Join us for the 19th Annual Tasveer South Asian Film Festival!!!

Schedule of Events:

11:00 am: Industry Panel: Mental Health In The Film Industry: Navigating The Emotional Landscape Of Entertainment

The Film Industry, While Glamorous, Often Comes With Intense Pressure, Long Hours, And High Expectations. These Demands Can Have Significant Impacts On The Mental Well-Being Of Those Involved, From Actors And Directors To Crew Members Behind The Scenes. This Panel Will Explore How The Industry Affects Mental Health, Highlight The Importance Of Mental Wellness, And Discuss Available Resources And Coping Strategies. It Will Feature Personal Experiences, Expert Advice, And Discussions On How To Create A Healthier, More Supportive Environment In Entertainment.

12:00 pm: Tfm: Market Closing

The Market Closing Brunch Offers A Final Opportunity For Attendees To Connect With Filmmakers And Industry Professionals In A Relaxed Setting. It's The Perfect Way To Wrap Up The Event, Celebrating New Connections And Discussing Future Collaborations Over A Delightful Meal.

2:00 pm: Anxious: What Are You Looking For - Anxious

Anxious

Nida Chowdhry Directs, Writes, And Stars In Her Debut Feature Film Anxious., A Surreal Dark Comedy About A Woman Named Ruby Who Has An Anxiety Attack And Trips Down The Rabbit Hole Of Her Mind, Where She Meets Versions Of Herself Who Take Over Her Life.

Inspired By The Surrealism Of Eternal Sunshine, Quirky Characters Of amelie, And The Whirlwind Journey Of Alice In Wonderland, This Fast-Paced Fashion Film Is Set Against The Colorful Backdrops Of Little Saigon And Little India In Orange County, California.

Director: Nida Chowdhry

Runtime: 97 Minutes

2:00 pm: State Of Hope: On The Mountain - Ray Of Hope - Not A Fiction - Flight 182

State Of Hope Is A Collection Of Moving International Short Films That Capture Historical And Current Issues Of Conflict And Peace, While Offering A Hope For The Future.

Director: Anya Raza

Runtime: 13 Minutes

Ray Of Hope

The 26-Year Armed Conflict In Sri Lanka Compelled Numerous Eelam Tamils To Seek Refuge In Foreign Nations, Notably In Canada. among Them Is Rathika Sitsabaiesan, A Former Canadian Member Of Parliament, Who Fled The Armed Conflict In Sri Lanka With Her Tamil Family As A Five-Year-Old Child. The Anguish And Tales Of The Conflict Drove Rathika's Advocacy. In 2013, Her Visit To Sri Lanka Rekindled Her Own Traumatic Memories, As She Was Surveilled By The Very Government Accountable For Widespread Suffering.

"Ray Of Hope" Delves Into The Intricate Aftermath Of Trauma Within A Community That Is Now Breaking Its Silence, Aiming To Attain Justice For The Multitude Who Have Gone Missing Or Perished. The Documentary Sheds Light On How Rathika's Experience Echoes The Larger Narrative Of Eelam Tamil Migrants, Exploring The Intricate Interplay Between Personal And Collective Healing And The Pursuit Of Accountability.

Director: Ryan Singh, Nikila Cole

Runtime: 96 Minutes

Not A Fiction

Ngos Have Alleged That Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) And Other Bangladeshi Law Enforcement Are Responsible For More Than 600 Extrajudicial Killings Since 2018' - Human Rights Watch (Hrw).

Not A Fiction Depicts One Such Incident. This One-Shot-Film Set From The Perspective Of An Old Tree, Is Inspired By A Press Release Of Bangladeshi Law Enforcement Agency (Rab) And Dedicated To The Victims All Over The World.

