3rd i Co-presents at CAAMFest37
2019-05-10 19:20 (America/Los_Angeles) | AMC Kabuki 8, 1881 Post St, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i Films is pleased to co-present Tiger at CAAMFest37. TIGER is a powerful film about a Sikh-American boxer who is banned from the boxing commission for practicing his religious beliefs. Based on a true story of Pardeep Singh Nagra (a break-out role for Prem Singh), this inspirational story explores a boxer’s real fight outside of the ring for religious freedom and against racial profiling. This knock-out cast also includes Mickey Rourke as Pardeep’s mentor/coach and Janel Parrish as a bold community lawyer.
AMC Kabuki 8
Fri May 10
7:20 pm
AMC Kabuki 8
Tue May 14
6:30 pm
Michael Pugliese (Writer) and Rocco Pugliese (Producer) will appear at the Friday, May 10 screening.
For more information: https://caamfest.com/2019/movies/tiger/

3rd i Co-presents at CAAMfest37
2019-05-12 18:45 | AMC Kabuki 8, 1881 Post St, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i Films is pleased to Co-present When We Walk at CAAMFest37. Emmy-Award-winning director Jason DaSilva continues the documentation of his diagnosis with multiple sclerosis and its aftermath. When We Walk, (78 min ) the follow-up to DaSilva’s 2013 film When I Walk, and part of a documentary trilogy, is bracingly forthright and political in this film about inequalities that parents with disabilities face.
San Francisco Premiere
AMC Kabuki 8
Sun May 12
6:45 pm
Roxie Theater
Sat May 18
12:10 pm
For more information: https://caamfest.com/2019/movies/when-we-walk/

3rd i Co-presents “SHIRAZ” at the Roxie
2019-06-15 16:10 | Roxie Theater, 94103
An astonishing treasure of the silent cinema, Shiraz is an ambitious and elegant film that takes creative license with the story of the life and death of the 17th-century Mumtaz Mahal (Enakshi Rama Rau), the Mughal empress whose early demise inspired her husband to construct the Taj Mahal. Inventing a backstory involving bandits, slavers, and nobility-in-disguise, the film narrative give us a robust romantic adventure, filled with teeming crowd scenes and location shots that double as invaluable documentary.
Shot entirely on location in India, it features lavish costumes and gorgeous settings — all the more impressive in this restoration by the BFI Na-tional Archive, which features a specially commissioned score by the Grammy Award-nominated Anoushka Shankar.
Produced by and starring Indian film legend Himansu Rai, the film is performed by an all-Indian cast, featuring Rai as humble potter Shiraz, who follows his childhood sweetheart Selima (Enakshi Rama Rau) when she’s sold by slave traders to the future emperor (Charu Roy).

3rd i Co-presents “Kuttumaram’’ at Frameline 43
2019-06-23 18:45 | Roxie Theater, 94103
In a small village ravaged by a tsunami, Singaram works as a fisherman to care for his orphaned niece and nephew. Despite her uncle’s tireless bids to find a groom for her, Anandhi rejects all efforts to get her married off, instead focusing on her work as a schoolteacher. When a new photography instructor named Kavita arrives at the school, Anandhi finds an instant connection with her. As their friendship begins to blossom into something more, Anandhi must face her feelings and the consequences they will bring in this conservative society.
Kuttumaram is a heartfelt look at the strength of community in rural India, showcasing the importance of tradition along with the need for evolution. Filmmaker Swarnavel Eswaran’s previous documentary work focusing on social justice informs the film throughout. Eswaran balances politics with aesthetics, making Kattumaram a beautiful and genuine experience.

