Stylish and edgy, with a deep, dark twist, GURGAON is a neo-noir based on the true life story of a kidnapping gone awry, in the shiny outer reaches of the fast growing Delhi metropolis.
Filmmaker via Skype! In this gorgeous, multi-layered documentary about immigration and integration, Ali Kazimi ("A Continuous Journey") brilliantly weaves a rich tapestry of history and memory.
Filmmaker in Person! Deeply moving and smart, Arshad Khan’s outstanding documentary Abu is a quintessential immigrant story that captures the tumultuous journey of his family's move to Canada, from Pakistan, in the early 90s.
9:15PM SCREENING ADDED!! Skype Q&A with Nandita Das and Subodh Maskara! Nandita Das, one of India’s finest actresses, writes and stars in this stellar feature. A high-profile lawyer couple end up arguing on opposite sides of a criminal trial.
A charming portrait of one of the last hand-painters of colorful and dramatic Bollywood posters, "Original Copy" is an exemplary and insightful doc about the magic of cinema, and about the keepers of a disappearing artform in the face of India's changing film industry.
Starring legendary Pakistani actress Marina Khan (Tanhaiyan), Mehreen Jabbar's evocative and endearing "Lala Begum" is a complex and impressive drama that delves into the ghosts of Pakistan’s past. Two estranged sisters come to terms with their haunting past: the loves they shared, the sacrifices they made, and their struggles with the colonial heritage that defines their lives.
Followed by panel discussion!! Korla Pandit was a spiritual seeker and a godfather of exotica music who charmed American housewives on television in the 1950s. What lay behind Korla’s metaphysical musings and his enigmatic Indian facade? And what of the "dark secret" that he took with him to his grave in 1998? Find out in this fascinating and exotic tour through Pandit’s dizzying life.
A unique cinematic experience, "Gaalibeeja" is a meditation on cinema and modernity from an exciting new voice in Kannada cinema. While paying homage to the likes of Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, and Abbas Kiarostami, artist-turned-filmmaker Prasad blends social critique with exquisite cinematic form in his take on the "road movie."
Bay Area Filmmakers in Person!! From power to pleasure, courage to comedy, this year's kaleidoscope of cinematic offerings engage the sexual and the sensual: a young man gathers strength to approach his crush, while a young woman plots a shocking escape from marriage; Audrey Lorde's poetry and Justin Bieber's music become fodder for queer interventions; and SF's Sexy Circus ponders its future.
Harune Massey in Person!! With echoes of Romeo and Juliet, "Gardaab" is a taut and stylized thriller about two lovers caught in a web of family and gang warfare in the underbelly of Karachi. Harune Massey's restrained direction offers a compelling meditation on love, and on the fragility of human life, and points to an exciting new wave of Pakistani filmmakers on the horizon.
Skype Q&A with Naeem Mohaiemen!! This striking and hypnotic documentary offers a fascinating interrogation of the legacy of radical left-wing movements. Using archival sound and surveillance video, Mohaiemen reconstructs the hijacking of an airplane at the hands of the Japanese Red Army in 1977, during which it was forced to land in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Premiering to a standing ovation at the Busan Film Festival, "Aligarh" is one of the most vital films to come out of India in recent years. Based on the true story of Dr. Siras, a linguistics professor who faced suspension due to his sexual orientation, the film is a heartfelt demand for the right to love, and a poetic call to transcend identity.
3rd i's Saturday Night at the Castro!! "Parched" takes the riot of Bollywood and infuses it with an indie vision in this warm and incisive film that premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year. Leena Yadav examines the complex lived experiences of women in India through the strident lens of "sex in the village" and produces a film that is raucously full of girl power.
Join us for a special reception at the Castro Mezzanine, with desserts and drinks, and meet all the festival filmmakers up close and personal!
Director Sami Khan and Actor Rupak Ginn in Person!! Featuring stunning cinematography, Sami Khan's outstanding feature Khoya is a nuanced thriller about the universal quest to find home and belonging. When Rog Moreau’s mother dies, the adoptive ties to his Canadian identity begin to feel tenuous, setting him off on a journey to India to unravel the mystery surrounding his adoption.
Director Shilpa Ranade and Musician Narayan Parasuram in Person!! Set in a world full of vibrant music and color, Shilpa Ranade’s magical film is an animated adaptation of one of Indian master Satyajit Ray's most beloved works, and premiered to great acclaim at the Toronto Film Festival. This timeless fable follows the hilarious misadventures of Goopi and Bagha, two tuneless musicians banished from their villages for their cacophonous music.
Aadish Keluskar’s bold and innovative "Kaul" can only be described as a truly transformative cinematic experience. Deeply inspired by the films of Tarkovsky and Bela Tarr, and firmly rooted in a Marathi milieu, Keluskar delivers a uniquely visceral film that brings equal measure of the surreal and the sublime.
Skype Q&A with Amit Gupta!! Set in London, Amit Gupta's witty script produces a romantic comedy that echoes the best of Woody Allen. Jay is a former daytime TV star whose life has hit rock bottom until he meets his dream girl. Hannah is bright, beautiful and hates modern life. There's just one problem. How does Jay tell Hannah about the leaked sex tape which made him an internet sensation?
A charming portrait of one of the last hand-painters of colorful and dramatic Bollywood posters, "Original Copy" is an exemplary and insightful doc about the magic of cinema, and about the keepers of a disappearing artform in the face of India's changing film industry. Preceded by Ashim Ahluwalia's short, "Events in a Cloud Chamber."
Set along the picturesque Ganges river in Benaras, "Masaan" (an Anurag Kashyap production) weaves together two stories concerning the effect of narrow-minded tradition on the budding desires of youth.