Flight 182

One Year After Operation Blue Star, The Deadliest Military Attack On The Holiest Sikh Shrine, And The Assassination Of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Mandeep Kaur Must Protect Her Husband From Boarding Air India Flight 182 Traveling From Canada To India. Based On Actual Events Of 1985, Flight 182 Centers Around An Immigrant Family And The Fear Of Returning To The Motherland Where Danger Looms In A Country Destroyed By Riots And Radicalism. Will Jeet Take The Flight That Could End His Life Or Remain At Home With His Pregnant Wife And Eight-Year-Old Daughter?

Director: Rippin Sindher

Runtime: 17 Minutes

4:20 pm: Food Justice: Lighthouse - The Feast - An Orphanage Of Memories - Dude, Where's My Doubles? - Welcome To Klyde's Kitchen

Lighthouse

After The Indian Ocean Tsunami Of 2004, Widowed Women Struggled To Receive Aid Due To Their Social Status. Following The Story Of Mrs. Manjula Along With Many Other Women From Tamil Nadu, The Challenges Faced By Millions Of Widows Across The Country Are Illuminated. From Being Ostracized To Denied Basic Rights And Economic Opportunities, Widows In India Endure A Cycle Of Discrimination And Marginalization.Kalangarai? Meaning "Lighthouse" In Tamil, Is An Organization Dedicated To Empowering Women Through Initiatives Such As Self-Help Groups And Educational Programs. Throughout The Film, "Lighthouse" Illustrates The Emotional Journeys And Resilience Of These Women, As Well As The Active Change That Kalangarai Strives To Achieve. This Documentary Urges Global Awareness And Support For Widowed Womenâ??S Rights, As The Women Struggles Depict The Intersectionality Of Gender, Poverty, And Social Injustice.

Director: Lola Mei Ellis

Runtime: 14 Minutes

The Feast

In October 2021, The Fisherwomen Of Pulicat Lake, The Largest Brackish Water Lagoon In South India, Organised A Sumptuous Meal For Their Politicians And Bureaucrats. Their Plan Was To Remind The Powers-That-Be Of The Rich Biodiversity They Stand To Lose If They Sanctioned A Massive Port That Would Pollute And All But Erase The Lake. It Was A Novel Way Of Making A Point, Using Food As A Tool Of Protest.

The Feast Is A Film Inspired By This Event. It Tells The Story Of A Prawn Picker Mary Who Is Distraught By The Expanding ambitions Of A Factory Where Her Daughter Josie Works. It Spews Untreated Effluents Into The Nourishing Waters Of Her Beloved Lake. Caught Between The Risk Of Josie Losing Her Job And The Prospect Of Losing The Lake, Mary Makes Her Choice With A Desperate Plan To Convince Fellow Villager Turned Politician Thomas To Stop The Factory. All She Needs Is Her Secret Ally - The Lake Itself - To Let Her Tap Into Their Shared Memory Of Childhood Tastes, Flavoured By Its Waters And Do Its Magic.

Director: Rishi Chandna

Runtime: 25 Minutes

An Orphanage Of Memories

In A Small Village Of Kashmir, Farah, The Caretaker Of A Small Piece Of Land Has Lost Her Husband Under Tragic, Unexplained Circumstances. Feeling Overwhelmed With Grief, Farah Clings Onto Her Late Husbandâ??S Memories. Under Threat Of Her Home Being Uprooted By The Prospect Of A New Buyer, Farah Finds A New Lease Of Life When She Discovers The Saplings Her Husband Brought To Their Kitchen Garden. Just As She Is Done Planting Them, She Discovers Small Rat Droppings Around The Garden. With This Farah Dives Deep Into A Point Of No Return As She Dedicates Her Life Towards Protecting The Saplings At The Cost Of Affecting Her Sanity.

Orphanage Of Memories Is A Protest Against How The Average Indian Views Kashmir In Movies - Where The Focus Is Always On The Landscape And Never On The People. We Were Keen On Telling The Story Of An Individual And Not The Serenity Of Kashmir. This Is Precisely Why We Chose To Set The Story In The Harshest Part Of Winter, Before Snowfall Starts - When The Whole Valley Is Engulfed In A Blanket Of Deary Gray Monotones.