3rd i is Proud to Co-present "Transfinite" at Frameline43
2019-06-25 18:45 | Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street, San Francisco, 94103, United States
Director Neelu Bhuman’s Transfinite is a collection of seven locally-shot science-fiction/fantasy short films. Rich with symbolism, the seven stories in this anthology film feature supernatural trans and queer people, from many different cultures, who use magic and supernatural powers to love, teach, fight, and thrive.
Najma’s new lover is fearful about telling his best friend that he’s in love with a transwoman–and when the friend reacts transphobically, her supernatural powers reveal themselves. Love vanquishes a demon who has possessed the hand of a warrior. Shayla converts a building developer into an environmentalist. Neruda’s oceanic love and Bahari’s expansive poetry are a border-smashing combination. With the help of her best friend, Nova protects herself from bullies. Falling in love expands Orchid Mango Blu’s world. And Honey casts a celestial spell on a dirty politician.
A cast of LGBTQ+ actors skillfully bring the stories to life, while beautiful animation and thoughtful cinematography unite the collection—even though, as the film’s tagline says, trans identities are “as limitless as nature itself.”
DIRECTOR: Neelu Bhuman
2019 | USA, UK, India | 70m
Victoria theater Tuesday June 25, 2019
6:45 PM
Landmark Theaters Piedmont Thursday June 27, 2019
9:15 PM
For more information: https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide/transfinite

3rd i Co-presents “Kattumarum’’ at Frameline 43
2019-06-27 19:00 | Landmark Shattuck Cinemas, 2230 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
In a small village ravaged by a tsunami, Singaram works as a fisherman to care for his orphaned niece and nephew. Despite her uncle’s tireless bids to find a groom for her, Anandhi rejects all efforts to get her married off, instead focusing on her work as a schoolteacher. When a new photography instructor named Kavita arrives at the school, Anandhi finds an instant connection with her. As their friendship begins to blossom into something more, Anandhi must face her feelings and the consequences they will bring in this conservative society.
Kattumaram is a heartfelt look at the strength of community in rural India, showcasing the importance of tradition along with the need for evolution. Filmmaker Swarnavel Eswaran’s previous documentary work focusing on social justice informs the film throughout. Eswaran balances politics with aesthetics, making Kattumaram a beautiful and genuine experience.

Bulbul Can Sing
2019-11-07 19:30 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
SF Bay Area Premiere
Official Selection, Berlin & Melbourne International Festivals, Winner of Best Director Award at Dublin International and Best Film, Prag Cine Awards, 2019
Following on the heels of last year’s magical Village Rockstars, Rima Das takes us back to the timeless beauty of the northeast in this bittersweet narrative that draws inspiration from her own experiences of growing up in the Assamese countryside. This is no simple rural idyll however; in Das’ deft hands, the film transforms into a deeply compelling exploration of love, loss, and adolescence.
Three friends struggle to find their own identities, and to fight back against age-old traditions and parental expectations in this heartfelt and authentic coming-of-age story. Burgeoning with the mischief, curiosity and the exuberance of youth, the girls – Bulbul and Bonnie – risk their reputations chasing first-time romances, while the boy – Sumu – is ostracized for not conforming to gender expectations. Das treats the young protagonists with great insight and respect, capturing their journeys towards self-awareness with a sensitivity reminiscent of Satyajit Ray.
“Das recounts her story in the pure language of cinema… As [Bulbul] learns to walk with both love and death in her life, countless variations of natural light give her whole world an immersive glow.” – Cameron Bailey, Toronto Film Festival

