2023 FILMS
The 2023 Indie Meme Film Festival is a hybrid event, bringing 35+ acclaimed South Asian films to audiences through a combination of theatrical & virtual screenings, Q&A's, mixers, and filmmaker events.
The in-person festival comes to Austin from April 12th - 16th with screenings held at Austin Film Society.
The virtual festival, streaming April 28nd - May 1st, will bring second screenings of many of our in-person favorites, as well as fresh virtual-exclusive feature and short programs.
With films spanning 9+ countries, the Indie Meme Film Festival is an unmissable event for all fans of world cinema.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
DHABARI QURUVI
International Premiere
India I 2022 I Irula I 105 mins I dir. Priyanandanan
The story of a young tribal girl who rises from the ashes to proclaim her most essential rights, over her body and the decisions upon it. Shot with an all tribal cast at Attapadi in Kerala. Read more...
Official Selection: International Film Festivals of India, Kerala, & Chennai
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EIKHOIGI YUM (Our Home)
India I 2022 I Manipuri I 87 mins I dir. Romi Meitei
Chaoren, an eleven year-old boy from a rural fishing village, fights to attend and excel in school, amidst the threats of poverty and displacement. Read more...
IFFR - FIPRESCI Award for 'Best International Film'
*Q&A w/ filmmaker Romi Meitei
In Theaters + Online
International Premiere
Texas Premiere
GOLDFISH
Sold Out *
UK I India I 2022 I English I 103 mins I dir. Pushan Kripalani
With help from a neighbourhood and a past she has shunned, a young British-Indian woman (Kalki Koechlin) returns home to deal with her mother’s dementia and the scars of her childhood.
Official Selection: Busan International Film Festival
* Q&A with director Pushan Kripalani & Lead Actress Kalki Koechlin
In Theaters Only
*** a limited number of RUSH TICKETS will be available day of screening at AFS Cinemas
HAWA
Bangladesh I Bengali, Bangla I 130 mins I dir. Mejbaur Rahman Sumon
A fishing trawler is beset by mysterious, possibly supernatural occurences after they take onboard a young woman lost at sea. Set in the Bay of Bengal and inspired by myth, this genre-defying tale is a gem of modern Bangladeshi cinema. Read more..
Bangladesh's Official Oscar Entry - 'Best International Feature'
In Theaters + Online
KAMLI
Pakistan I Urdu I 130 mins I dir. Sarmad Sultan Khoosat
A tale of love, loss, and cloaked secrets centered on the lives of three women in Pakistan, including a young married woman drawn to a mysterious man who saved her life. Read more...
'Best Actress' - Indus Valley International Film Festival (IVIFF)
Official Selection of Rotterdam (IFFR)
Online Only
LEILA'S BROTHERS
Texas Premiere
Iran I Farsi I 165 mins I dir. Saeed Roustaee
At 40 years old, Leila has spent her life caring for her parents and four brothers. Caught up in debts worsened by the economic sanctions in Iran, the family argues constantly. As her brothers try to make ends meet, Leila charts a plan for elevating the family's wealth. Read more...
Cannes Film Festival - 'FIPRESCI Prize'
Official Selection: Busan, Sao Paulo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Singapore
In Theaters Only
THE PORTRAITS
India I 91 mins I Malayalam I dir. Bijukumar Damodaran
From National-Award winning filmmaker, Dr. Biju, comes a collection of six cinematic sketches that depict the various means by which fascist governments conspire to silence their own people. Read more..
'Critic's Choice Award' - Rajasthan Int'l Film Festival 2021
'Life Award' - Imagine India Int'l Film Festival , Spain 2022
Online Only
POLITE SOCIETY
UK I English I 103 mins I dir. Nida Manzoor
A London schoolgirl and tireless martial-artist-in-training, Ria Khan is determined to become a world-renowned stunt woman. But when her big sister Lena drops out of school to marry a wealthy heir, Ria soon realizes something is wrong and enlists her friends to rescue her sister from her own wedding. Read more..
Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival 2022, SXSW 2022
In Theaters Only
MARIAM
India I Hindi I 78 mins I dir. Arvind Pradap
Mariam, mother & breadwinner for her migrant family in Mumbai, decides to become an illegal surrogate to support her children. However, as the pregnancy progresses she faces unexpected challenges with the family awaiting the child. Read more..
Official Selection of Busan International Film Festival
Online Only
TELL IT LIKE A WOMAN
India I Italy I Japan I US I 2022 I 112 mins I Multiple I dir. Catherine Hardwicke, Taraji P. Henson, Lucía Puenzo, Leena Yadav, Maria Sole Tognazzi, Mipo Oh, Silvia Carobbio
A globe-spanning anthology film, comprised of seven short stories directed by women from across the world.S hot in Italy, India, Japan, and the U.S. - each segment is an inspirational and empowering story by and about women.
