends time as a co-host on Black Magic Coven , an all-female podcast that covers genre films, folklore, and true crime. KAREN KOCHER Karen Kocher is a documentary media producer and the creator of Living Springs a multi-platform documentary series chronicling the history, science, and culture of Barton Springs and the Edwards Aquifer. Living Springs’ home base is the interactive theater at the Beverly S. Sheffield Education Center. The series has been viewed by more than 30,000 households on KLRU & can also be seen on its dedicated website . In 2020 Karen was awarded the “Art in Service of the Environment” award from the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. Her new, interactive exhibit, Barton Creek Time Stream, opens at the Beverly Center in Fall 2021. Her most recent film, Origins of a Green Identity , explores the rise of Austin’s environmental ethic from 1950-1970. In 2006, Kocher completed Austin Past and Present, Austin’s first interactive digital history, which was housed in kiosks across the city and integrated into seven grade levels in the Independent School District. All funds from the sales of the DVD-ROM were donated to the Austin History Center Association. The project was honored with the Katherine Drake Hart award from the Austin History Center Association. Karen is an Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Radio-TV-Film where she has taught since 1998. JURY AWARD WINNERS - SHORT FILM LAALI (dir. Abhiroop Basu) - Best SHORT FILM TIFFIN (DIR. Talat Shakeel) - Honourable mention Laali India I 35 mins I 2020 I Hindi w/ English subtitles A lonely laundryman from the suburbs of Calcutta finds unexpected companionship in an unclaimed red dress, which triggers esoteric memories from the past. Tiffin India I 15 mins I 2019 I Hindi w/ English subtitles A young, Muslim girl thinks she has a strong friend group, but finds that at lunch they'll share food with anyone but her. When a prankster steals everyone's food, can she turn it into an opportunity? AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER - SHORTS PROGRAM NOOREH (dir. Ashish Pandey) - audience Choice - Short Film Nooreh India I 22 mins I 2019 I Dogri w/ English subtitles An eight year old Kashmiri girl, Nooreh, residing in a small village on the India-Pakistan border, believes that she has discovered a strange solution to end the relentless cross firing. Shorts Program: Jury Members JING YANG Jing Yang is a film director and film festival programmer. Jing received her MFA in film production at The University of Texas at Austin. Her documentary and narrative short films have screened and won awards at a number of festivals, including Austin Film Festival, Lone Star Film Festival, Sarasota Film Festival, DC Chinese Film Festival, Chick Flicks Festival, etc. Her short comedy MY SUPER VALENTINE (2013) was screened in the US and Europe as an official selection for Women in Film and TV International Showcase. Jing was a key member of the team that revived Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF) in 2014, and has served as a programmer focusing on documentary feature films and served as the festival director from 2018 to 2019. CHAYA RAO Chaya Rao is a multi-faceted personality. She is a a long time film buff, critic and reviewer. Chaya Rao is also a documentary film maker and has created an acclaimed Travel & Food series on India called Masala Yatra and she has a great fan following. She has been the creator of several theater and stage productions. She is also a music, culture food, & travel enthusiast and has made several short films/videos on these topics. Chaya is fluent in many languages and has vast exposure to world films and various genres. Her articulation (in speaking & writing) on all these subjects is intellectual, engaging and fun! ANANTH AGASTYA Ananth Agastya, based out of Dallas, Texas, is an avid lover of cinema. He immersed himself in filmmaking after one-on-one writing tutorials from an Oscar winner. By collaborating with artists from various disciplines and backgrounds, Ananth hopes to work on all genres of film to bring to light, matters that are rarely a part of our current discourse.For his debut effort, Ananth created a short war film, set in an unknown enemy land. Ananth found the collaborative journey of filmmaking thrilling and gratifying, and hopes the audience find the short film engaging. Ananth continues to develop entertaining yet provocative projects while working as a full-time IT Team Lead at a Fortune 10 company.

