Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain
2015-03-14 14:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i co-presents new films at CAAMFest 2015, celebrating emerging Asian talents.
Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain
Directed by RAVI KUMAR
India / 2014 / Narrative / 96 mins / English, Hindi with English subtitles / 35mm
Narrating the days leading up to the Bhopal disaster in December 1984, director Ravi Kumar brings together notable actors from both Hollywood and Indian cinema to tell the poignant story of the immense pesticide plant gas leak in the heart of the small city of Bhopal, India, in this much-awaited docudrama starring Kal Penn, Martin Sheen and Mischa Barton.
Dates and times
Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain: New People Cinema, March 14, 2015 – 2:30 pm
More info and tickets
http://caamfest.com/2015/films/bhopal-a-prayer-for-rain/

Miss India America
2015-03-14 21:20, 2015-03-18 18:45 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i co-presents new films at CAAMFest 2015, celebrating emerging Asian talents.
Miss India America
Directed by RAVI KAPOOR
NARRATIVE / USA / 2014 / NARRATIVE / 98 MINS
Lily Prasad is a valedictorian who wants to win at all costs — but she’s lost her boyfriend to the reigning Miss India National. She schemes to win him back by winning the beauty pageant herself. This female Frank Underwood rediscovers the importance of family and friends in a hilarious comedy.
Dates and times
Miss India America: New People Cinema, March 14, 2015 – 9:20 pm
Miss India America: New People Cinema, March 18, 2015 – 6:45 pm
Miss India America: New Parkway Theater, March 22, 2015 – 5:00 pm
More info and tickets
http://caamfest.com/2015/films/miss-india-america/

Tough Love
2015-03-15 16:30, 2015-03-17 20:50 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i co-presents new films at CAAMFest 2015, celebrating emerging Asian talents.
Tough Love
Directed by STEPHANIE WANG-BREAL
DOCUMENTARY / USA / 2014 / FAMILY, REALITY, SOCIAL ISSUE / 83 MINS
Filmmaker Stephanie Wang-Breal’s documentary follows two parents as they navigate the American child welfare system to reunite their families. The parents work through their individual situations, which include a harrowing maze of conferences, advocates, attorneys and court hearings, all while trying to prove they should be reunited with their children.
Dates and times
Tough Love: New People Cinema, March 15, 2015 – 4:30 pm
New People Cinema, March 17, 2015 – 8:50 pm
More info and tickets
http://caamfest.com/2015/films/tough-love/

Margarita, With a Straw
2015-03-15 19:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
3rd i co-presents new films at CAAMFest 2015, celebrating emerging Asian talents.
Margarita, With a Straw
Directed by Shonali Bose
India / 2014 / Culture, Gay/Lesbian, Women / 100 mins / English, Hindi with English subtitles / Color
Laila is an aspiring writer and NYU transplant, via Delhi University, whose cerebral palsy is a footnote to her other achievements. When she falls for a fiery female activist, her creative and personal boundaries are tested. Shonali Bose’s (AMU) deeply personal film dazzles with moments of quiet self-discovery and first love, unbound by ability and difference.
Dates and times
Margarita, With a Straw: Castro Theatre, March 15, 2015 – 7:00 pm
More info and tickets
http://caamfest.com/2015/films/margarita-with-a-straw/

Miss India America
2015-03-22 17:00 | The New Parkway Theater, 474 24th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States

3rd i Films is Proud to Co-present "The Human Experiment"
2015-04-16 19:00 | Clay Theatre, 2261 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i Films is proud to support The Human Experiment, produced by Ashvini Bhave.
April 16th, 7pm
Clay Theater, 2261 Fillmore St., San Francisco
A Benefit for the Breast Cancer Fund
Ticket info/purchase: http://thehumanexperimentmovie.com/see-the-film/

The Human Experiment lifts the veil on the shocking reality that thousands of untested chemicals are in our everyday products, our homes and inside of us. Simultaneously, the prevalence of many diseases continues to rise. From Oscar® winner Sean Penn and Emmy®-winning journalists Dana Nachman and Don Hardy, The Human Experiment tells the personal stories of people who believe their lives have been affected by chemicals and takes viewers to the front lines as activists go head-to-head with the powerful and well-funded chemical industry.