Academy Award Nominee - 'Best Original Song'
* Q&A with director Leena Yadav
In Theaters Only
UNTIL TOMORROW
Iran I Persian (Farsi) I 86 mins I dir. Ali Asgari
Fereshteh, a young student in Tehran, must hide the existence of her illegitimate two-month old baby for the night when her parents announce a surprise visit. She and her resourceful best friend must weigh up their true allies. As they traverse the city, their simple mission proves surprisingly treacherous.
Official Selection: Berlinale '22
Online Only
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
ALL THAT BREATHES
India I Hindi I 94 mins I dir. Shaunak Sen
As legions of birds fall from New Delhi’s darkening skies, and the city smolders with social unrest, two brothers race to save a casualty of the turbulent times: the black kite, a majestic bird of prey essential to their city's ecosystem. Read more...
Academy Award Nominee '22- 'Best Documentary Feature'
Sundance Film Festival - World Cinema Jury Prize - 'Best Documentary'
In Theaters Only
IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM
Texas Premiere
US I Bangladesh I Bengali, Bangla, English I 85 mins I dir. Vivek Bald, Alaudin Ullah
A New York actor & playwright investigates the pasts of his Bangladeshi immigrant parents, unearthing a lost history in which South Asian Muslims, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans forged an extraordinary multiracial community in mid-20th century Harlem. Read more...
Official Selection: CAAMFest & DOC NYC
* Q&A with directors Vivek Bald & Alaudin Ullah
In Theaters + Online
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Texas Premiere
India I English, Gujarati, Hindi I 60 mins I dir. Divya Cowasji, Jall Cowasji
After decades of dormancy, the aging icons of Parsi theater return to the state for a final curtain call. The documentary chronicles the joy & resilience of the cast as they prepare to go out with a bang. Read more...
Official Selection of Bangkok International Documentary Awards & Cambridge Film Festival
Online Only
WHILE WE WATCHED
Texas Premiere
UK I Hindi, English I 94 mins I dir. Vinay Shukla
A turbulent newsroom drama that intimately chronicles the working days of broadcast journalist Ravish Kumar as he navigates a spiraling world of truth and disinformation. Read more...
TIFF - 'Amplify Voices Award '
Busan Int'l Film Festival - 'Cinephile Award'
DOC NYC - Special Presentation
* Virtual Q&A with director Vinay Shukla
In Theaters Only
SHORTS PROGRAM
Coming Out With The Help of a Time Machine
USA I English I 15 mins I dir. Naman Gupta
Sid (Karan Soni) plans to come out to his conservative, community-oriented parents at a local diner. Luckily, he has the power of time travel on his side in this heartfelt sci-fi twist on the coming out story. Read more...
Official Selection - Tribeca Film Festival, BFI Flare, CAAMFest
Screens in: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Birdsong
Laos I Hmong I 18 mins I dir. Sparsh Ahuja, Omi Zola Gupta
Birdsong explores the dying whistling traditions of the Hmong people of northern Laos. The film follows the personal stories of three individuals, as they reflect on their experience as practitioners of a vanishing musical language. Read more...
Official Selection - SXSW '23
Screens in: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Desi Standard Time Travel
Canada I English I Urdu I 20 mins I dir. Kashif Pasta
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. Read more...
'Best Short Film' - Audience Award - Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival
Screens in: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Faces
USA I English I 11 mins I dir. Kumar Mayank
Problems in a relationship come to the surface during a cinematography group exercise..Read more...
An Austin Local Production, In-Person Q&A
Screens w/: ALL THAT BREATHES (In Theaters), Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
Felt Cute Might Delete Later
Nepal I Nepali I 12 mins I dir. Swati Regmi
While 45 year old @Kalatmakabita is enjoying her newly found fame on tiktok, her daughter, @Princessxorimoh, also a micro- influencer, is embarrassed by her mother’s social media persona. Read more...
Screens in: Shorts Program 1 (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
Hajur
Nepal I Nepali I 10 mins I dir. LSM
Sarita, a young mother working from home during COVID-19, tries to balance her work and family- but her endurance reaches a breaking point as responsibilities keep piling up. Read more...
Screens in: Shorts Program 1 (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
The Horse From Heaven
India I Assamese I 15 mins I dir. Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap
A lonely elderly man, Kuxhol, becomes a prophet when he is gifted with the legendary ‘horse of heaven' - even if the horse is just a donkey. Read more...