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. Donate As a 501(c)(3), we operate thanks to supporters like you. Here's what your donation does: Brings the best of South Asian cinema to Texas Supports independent filmmakers Funds the Indie Meme Film Festival Allows us to have year-round screenings Promotes cultural awareness Indie Meme is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation may be tax-deductible, depending on your individual tax circumstances. Please consult your tax advisor. DONATE Checks can be sent to 1101 W 35th #113 Austin, TX 78705 Support Indie Meme and help change the way people see the world through South Asian + Iranian films. Become a Leadership Circle Member! Receive wonderful benefits by donating a Leadership Circle gift. Download Info Packet Producers Guild Donor 5,000 $ Every year Contact for Purchase Up to 6 Platinum Badges for IMFF 6 complimentary tickets for single screenings Discounted All-Access Festival Badges 20% off in-person screening & event tickets Socials/mixers to build our Meme-er community Additional discounted tickets/badges to bring friends and family Directors Guild Donor 3,000 $ Every year Contact for Purchase Up to 4 Platinum Badges for IMFF 4 complimentary tickets for single screenings Discounted All-Access Festival Badges 20% off in-person screening & event tickets Socials/mixers to build our Meme-er community Additional discounted tickets/badges to bring friends and family Writers Guild Donor $ 2,000 2,000$ Valid for one year Buy Now Up to 3 Platinum Badges for IMFF 4 Complimentary Tickets For Single Screenings Discounted All-Access Festival Badge 20% off in-person screening & event tickets Socials/Mixers to build our Meme-er community Additional discounted tickets/badges to bring friends/family Lead Cast Donor $ 1,000 1,000$ Valid for one year Buy Now Up to 2 Platinum Badges for IMFF 2 Complimentary Tickets For Single Screenings Discounted All-Access Festival Badge 20% off in-person screening & event tickets Socials/Mixers to build our Meme-er community Additional discounted tickets/badges to bring friends/family Supporting Cast Donor $ 500 500$ Valid for one year Buy Now 1 Platinum Badge For IMFF 2 Complimentary Tickets for Single Screenings Discounted All-Access Festival Badge 20% off in-person screening & event tickets Socials/Mixers to build our Meme-er community Additional discounted tickets/badges to bring friends/family Join Our Leadership Circle OUR 2026 MEMBERS Benefits

12-year-old Karan discovers a time-machine in his bathtub. Glitch India | 13 MIN. 54 SEC. |Hindi Virtual IMFF 2020 Screening Details: Saturday, May 2 2020 | Screening : 9.45pm - 11.00pm SYNOPSIS 12-year-old Karan returns home to finds his shower has run dry. As Karan turns the shower tap full to either side, he discovers that with each full turn, time turns back. Karan is at first confused, but then decides to use the glitch in time to diffuse a domestic quarrel between his parents over a lost diamond ring. He travels back in time to the previous night a few times. But each time his attempt to salvage the situation fails. During one such attempt, the domestic help even ends up dead. Finally, Karan’s shower sprouts water and his attempts are over. Karan exits his room drenched in water. He presents his mother with her lost ring. DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Shubham Yogi Shubham Yogi is the director of Glitch. He has worked as a writer, director and assistant director. STILLS SLIDE DECK 1/2

​12 year old Bhyal, a lower caste black-smith boy, and his friend, Laba, are bullied into making iron wheels for their upper-caste peers. Exhausted by the situation, they're compelled to break social conventions and take matters into their own hands.  Back to Festival Program 1/2 Sat. April 15th @ 10:30AM AFS Cinemas Online April 28 - May 1 WHEELS ON THE BUS Nepal I 16 mins I Drama I Short I 2022 Nepali w/ English subtitles BUY TICKETS WATCH ONLINE Official Selection of Berlinale 2022 'Best Director' - Short Film at Hanoi International FF 12 year old Bhyal, a lower caste black-smith boy, and his friend, Laba, are bullied into making iron wheels for their upper-caste peers. Exhausted by the situation, they're compelled to break social conventions and take matters into their own hands. A cinematic examination of the caste system in a small mountain village in Nepal. About the Artist Surya Shahi received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) and a BA in International Studies from Elon University, USA in 2018. Since graduating, he has been in Nepal building a school and hostel in his home region of Humla, where WHEELS ON THE BUS was shot. He works part time as an acting teacher at Oscar International College of Film Studies in Kathmandu, Nepal. Surya worked on the Nepali short film A CURIOUS GIRL (2017) as a casting director, acting coach and assistant director. He was the creative producer and an actor in the musical short RATO TALO (2019) and also worked as an acting coach on the short FILAM (2020). He is currently working on his second short film as director, THE CURTAIN. Credits Crew Writer/Director: S urya Shahi Writing Credits: Surya Shahi Jagadish Hamal Rajesh Prasad Khatri Producer(s): Jagadish Hamal Rajesh Prasad Khatri Prabin Kumar Rawat Surya Shahi . Sushant Shrestha Cinematography: R obin Sharma Dahal Cast: Man Bahadur Tamata . Damaru Bhatta Suman Bohara Hari Budha Tek Bahadur Budha Chandra Rawal Kali Tamata Music: Bipin Acharya Film Editor: Ashma Pokharel Nimesh Shrestha

