3rd i's 19th annual SF International South Asian Film Festival presents some of the best cinema from South Asia and its Diaspora, including stories from India, Sri Lanka, France, UK and the Pakistani community in the US.
Join us for Re-Storying the Ramayana: A Role-Playing Game Virtual Program, a FREE event by the Asian Art Museum on THURSDAY, JUNE 3 at 4PM PST.
Join Los-Angeles-born South Asian American Sikh recording artist SETI X for this visual journey exploring Hip-Hop Culture and its relationship with South Asian American youth and their development of self-identity.
This award-winning film, shot in the mountains of stunning Darjeeling, is a psychological thriller that revolves around the deciphering of a puzzle.
"Road to Ladakh" is a sensual, suspenseful love story revolving around an encounter between two strangers (Irrfan Khan and Koel Purie) thrown together by chance into the magnificent wilderness of Ladakh, near the borders of India and Pakistan.
This beautiful, emotional tale explores the unusual alliance between an elderly Indian woman (with an irrational fear of Africans) and a South African orphan in post-Apartheid South Africa.
3rd i showcases comic genius Fawzia Mirza, whose work adeptly uses humor to undo divisive stereotypes and defuse challenging conversations.
Experience spoken word, short plays, and storytelling monologues from an intergenerational collective in a virtual program.
View 16 original programs highlighting some of the best new LGBTQ+ films from around the world.
Renowned documentarian Anand Patwardhan charts his country's slide away from secular democracy and toward divisions of power, caste, and religious belief — and the violence that has followed.
This beautifully nuanced, sensual and insightful feature film, which premiered at Cannes this year, explores the forbidden attraction between a maid and her wealthy employer, whilst thwarting the expectations of a typical Indian love story. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
In this playful romantic comedy, "Bangla," an awkwardly charming 22-year-old Italian-Bengali panics when he falls in love with an impulsive and spirited Italian girl. The attraction between them is immediate, and Phaim will have to figure out how to reconcile his love with his life full of rules. Highlighted in Rotterdam’s International Film Festival in the Big screen competition section. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
Filmmaker Prarthana Mohan in Person!! This coming-of-age comedy follows a day in the life of formerly homeschooled Bindu as she endures high school and tries to graduate early. Paying homage to Bollywood rock with one fantastical Bollywood dance number, the film shines a light on the immigrant experience of a teenager caught between girlhood and womanhood, and India’s traditional past and the promise of a global future where she can blend in to be whomever she wants to be. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
This cinematic homage to the “everyday” woman is a deeply moving work that focuses a critical lens on patriarchy, with outstanding performances by each of the lead actresses. The film captures the micro awakenings of identity and self-worth when family dynamics, early marriage, and pregnancy threaten to usurp the individuality of three women, unfolding across three different time periods. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
3rd i's signature shorts program brings genres ranging from comedy to contemporary music, and short-form documentaries to dramatic narratives. This year's edition tackles stories of relationships, identity, environment, and social justice, with compassion and humor. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
In this playful romantic comedy, "Bangla," an awkwardly charming 22-year-old Italian-Bengali panics when he falls in love with an impulsive and spirited Italian girl. The attraction between them is immediate, and Phaim will have to figure out how to reconcile his love with his life full of rules. Highlighted in Rotterdam’s International Film Festival in the Big screen competition section. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
This humorous and entertaining film is the touching story of Chippa who, on his tenth birthday, sets out into night-time Calcutta looking for a father he has never seen. Filled with humor, hope, and curiosity, he encounters a “marvelous realism” that is evoked in the works of literary giants such as Salman Rushdie. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
Gifted documentary filmmaker Nishtha Jain returns to 3rd i to talk about her filmmaking process in a free class, and to present excerpts from past work and her current work-in-progress, "The Golden Thread," and her first narrative short "Saboot." Jain’s work holds up a mirror to some of the most pressing concerns in India today. She will address social and political issues, including India’s #metoo women’s movement. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TO RESERVE FREE TICKETS.
In this gorgeous and evocative hand-painted animated feature, a single red rose weaves together three fantastical tales of unsung heroes and impossible loves. In the sensual animation, there is an ethereal brightness to the chaotic Mumbai streetscapes where Bollywood cinema is both satirized and romanticized. Fresh from rave reviews at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals, this captivating jewel will entrance you and should not be missed. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
Filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage in Person!! Vithanage's searing masterpiece is a period drama that takes on caste conflict and British colonial influences in Sri Lanka in the early 1800s. Drawing from a wide palette that ranges from historical drama to nuanced and exceptional storytelling, his camera work is transfixing as he crafts a deeply empathetic film that is simultaneously heart-wrenching and hopeful. CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS.
