Filmmakers in person!
FREE – seating is limited. Tickets are available only at the Roxie box office, 30 minutes before the screening.
3rd i presents two films from local storytellers, filmmakers Kirthi Nath and Priyanka Suryaneni. Both of the films illuminate and explore the theme of “belonging” as they each chronicle the life of a visionary individual in their Buddhist spirituality, mindfulness and personal transformation.
Total running time: 85 min
PARAMITA, directed by Kirthi Nath (USA, 2024, 24 min)
Kirthi Nath’s short documentary blends poetry, memoir, and prayer to explore the transformative power of mindfulness, acceptance, and belonging. The film bears witness to Prajna Choudhury’s 25-year journey of coming out to her traditional Bangladeshi mother. Told with intimacy, tenderness, and quiet power, PARAMITA invites viewers into a meditative spiritual experience, as Prajna connects with Buddhist practices and nature as pathways to intergenerational healing and reconciliation.
SARANAM GACCHAMI (I Take Refuge), directed by Priyanka Suryaneni (USA, 2023, 19 min)
Priyanka Suryaneni’s short documentary is a story of cultural preservation that unfolds through the life of visionary Tibetan monk Thupten Dony—a refugee driven by a dream. Born in the foothills of Mt. Everest in Nepal, he traveled to California with only his ideas. He established the Bay Area’s largest Tibetan Monastery to safeguard their endangered heritage, an invaluable sanctuary for Tibetan culture and community in diaspora. He wears many hats at the monastery—prayer leader, spiritual guide, gardener, and party planner! Now, nearing retirement, he hopes to find a worthy successor to carry forward the Monastery’s legacy.
About the filmmakers
Kirthi Nath, a South Asian lesbian filmmaker, creates work spanning cultural poetics, social justice, and spirituality. Her films have been featured at CAAMfest, Frameline, Wicked Queer, Mill Valley Film Festival, 3rd i and more, with solo shows at YBCA and ATA. Awarded grants from CAAM, CCI and V-Day, she’s also participated in RePresent Media’s Fellowship, A-Doc Allies, BGDM Mastermind and Bitchitra Collective curated programs. https://www.paramitafilm.com/
Priyanka Suryaneni, a Bay Area-based media entrepreneur, documentarian, and visual storyteller from India, passionately brings attention to significant stories and amplifies underrepresented voices. Her recent inclusion in the BAVC Connect Mentee program, as well as the For Us By Us Film Incubator program (supported by Filmmakers Collaborative and Re-present Media), underscores her unwavering commitment to her craft and pursuit of powerful storytelling. https://prisuryaneni.com/