When a new father suddenly loses his own dad, an opportunity to travel back in time for an evening gives him a chance to end things on a better note. ​ Streaming April 28-May 1st, 2023 On Filmocracy Back to Festival Program 1/8 DESI STANDARD TIME TRAVEL USA I 20 mins I Drama I Comedy I Sci-Fi I 2022 I English WATCH ONLINE 'Best Short Film' - Audience Award Winner at 3 Festivals -- Tasveer South Asian, Tallgrass Int'l, & Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival New father Imran has regrets about the last conversation he ever had with his father. So when he gets the opportunity to go back in time and end things on a better note, Imran jumps at the chance to get the parenting advice he sorely misses now that he has his own son. But this is Pakistani time travel, and we’re never on time. Imran is sent back too far - all the way back to 1993, where he meets his parents in their early twenties, exactly when they’re pregnant with him as new immigrants in a foreign land. Desi Standard Time Travel is a Pakistani-Canadian sci-fi drama short with heart. It’s about fatherhood, second chances, and seeing your parents as real people for the first time in your life. About the Artist Kashif Pasta is an award-winning director, writer, and producer using film and storytelling to tell character-driven stories centered on South Asian and Muslims with a sense of joy and wonder. He is the co-founder of Dunya Media, a production company that empowers filmmakers of color to tell stories with purpose, where he recently won the 2022 SXSW Grand Jury Prize and Audience Awards- Music Video as a producer. His recent short, DESI STANDARD TIME TRAVEL, has been highly awarded on the festival circuit, winning Jury or Audience Awards at Tasveer South Asian Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian, Tallgrass Int'l Film Festival, & Vancouver Int'l South Asian Film Festival. Trailer Credits Crew Writer/Director: Kashif Pasta Story by: Kashif Pasta Shyam Valera Nessa Aref Story Editor: Aysha Aijaz Producer(s): Shyam Valera Eric Bizzarri Sunny Gill Lalji John DOP: Dmitry Lopatin 1st AD: Dayyaan Jameel Prod. Coordinator: Eesha Johal Prod Design: Micah Angela Featured Cast: Adolyn H. Dar Ali Kazmi Anika Zulfikar Sumit Dhingra Harleen Uppal Composer: Patrick Zappia Film Editor: Jasleen Kaur Colorist: Devan Scott Sound Supervisor: James Findlay Sound Design Jacob Waxman Hair & Make-up: Mariya Siddiqui Wardrobe: Emma Jonas