Oscar-Qualifying Indian Entry for 'Best Short Film' - 2023 Academy Awards
Screens in: Shorts Program I (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
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Junko
Nepal I Nepali I 15 mins I dir. Minsho Limbu
A newly married girl is left by her husband in her mother's home and waits years for news. Eventually, she finds comfort in her resilient mother. Read more...
'Best Cinematography' - Linz Int'l Short Film Festival
Screens in: IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming
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In Theaters + Online
Lalanna's Song
India I Malayalam, Hindi I 33 mins I dir. Megha Ramaswamy
Two young mothers having a rough day are unprepared to meet Lalanna, a precocious preteen girl who suavely pushes their buttons. They find they have a merciless instinct to set her straight. Read more...
Official Selection: Mumbai Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA)
Screens in: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Lori (Melancholy of My Mother's Lullabies)
Nepal I Hong Kong I Nepali I 15 mins I dir. Abinash Bikram Shah
A mother sings lullabies to her 12 year-old daughter in order to calm her down. But, when the lullabies end, their reality turns out to be much grimmer. Read more...
Special Jury Mention - Cannes Film Festival
Screens w/: IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
Man & Wife
India I English, Bengali I 9 mins I dir. Rahul Roye
Just before their arranged wedding ceremony, a groom comes out to his would be bride, sharing that he secretly cross-dresses. Read more...
Official Selection of Dharamshala, UK Asian Film Festival, & NYIFF
Screens w/: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Learning Not To Drown
When a father awakens to find his family missing her turns to community members for help. Read more...
An Austin Local Production, In-Person Director Q&A
Screens w/: ALL THAT BREATHES (In Theaters), Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
USA I English I 20 mins I dir. Prithvi Raj Karreddula
Murder Tongue
Pakistan I Urdu, Sindhi I 18 mins I dir. Ali Sohail Jaura
May 1992. A state-sanctioned 'Operation' has put the city of Karachi in a state of unrest. Abdul Aziz Ansari wakes up at night and is informed that his son hasn’t returned home. Read more...
'Programmer's Choice - Narrative Short - Bushwick Film Festival
Screens w/: HAWA (In Theaters) and Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
Murmurs of the Jungle
India I Marathi I 20 mins I dir. Sohil Vaidya
A grandmother tells a story to her grandson about the origins of their remote indigenous village in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. Read more...
'Best Short' - NFDC Film Bazaar
Official Selection: Chicago International Film Festival, IFFR
Screens w/: Shorts Program I (In Theaters) + Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
Periyanayaki
New Zealand I English, Tamil I 11 mins I dir. Bala Murali Shingade
A recent Sri Lankan immigrant begins another day at her job stacking shelves at the local supermarket. Today, on her
wedding anniversary, she is forced to reconcile with the difficult realities of her life. Read more...
'Best Short Film' & 'NZ’s Best Audience Award' - New Zealand Int'l Film Festival
Screens in: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Queer Parivaar
UK I English, Hindi, Urdu I 27 mins I dir. Shiva Raichandani
When a mysterious gatecrasher appears at their wedding, Madhav and Sufi are forced to face past secrets and reflect on what makes a family. Read more...
Iris Prize - Best British Short' - Film4 & Pinewood Studios
Screens in: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Sona
Canada I English I 15 mins I dir. Zahra Torkamanlou
On the verge of turning forty, how should Sona face the problem of her loneliness?
Screens w/: LEILA'S BROTHERS + Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
The Return
USA, India I English, Urdu I 18 mins I dir. Hena Ashraf
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. Read more...
Official Selection of DOCNYC, IFFLA
Screens w/: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only
Swipe
Pakistan I Urdu I 14 mins I dir. Arafat Mazhar
A young boy addicted to iFatwa, an app that crowdsources religious death sentences, spends his days swiping on the lives of strangers. Read more...
Official Selection: Annecy International Animation Festival
Screens w/: Shorts Program I (In Theaters) + Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
Wheels on the Bus
Nepal I Nepali I 16 mins I dir. Surya Shahi
12 year old Bhyal, a blacksmith, is bullied into making iron wheels for their upper-caste peers. Exhausted by the situation, Bhyal and his best friend are compelled to break social conventions and take matters into their own hands. Read more...
Official Selection: Berlinale '22
Screens w/: Shorts Program I (In Theaters) + Online Shorts Programming
In Theaters + Online
What Are You Searching For?
India I Hindi I 35 mins I dir. Princy Pal
Living in a small village in Himachal, Jyotsana is in denial of her husband’s demise. The turmoil of living a life between the past and the present make her more hostile towards motherhood. Read more...
Official Selection: South Asian International Film Festival, NYC
Screens in: Online Shorts Programming
Online Only