US & Bay Area Premiers
Filmmakers, Cast and Crew in Person
This year's selection of shorts -- local, national and international -- employ both drama and comedy to great effect in examining social issues and conflict. Featuring shorts with Omi Vaidya and Wilbur Sargunaraj.
San Francisco Premier
Ravi Patel in Person!
This incredibly funny documentary follows a young man looking for love--and fed up enough to ask his parents to help him find it! Sold Out: Online and At-the-door. There will NOT be a Rush Line at this screening.
A blind photographer regains her vision, a devout monk fights for animal rights, and a stockbroker stumbles upon an illegal organ trade in this astonishing feature debut that was shortlisted by members of the Critics Circle, UK as one of 15 “films that changed their life.”
Filmmaker in Person! Nishtha Jain (City of Photos, Lakshmi and Me) returns to the Bay Area with this thriller disguised as a documentary! In Bundelkhand, India, a revolution is in the making among the fiery women of the Gulabi Gang who empower themselves and take up the fight against gender violence, caste oppression and widespread corruption.
For Prithvi, Sudhir, and Akshaya, cricket is a religion. Both entertaining and enlightening, this doc follows the story of these three characters -- a fan(atic) who bikes across India from game to game, a boy wonder who hopes to be the next Sachin Tendulkar, and a young girl who sees cricket as a way out of poverty. Best Doc, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles
Filmmaker in Person!
Featuring cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and model Vaneeza, this visually impressive and insightful doc follows six people as they navigate the turbulent waters of Pakistan’s current crisis. With Short: From Melody Queen to Muslim Madonna
Filmmaker in Person!
A penetrating look at the life of author Alice Walker, who became the first black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Color Purple in 1983. Featuring intimate interviews with Walker, the doc focuses on Walker’s inspirational upbringing during years of violent social changes, and her political and social activism.
Filmmakers in Person!
From the forests of Ecuador and the seas of South Asia to a cafe in Cairo and a Sikh barber shop in California, this year’s selection of shorts spans vast distances – both literally and metaphorically – with films that examine both the natural and the cultural, by filmmakers both local and global.
Filmmaker in Person!
When lonely pawnbroker Sarathsiri meets the enigmatic Selvi, he thinks he has finally found a way to escape his past. But a chance visit from an old friend forces the two lovers, from opposite sides of the civil war, to confront their histories and demons. With a tight script, wonderfully nuanced plot and haunting cinematography, this is Sri Lankan independent cinema at its best.
A celebration of 100 Years of Indian Cinema, and a must-see for cinephiles and Indian history enthusiasts! Featuring interviews with the veritable who's who of the Indian film industry, Dungarpur creates a compelling portrait of P.K. Nair -- the founder of the National Film Archive of India and a man with a passion for celluloid.
Bollywood at the Castro!
A remarkably fresh comedy, with lots of sizzle and eye candy to boot! Two professional wedding guests, with commitment issues, find themselves in a modern desi love triangle that's anything but conventional. Parineeti Chopra is vivacious, Rishi Kapoor is a delight, and the city of Jaipur sets a gorgeous backdrop for the film. Official Selection, Toronto International Film Festival 2013.
Join us for a special reception at the Castro Mezzanine where you'll get to meet all the festival filmmakers up close and personal! Enjoy food and drinks, get your photograph taken with our celebrity guests and let the DJ get your feet wet for our Bollywood at the Castro screening. 3rd i's guest list for […]
Filmmaker in Person!
Sumar, best known for her astonishing feature Silent Waters, makes a triumphant return with this uplifting tale. Chance and willfulness propel Rafina's rise as a fashion model in the city of Karachi. In Sumar's deft hands, her story becomes the story of today's Pakistan, trying to reconcile the demands of tradition and the aspirations of modernity.
Filmmaker in Person!
Nishtha Jain (City of Photos, Lakshmi and Me) returns to the Bay Area with this thriller disguised as a documentary! In Bundelkhand, India, a revolution is in the making among the fiery women of the Gulabi Gang who empower themselves and take up the fight against gender violence, caste oppression and widespread corruption.
Filmmaker in Person!
For Prithvi, Sudhir, and Akshaya, cricket is a religion. Both entertaining and enlightening, this doc follows the story of these three characters: a fan(atic) who bikes across India from game to game, a boy wonder who hopes to be the next Sachin Tendulkar, and a young girl who sees cricket as a way out of poverty.
Filmmaker in Person!
Wilbur Sargunaraj, India’s first YouTube star, makes his feature debut! Witness the creative genius of this "champion for the common man," as he takes on bullies in the street, counsels young lovers, and sings about the mouth-watering "Chicken 65!" Part autobiography, part road trip, and part instructional video, this wacky musical will have you laughing and cheering for the simple man from Southern India.
Filmmaker in Person!
Representative of the new wave spawned by indie-guru Anurag Kashyap, this stylish thriller set in Mumbai had an explosive debut at Cannes' Critics Week. The film tells the tale of two young drifters, caught in Mumbai’s seedy narcotics world, who are stalked by a rookie cop. Bala's vision conjures up an unforgettably powerful and dramatic finale.
A stellar piece of cinema verite, this lyrical portrait of youth and street-life in Karachi is imbued with the resilience of its subjects! Seen through the eyes of an ambulance driver and a runaway boy, the film is an ode to childhood and has been rightfully compared to Truffaut's The 400 Blows. Produced by the Sundance Film Institute, this is one film that should not be missed!
Filmmakers in Person!
Journey across the gender lines with these two intimate docs that offer engaging accounts of the challenges and joys of the transformative process. The feature presentation follows one year in the life of Maya (formerly Mohammed), a Tamil Muslim, as she journeys to Singapore to have sexual reassignment surgery. With short: Performing Girl
Filmmakers in person!
Emmy-nominated Bay Area filmmakers Monsen-Grainger and Newnham capture the inspiring stories of young South Asians as trail-blazing agents of change. The doc follows Amlan Ganguly as he mentors three children towards transforming lives in the slums of Calcutta. With short: Bhiwani Junction