Hla is the Buddhist owner of a makeshift medical clinic in Myanmar, while Nyo Nyo, her young apprentice, belongs to the persecuted Rohingya Muslim community. Amidst the civil unrest, the two women support and challenge one another as they work to provide steady healthcare. Back to Film Program $15 TICKETS ($12 for members) Sat. April 16th, 2022 @ 4:45PM Venue: Austin Film Society 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX Southwest Premiere IN-PERSON TICKETS NOTE: This film is playing only in theaters. A candid, visually sumptuous five-year recording" - RogerEbert.com SUNDANCE '22 - Special Jury Prize for Verite Filmmaking Hla is the Buddhist owner of a makeshift medical clinic in Myanmar, while Nyo Nyo, her young apprentice, belongs to the persecuted Rohingya Muslim community. Encouraged and challenged by Hla, who risks her own safety helping Muslim patients, Nyo Nyo is determined to become a steady health care provider for her community. Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing’s remarkable feature debut was filmed over five turbulent years in a country that's long been exoticized and misunderstood. The filmmaker’s gentle gaze grants unique access to these courageous women. Filled with love, empathy, and hope, Midwives offers rare insight into the complex reality of Myanmar and its people. "An intimate ode to women and the strength of sisterhood - POV Magazine Midwives Myanmar I 91 mins I Documentary I 2022 Burmese, Rakhine w/ English subtitles About the Artist Snow has worked as a freelance filmmaker in Myanmar since 2006, acting as director, producer, editor and sound recordist after attending film Schools in both Myanmar and Germany. Her short, BURMESE BUTTERFLY played festivals in over 20 countries, and PERIOD@PERIOD won for best short at the Wathan Film Festival. MIDWIVES is her feature documentary debut. Trailer Thank you to our community partners for this screening! Credits Crew Director: 'Snow" Hnin Ei Hlaing Producer(s): Bob Moore Ulla Lehmann Mila Aung-Thwin Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing Exec Producer(s): Erika Dilday Justine Nagan Chris White Ken Pelletier Shizuka Asakawa Daniel Cross Andrea Roggon Vijay Vaidyanathan Featuring: Hla Nyo Nyo Kyaw Kyaw Kyaw Tin BiBi Crew Cont'd Cinematographer: Soe Kyaw Htin Tun Editors: Mila Aung-Thwin Ryan Mullins Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing Original Music: Olivier Alary Johannes Malfatti

Aise Hee (Just Like That) tells the story of an old woman's little rebellion, a rebellion of little things. But why are people around her so concerned? Why are people so afraid? Why are people so angry? Aise Hee (Just Like That) India | Fiction | Drama | 2019 |119 min| Hindi; English subtitles Virtual Screening: Sunday, January 31st 2021 | Screening : 6.30pm - 9.30pm CST Register Now Film-maker Kislay in attendance for the a post screening Q&A Aise Hee (Just Like That) tells the story of an old woman's little rebellion, a rebellion of little things. But why are people around her so concerned? Why are people so afraid? Why are people so angry? Mrs. Sharma is the ideal wife of a locally respected small-time government employee living with extended family in small-town Allahabad. But when her husband dies, Mrs. Sharma begins to take liberties with her life that, although innocent in themselves, begin a rapid rippling of gossip and familial tensions that together spell tragedy. Mrs. Sharma is expected to move down and live with her son and grandchildren, and not worry herself with issues of finance and property. But she has plans of her own. The film follows Mrs. Sharma as she picks up new hobbies, living an independent lifestyle while being indifferent to the judgemental eyes of family and society. Neighbours are shocked and family are chided! Failing to bring Mrs. Sharma to her senses, the entire locality, including her own children and grandchildren, slowly turn against her. She is accused of being selfish, and some even fear that she might be possessed by an evil eye. DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Kislay Kislay is a freelance filmmaker and a recent alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. He has made three shorts and co-written the much acclaimed ‘Soni’ (directed by lvan Ayr). Just Like That’ is his first feature film. Director's Note : While growing up in Allahabad, a provincial city in the North India, | often heard stories of wayward old women - and these stories were invariably narrated as the subject of great hilarity amongst the family. However, what happens if that mother figure starts asserting herself? What if the supposed ‘honour’ is made immaterial by the mother herself and not the ‘other’? As rapid urbanization is spreading across the country, the older traditions are being challenged by the new consumer culture. The liberalization of the Indian economy is often misconstrued as the modernization of Indian society, while in fact the exact reverse is taking place. Our culture is becoming increasingly insecure, and as a result also increasingly intolerant and rigid. TRAILER STILLS 1/9 CREDITS Produced by Shwetaabh Singh ...producer Cinematography by Saumyananda Sahi Film Editing by Tanushree Das Production Design by Mausam Aggarwal Yogesh Langyan Camera and Electrical Department Anuj Ujawane ...first assistant camera Costume and Wardrobe Department Mausam Aggarwal ...wardrobe Editorial Department Bhusam Kiran ...colorist Vikas Verma ...Subtitles Editor