Director: Rayit Hashmat Qazi

Runtime: 21 Minutes

Dude, Where's My Doubles?

Two Friends Search Through Los Angeles's Expansive Food Scenes In Search Of Doubles, A Trinidadian Street Food.

Director: Kevin Samir Ramlal

Runtime: 17 Minutes

Welcome To Klyde's Kitchen

A Brash Young Business Executive (Ezekiel Bridges), Charged With A Dui, Is Sentenced To Performing Community Service At A Homeless Center, Where He Serves Indigents Against His Will And Despite His Prejudices. A New Visitor, A Ragged Homeless Man (Beau Bridges,) And The Homeless Center's Manager (Sana Saeed,) Teach Him The Value Of Caring For The Forgotten.

Director: Sonia Bajaj

Runtime: 22 Minutes

5:00 pm: Companionship: Manjha - The Tides That Bind Us - Bhangaar - Chhaya - A Heartbeat

Manjha

During An Unexpected Weekend Getaway, Mahi Must Reconcile The Heartbreaking Reality Of Her Father's Immigration.

Director: Keya Saxena

Brotherly (The Tides That Bind Us)

When Nabil Learns His Mentally Ill Brother Signed A Do-Not-Resuscitate Order Before Attempting Suicide He's Forced To Choose To Either Save His Brother's Life Against His Will Or Respect His Brother's Wishes And Let Him Die. As Nabil Struggles With This Impossible Choice A Lifetime Of Forgotten Memories Flood To The Surface In This Tragic Story Of Brotherly Love amidst The Ripple Effects Of Trauma.

Brotherly Is A Semi-Autobiographical Portrait Of Brotherhood Dealing With Themes Of Mental Illness In Middle Age And Euthanasia.

Director: Gavin Seal

Runtime: 11 Minutes

Bhangaar

In A Century-Old Chawl, Ira And Narayan, An Elderly Couple, Have Shared A Small 12x12 Room For Over 50 Years. Despite Their Lack Of Wealth Or Power, They Boldly Petition The Country's Highest Authorities, Determined To Be Heard In A Society That Often Overlooks Them. Inside Their Room, Time Seems To Stand Still, Their Days Filled With Quiet Moments, Broken Only By Playful Banter And Reflections On Their Long Marriage And The Shifting Social Norms They've Witnessed.

Outside, Life In The 'Chawl' Continues With Its Fast-Paced Rhythms, Festivals, And The Relentless Progress Of The City. As Mumbai Transforms Around Them, The Couple's Aging Bodies And Minds Seem At Odds With The World Beyond Their Door. Through This Intimate Lens, The Story Quietly Explores Universal Themes Of Love, Loss, And The Passage Of Time, Leading The Couple Toward An Unexpected And Life-Altering Decision.

Director: Sumira Roy

Runtime: 65 Minutes

Chhaya

Somewhere Between Fantasy And Paranoia, A Comically Absurd Doctor's Appointment Cracks Open, Unraveling The Psyche Of A Survivor Grappling With Sexual Assault.

Director: Sophiyaa Nayar

Runtime: 8 Minutes

A Heartbeat

Maya Is Still In College When She Gets Pregnant. She Goes Through An Abortion On Her Own In A Small Town In India. Months Later She Tries To Process The Conflict Between The Residues Of This Experience In Her Body And Mind.

Director: Kiran Rajhan

Runtime: 13 Minutes

6:35 pm: A House Name Shahana

A House Named Shahana

The Story Follows The Turbulent Life Of Dipa, A Young Divorced Woman Whose Refusal To Suffer Silently Makes Her A Misfit In A Rural Town In 90s Bangladesh.

She Is Raised By Weak And Ineffectual Parents In A Peculiar Family Dynamic Dominated By Her Maternal Uncle And Aunt. Under Their Authority, Dipa Is Married Off To A Widower In England Over A Trunk-Call Wedding Ceremony To Protect Her From The Dangers Of Teenage Passions. Dipa Suffers Marital Rape, Refuses To Settle And Escapes.

