Bay Area Premier

Followed by a facilitated discussion on the rise of political nationalism today, led by Taymiya R. Zaman (Associate Professor, History, USF) and Chris Chekuri (Associate Professor, History/South Asia Studies, SFSU).

Sabiha Sumar’s (Dinner with the President) inspiring and probing documentary explores the complex relationship between India and her native country Pakistan. Traveling the two nations, Sumar and Indian actress Kalki Koechlin (Margarita with a Straw), witness radically changing political landscapes, their encounters giving rise to a personal and poetic search to uncover the voices of the silent majority, particularly those of women.

At home, Sumar has candid interviews with Pakistanis from different classes and regions, conversations where she is often the lone woman at the table. In India, Sumar and Koechlin speak with political figures and ordinary people, examining the rise of Hindu fundamentalism. As they despair at the decline of secular thought and the narrowing of expression they see in both nations, they also uncover the shared humanity beyond the divisive political rhetoric.

“An inspiring and stunning transnational journey through India and Pakistan.”
– Cameron Bailey, Toronto International Film Festival