When a young girl comes out to her biased psychiatrist in 1983, he calls her parents for an intervention to cure her. Back to Film Program IN THEATERS: Shorts Program 1 April 14th, 2022 WATCH ONLINE: April 22-25th, 2022 WATCH IN THEATERS A Coup Pakistan I 8 mins I Drama, Coming of Age I 2021 I Urdu w/ English subtitles BUY & WATCH ONLINE When a young girl comes out to her biased psychiatrist in 1983, he calls her parents for an intervention to cure her. This film plays with SHORTS PROGRAM 1 , in theaters and with the LGBTQ+ SHORTS program online. NOTE: This film is coming to theaters and our virtual cinema. About the Artist Areeba Naveed is an independent filmmaker currently working as a freelancer. She recently completed her degree at the National College of Arts, Pakistan, where she graduated as Valedictorian with a Distinction. Her short film, A COUP, played at Diorama India and the Seoul Int'l PRIDE Film Festival. Trailer

In this docu-drama hybrid, the love letters of a young film student, L, to her estranged lover are juxtaposed with the drastic changes to campus life and the political landscape in India, which result in student protests and uprising. Back to Film Program NOTE: This film is playing in theaters and our virtual cinema. $15 TICKETS ($12 for members) Sun. April 17th, 2022 @ 10AM Venue: Austin Film Society Streaming April 22-24, Eventive Texas Premiere A Night of Knowing Nothing India I 96 mins I Documentary, Drama I 2021 Hindi, Bengali w/ English subtitles IN-PERSON TICKETS BUY & WATCH ONLINE Oeil d'Or for 'Best Documentary'- Cannes Film Festival In her debut film, Payal Kapadia deftly merges reality with fiction, weaving together archival footage with student protest videos to tell the story of L, a student at the Film and Television Institute of India, writing to her estranged lover. Gradually we’re immersed in the drastic changes taking place at the school and in the lives of young people across the country. A Night Of Knowing Nothing is a vital tapestry of the personal and the political, an essential document of contemporary India and a nostalgic look at youth fighting the injustice of their time. a vivid portrait of revolt and oppression, love and pain" - Indiewire "this is active and engaged filmmaking" - POV Magazine About the Artist Payal Kapadia is a Mumbai-based filmmaker and artist. She studies Film Direction at the Film & Television Insitute of India. Her short films Afternoon Cloud s and And What is the Summer Saying premiered respectively at the Cinéfondation and Berlinale. She is a Berlinale Talents alumna and participated in 2019 at the Cinéfondation—Résidence du Festival de Cannes. Her first feature length film, A Night of Knowing Nothing , was selected for Director’s Fortnight, Cannes 2021, where it won the Golden Eye Prize for Best Documentary. Her next project, All We Imagine As Light , which received support from CICLIC, Hubert Bals Fund & PJLF Arts Fund, is currently in development. Trailer Thank you to our community partners for this screening! Credits Crew Director: Payal Kapadia Writer(s): Payal Kapadia Himanshu Prajapati Producer(s): Ranabir Das Thomas Hakim Julien Graff Cinematography: Ranabir Das Cast: Bhumisuta Das Crew Cont'd Editor: Ranabir Das Sound: Moinak Bose, Romain Ozanne Color Grading: Lionel Kopp Drawings: Suranjay

Sun, Aug 25 | Austin Public Library - Central Indie Meme presents Priya Guns Priya Guns discusses her work as an author and an actor. Time & Location Aug 25, 2024, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM CDT Austin Public Library - Central, 710 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701, USA About the Event Please join us for a candid conversation with Priya Guns about her debut novel, Your Driver is Waiting, as well as her work as an actor. Priya's writing has previously appeared in short story anthologies, gal-dem, Spring magazine, and anonymously in the Guardian. She is a Creative Writing graduate of Kingston University, and her film credits include Just Drive (2018), Tide of Lies (2019), and This Place (2022). Indie Meme has long championed progressive South Asian and Iranian voices through film screenings and festivals over the past decade. As we embark on a new vision for Indie Meme, we aim to expand the avenues through which we connect storytellers with their audiences. Indie Meme Lit is our latest initiative - we will host events that build bridges between communities through books and writing. We'll spotlight South Asian authors who are tackling taboos and sharing fresh narratives. We're grateful for the continued support of the City of Austin and the Austin Public Library for hosting this event. Questions? Contact Indie Meme Operations & Programs Director, Denise Steusloff at denise@indiememe.org Schedule 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM 30 minutes Check-in & Book Pick-up 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 1 hour Conversation with Priya Guns