The Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) is a vibrant platform that seeks to advance diversity in the Chicagoland area through the power of cinema, meaningful conversations, and rich cultural experiences. With a strong commitment to showcasing South Asian talent, stories, and themes, CSAFF provides a global platform for filmmakers, actors, and moviegoers alike.

The Festival Aims To:

Promote South Asian culture, talent and perspectives through films, art and discussions
Promote Local Businesses and Organizations by creating partnerships and fostering strong relationships to provide exposure
Promote Chicago as a destination for making films while supporting local talent through workshops and networking platforms

Festival History

The Chicago South Asian Film Festival was founded in 2010 by Amit Rana, Mileen Patel, and Ketki Parikh with the support of Vachikam Inc and the Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP). The first festival was held October 1st – 3rd, 2010 at the Chicago Cultural Center and Columbia College Chicago and showcased 16 films. The inaugural event attracted just over 1,300 attendees including renowned filmmakers Aparna Sen, Deepti Naval and Ajay Naidu.

The initial committee members at inception were: Suhani Amin, Kaivan Dave, Ketki Parikh, Mileen Patel, Amit Rana, Raza Siddiqui, Susan Singh, Shalini Trivedi and Parveen Usman.

Based on the success of the first festival, the Chicago South Asian Arts Council Inc., a nonprofit organization, was formed in December 2010 to carry out the mission of furthering South Asian arts and talent in Chicagoland.

Description

The Chicago South Asian Film Festival, is one of the largest multicultural events in the heartland of America and is dedicated to advancing diversity in Chicagoland through cinema, conversation and culture. The Festival was founded in 2010 by the Chicago South Asian Arts Council, a non-profit organization that aims to promote creativity and culture through art.

CSAFF is held in late September in downtown Chicago and screens premiere films, hosts exceptional talent and organizes panel discussions, opportunities for filmmakers and film lovers to connect, musical performances, industry workshops, tributes to major artists and awards galas.

The Festival supports films from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet. Films from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have also received a platform at CSAFF. All of our films are spoken or subtitled in English.

Date: September 21-24, 2023

Location: ShowPlace ICON Theatre & Kitchen at Roosevelt Collection 1011 South Delano Court Chicago, IL 60605 United States

Buy Tickets: https://www.csaff.org/tickets/?fbclid=IwAR0rrGQ8awgMx2QGCT4ur9iEXWMShjNQzfHNe_5m_NTCNbBgbmVNWCJL7Pc

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