Seven Years Later, Dipa Has Become A Transformed And Confident Professional, Yet She Still Must Fight The Social Stigma And The Burden Of ??Family Honour? To Live On Her Own Terms.

7:30 pm: Tasveer Youth Collective: Prematho - Be True - Ladke - How To Make Friends - Legally Brown: The Musical The Short

Prematho

When A Perfectionist Teenage Bharatanatyam Dancer Is Denied Her Arangatram (Recital), She Must Realize That Impeccable Technique Alone Is Insufficient, For Only A Lesson In Gratitude And A Reevaluation Of Her Relationship With Her Mother Will Bring Her Dance To New Heights.

Director: Harshith Surya Kotni

Runtime: 12 Minutes

Be True

In The Animated Film 'Be True' A Disillusioned Girl Navigates The Shallow World Of Virtual Dating, Learning That Authenticity Triumphs. Embracing Her True Self, She Discovers Her Perfect Match .

Director: Saraswathi Vani Balgam

Runtime: 8 Minutes

How To Make Friends

As His College Graduation Approaches, A Comedian Looks At The Fraught State Of His Friendships With Other Men. Also His Dad.

Director: Karan Menon

Runtime: 16 Minutes

9:00 pm: Healing Power : Time - american Underdog

Time

After Losing Her Husband To Dementia, Surjit Becomes Consumed By Her Grief. Her Days Are Spent Trying To Pass The Time, Finding Ways To Cope With Loss. The Best Part Of Her Week Is When Her Grandchildren Come To Visit. She Seeks Solace Reflecting On Memories Of Her Younger Days. Although Restricted By Her Anxiety, She Tries To Search For Peace Within Her Loneliness. Surjit's Yearning For Companionship Leads Her To A Group Of Elderly Women Who Often Gather At A Park. What Does Life Look Like When You Have To Forge New Friendships At The Age Of 70? Time Explores Life After Loss.

Director: Kiran Rai, Baljit Singh

Runtime: 11 Minutes

american Underdog

"american Underdog" Is A Redemption Story Set In The World Of Mma. Everyone In This World Has Been Damaged By Life In Some Way, And This Film Highlights The Beauty And Healing Power Of Connection, Forgiveness And Self Reflection. After Intervening In A Convenience Store Robbery, Our Protagonist "Jai" Becomes An Unlikely Local Hero, Thrust Into The Unforgiving Spotlight Of Instant Online Fame. At The Urging Of His Gym, He Reluctantly Enters A Local Mma Tournament, With All The Odds Against Him. He Convinces His Old Trainer To Come Out Of Retirement And Help Him Train For His Upcoming Fight, But Is It Going To Be Enough When His Biggest Obstacle Seems To Be The Self Doubting Voice In His Head. With Every Step, It Become Clear That The Path To Victory Is The Same Path For Personal Redemption, But Does He Still Have What It Takes?

Director: Gustavo Martin Benites

Runtime: 90 Minutes

9:15 pm: Stolen: Stalled - Stolen

Stalled

After Being Expelled From His Medical Residency Program, Imran Finds Himself Stranded In The Vast California Desert, His Car Breaking Down Just Hours Before Reuniting With His Family On Chaand Raat, The Eve Of Eid. In This Challenging Moment, He Is Accompanied By His Companion, Maalik, As Imran Grapples With The Emotions He Must Confront When Sharing His Situation With His Family.

Director: Michael Lazovsky

Runtime: 8 Minutes

Stolen

A Five Month Old Baby Is Stolen From The Clutches Of Her Mother, Jhumpa Mahato, An Impoverished Destitute Woman. Two Brothers, Gautam And Raman, Both Urbane Young Men, Witness The Kidnapping. Their Already Tenuous Relationship Is Further Tested While Trying To Help Her When They Become Embroiled In The Complexities Of The Investigation. A Trial By Fire Which Changes Their Life Forever!

Director: Karan Tejpal

Runtime: 92 Minutes