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American Hasi
2019-11-08 19:00 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Comedian Tushar Singh in person!!
West Coast Premiere
Official Selection, New York Comedy & Chicago South Asian Festivals, 2019
Equal parts comedy, awkward moments, and self-discovery, Laura Asherman’s intimate doc is a portrait of a comedian at the crossroads of his life and career. After losing his day job, Tushar Singh decides to pursue stand-up comedy full-time, drawing from his own personal experience of growing up as the son of Indian immigrants in a predominantly white neighborhood of Huntsville, Alabama.
In an attempt to accelerate his career, Singh maps out a 35-day tour in India (with his mom in tow), taking part in India’s flourishing stand-up scene. In the process of making audiences laugh through his self-deprecating (occasionally taboo) humor, he discovers the challenges of cross-cultural comedy, and faces his relationship with India head-on. Part verité road trip, part character study, this refreshingly candid doc features interviews with influential comics such as Russell Peters, Bill Burr, and Vir Das.
“American Hasi is a funny and delightfully awkward story that captures the struggles of the brave few who try to make a living out of their creative passion.” – Laughing Skull Comedy Festival
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Cat Sticks
2019-11-08 21:00 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Skype Q&A With Ronny Sen!!
SF Bay Area Premiere
Official Selection, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles & Slamdance Film Festival, 2019, and Winner of the International Narrative Feature Jury Award, Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, 2019
A gorgeous and haunting debut film by acclaimed black-and-white photographer Ronny Sen, this raw and gritty narrative follows the stories of several addicts looking for the high of halogen, a synthetic brand of heroin that created havoc in India at the turn of the millenium. Composed of several thematically connected stories that occur over the course of one rain drenched night in Kolkata, the film is not shy to show us the stark brutality of life, whilst also managing to find the beauty in it.
Drawing from his personal familiarity with the world of addiction, Sen foregrounds the human connections between these addicted and forgotten souls, uncannily replicating the intoxication its characters feel while masterfully immersing us in this world with great sensitivity and style.
The film’s bewitching score works in tandem with the mesmerizing imagery – in lush monochrome and grey silhouettes, to create a work that is a must-see on the big screen!
“Cat Sticks is one of the most gorgeous and affecting films Slamdance has presented in recent memory.” – Paul Sbrizzi, Slamdance Film Festival
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Chippa
2019-11-10 14:30 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
SF Bay Area Premiere
Winner of the Best Child Actor award for Sunny Pawar at the New York Indian, DFW South Asian and Ottawa Indian Festivals
This humorous and entertaining film is the heartwarming story of Chippa (Sunny Pawar, award-winning child star of Lion) who, on his tenth birthday, armed with a letter he can’t read, sets out into night-time Calcutta looking for a father he has never seen.
What he finds is a city of migrants who speak in a curious mix of languages, play late night football, and drive crazy taxis with roof gardens. It is not an everyday Calcutta that emerges, but a “marvelous realism” that is akin to the works of literary giants such as Salman Rushdie and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Chippa is not oblivious to the grim reality and communal suspicion surrounding him, but chooses to encounter this world with a mixture of bravado, curiosity and humor. Seen through his eyes, the road ahead is not bleak but full of adventure, surprises – and above all – hope.
“Then a film like Chippa comes by, a filmmaker like Rahman comes by, to tell us… over and over again, that we are what our shared histories make us, and our histories, as Rushdie says, ‘are, despite everything, acts of love.’” – Bedatri Choudhary, First Post
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Coast to Coast: Mumbai to the Mission
2019-11-10 18:45 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i’s signature shorts program brings California filmmakers into conversation with filmmakers from South Asia and the Diaspora. With genres ranging from comedy to contemporary music, and short-form documentaries to dramatic narratives, this year’s edition tackles stories of relationships, identity, environment, LGBTQ and social justice with compassion. Be warned, there’s a fair amount of humor!
When the Dust Came In, Abhi Singh (USA, 2019, 10 min). An expose on the minimalist life of sheepherders and their battles against international mining operations in Mongolia.
31 Foot Ladders, Andrew Sturm (USA, 2017, 5 min). A satirical commentary on Trump’s border wall.
Home Girl, Poonam Brah (UK, 2019, 12 min). A British-Pakistani woman’s struggle to reconcile her queerness with her deceased mother’s expectations.
Identity, Pallaví (USA, 2019, 3 min). A criticism of systemic oppression and celebration of an artist’s Indo-Fijian identity and community.
The Plunge, Simon Ryninks (UK, 2019, 10 min). A couple in love finds themselves ready to take the next step.
The Layover, Mahesh Pailoor & Anu Pradhan (USA, 2018, 9 min). An estranged couple reconnect by reliving a memorable date.
Mona Shaikh, Mahesh Pailoor (USA, 2017, 3 min). A portrait of a Pakistani-American comedienne.
Como Mínimo, Micropixie (USA, 2019, 7 min). A sixties French psych-pop inspired take on gender and sexual politics.
The Ice-Man, Heerak Shah (USA, 2019, 3 min). A comedic film about an unconventional encounter between an Indian man and a white woman at a suburban convenience store.
Gabroo, Varun Chounal (USA, 2018, 15 min). A light hearted film about a young Sikh boy’s complicated relationship with his hair.
What’s Your Brown Number? Vinnie Ann Bose (India, 2016, 5 min). An animated short exploring the absurdity of colorism.
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The MisEducation of Bindu
2019-11-16 14:30 | Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94303, United States
Palo Alto Premiere
Filmmaker Prarthana Mohan in Person!!
This coming-of-age comedy coming straight from Mill Valley Film Festival will resonate with viewers both young, old and in between. The Miseducation of Bindu follows a day in the life of a painfully bright but awkward 15-year-old Bindu, who endures high school and tries to graduate early.
Her mother (Priyanka Bose, Lion) does her best to keep Bindu on track while maintaining her Indian heritage, and her clueless stepfather (David Arquette, Scream), tries to give Bindu advice on boys and high school life in America. Paying homage to Bollywood rock with one fantastical Bollywood dance number, Bindu dreams about escaping and longs for her home in India. 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.

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Bangla
2019-11-16 16:45 | Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94303, United States
West Coast Premiere
In this playful romantic comedy, Bangla, Phaim, 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.
Echoing the best of recent cinema hit The Big Sick, the film takes its own unique look at the multicultural experiences of second generation South Asian Europeans in the Italian context, and specifically of those living in Rome. The narrative, which puts a whimsical lens on the clash of cultures as an everyday reality for many second-generation immigrants, is based on the director’s own life, who as the lead plays a fictionalized version of himself.
Highlighted in Rotterdam’s International Film Festival in the Big screen competition section and recently screening at the Chicago Film Festival, Bangla brings in a fresh new voice and pioneer of a new generation of Italian filmmakers.
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Sir
2019-11-16 19:00 | Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94303, United States
A beautifully nuanced, sensual and insightful feature film that premiered at Cannes, Sir delves into the spiritual and romantic connections of two people living parallel yet entirely separate lives. Rohena Gera tentatively explores the forbidden attraction between Ratna (Tillotama Shome), a maid, and her employer Ashwin (Vivek Gomber), a wealthy Mumbai bachelor.
The film gains gravity for its insight into Indian social rigidities that tether both impoverished villagers and well-heeled urbanites, with each character quietly yearning to break free from the narrow bounds of their class and gender-based expectations.
Drawing on similarities to two other critically acclaimed films, Lunch Box and In The Mood For Love, Gera achieves a particular delicacy in her directing, combining an appealing, understated sweetness with an edge, and thwarting all expectations and stereotypes of a typical Indian love story.
“Gera is a female Indian director making her mark celebrating women’s empowerment against dire economic odds… her direction exudes a simple grace that transcends local issues.”
– Variety, Cannes Film Festival Review
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Documentary Film Screening: "Reason"
2019-12-05 16:45 - 21:00 | Oshman Hall, McMurtry Bldg, 355 Roth Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
Reason/Vivek
by Anand Patwardhan
In what is perhaps his most urgent and thorough exploration of Indian society yet, 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.
Reason is not an easy film to watch, nor should it be. The film denounces — and depicts — violence perpetrated or fueled by religious nationalists pushing to make India a Hindu state. As Reason builds and expands toward its conclusion, the scale of the dangers India faces becomes clear, and connections are made between the country’s inner conflicts and the similar political fires burning all over the world. Even with countless people of conscience offering resistance, the film ends with yet one more assassination. This time it is a journalist.
Anand Patwardhan is one of India’s most respected documentary filmmakers, known for his socio-political, human rights-oriented films. Reason/Vivek, his most recent film, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2018 and won the Best Feature-Length Documentary at the 31st International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam in November 2018.
Moderated by Usha Iyer, Assistant Professor, Department of Art and Art History, Stanford University
Event Sponsor:
Center for South Asia, Stanford Humanities Center, Office of the Vice President for the Arts, Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, Department of Art and Art History (Film and Media Studies, MFA in Documentary Film), 3rd i Films

Celebrating Pride with AAM and GAPA
2020-06-25 19:00 | Online, CA, United States
SF Pride is here! Celebrate its 50th anniversary with our community
partner, the Asian Art Museum.
Asian Art Museum
Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) Theatre: Celebrating Pride
June 25 at 7pm
Experience spoken word, short plays, and storytelling monologues from an intergenerational collective in a virtual program. RSVP, Free tickets available.