3rd i Films presents a sampling of shorts
2015-04-21 15:00 | 900 Metro Center Blvd, Screening hall, 1st Flr, Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
Local, national and international selection of award-winning short films from India that employ drama, dance, music and comedy to great effect in examining social issues.
Location: 900 Metro Center Blvd. Foster City, CA
screening hall 1st floor
Date: April 21st,
Time: 3pm
Free

3rd i Films co-presents Kala Ramnath at CIIS
2015-05-01 20:00 | Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Pier 2, San Francisco, CA, 94123, United States
Grammy nominated for her album Miles from India, and recognized as one of the 50 best instrumentalists of the world by Songlines magazine, Kala Ramnath was born into a family of prodigious musical talent, including violin legends Prof. T.N. Krishnan and Dr. N. Rajam. Kala’s genius manifested during childhood. But as a disciple of the legendary vocalist Pandit Jasraj, she learned to produce a sound so unique, evocative and akin to classical Indian vocal music that today her instrument is called “The Singing Violin.”
Kala has performed at all the major music festivals in India, as well the Sydney Opera House, London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall. She incorporates elements of western classical, jazz, flamenco and traditional African music into her rich and varied repertoire.
This show is one of three curated by Terry Riley in honor of his birthday.
Click here to buy tickets!

3rd i Films Co-presents "Court" at SFIFF
2015-05-03 16:00 | AMC Kabuki 8, 1881 Post St, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
3rd i Films co-presents at the 58th annual San Francisco International Film Festival.
Court, directed by Chaitanya Tamhane, India, 2014, 116 min
The Mumbai police desperately want folk singer Narayan Kamble behind bars. After he is arrested onstage at a public performance, Kamble is surprised to learn that he is being charged with abetment of suicide: a sewage worker allegedly heard his poetry shortly before being found dead. What is an obviously absurd accusation, however, is taken quite seriously by the municipal authorities. Court becomes as much an examination of contemporary Indian life as it is of a flawed justice system, raising questions about social and economic structures while vividly painting the individuals who must navigate them.
May 3, 4:00pm Sundance Kabuki Cinema
May 6, 6:30pm Pacific Film Archive
Link to SFIFF58 website: http://bit.ly/SFIFF58cou

3rd i Films Co-presents a Study of "Lagaan"
2015-05-06 12:00 - 13:30 | Stanford University, Room 208, Encina Hall West, 417 Galvez Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
3rd i Films, in partnership with The Center for South Asia at Stanford University, are pleased to present a multi-media lecture focused on Lagaan, the 2001 Academy Award nominated Bollywood epic film produced by Aamir Khan and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.
Through film clips and musical excerpts, Fulbright Scholar and tabla artist Robin Sukhadia will address Bollywood’s recent history and Lagaan’s relevance to India’s post-colonial narratives. Special focus will be given to the rise and impact of Bollywood composer A R Rahman, whose richly textured score for the film elevated him to global notoriety.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015: 12PM – 1:30PM
Stanford University
Room 208, Encina Hall West,
417 Galvez Mall, Stanford, CA

3rd i Films Co-presents "Court" at SFIFF
2015-05-06 16:30 | Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States

Meet Nigel Barker
2015-05-27 18:00 | Macy’s Union Square, 170 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, 94102
3rd i is proud to support Macy’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and their May 27th event:
Meet Nigel Barker!
Wednesday May 27th, 6pm Macy’s Union Square, Women’s store, impulse on 3
Nigel Barker (celebrity fashion photographer of Sri Lankan origin) will be signing copies of his new book, Models of Influence: 50 Women Who Reset the Course of Fashion.
Vogue contributing editor André Leon Talley describes Nigel Barker as “the Sergei Diaghilev of the world of models in our time,” and says the new book is “a must-read and must-have.”
Fashion designer Cynthia Rowley calls Models of Influence “the new beauty bible!”
Join the celebration! Reserve your free ticket, or Click here to learn more.

3rd i Films Co-presents at the SF Green Film Fest
2015-05-31 18:30 | Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
Join 3rd i at the San Francisco Green Film Festival May 31 for the San Francisco premiere of My Name is Salt, a lyrical and poetic film showing what it takes to make the whitest salt on earth. The SF Green Film Festival runs from May 28 – June 3 at the Roxie Theater; a week of new films and events that spotlight the world’s most urgent environmental issues and most innovative solutions.
My Name is Salt
When: Sunday, May 31, 6:30pm
Where: Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St., San Francisco
Buy Tickets: My Name is Salt
Festival site: www.greenfilmfest.org
Year after year, for an endless eight months, thousands of families move to a desert in India to extract the whitest salt from a relentless landscape. Every monsoon their salt fields are washed away. And still they return.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mynameissalt

Margarita, With a Straw
2015-06-23 21:30 | Landmark Piedmont Theater, 4186 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA, 94611 , United States
3rd i Films co-presents at Frameline 39:
Margarita, With a Straw
Directed by Shonali Bose
India / 2014 / Culture, Gay/Lesbian, Women / 100 mins / English, Hindi with English subtitles / Color

Dates and times
Tuesday, June 23, 9:30 PM Landmark Theatres Piedmont
Saturday, June 27, 6:30 PM Roxie Theater
For her second film, Delhi-based director Shonali Bose was inspired by her cousin Malini, a super-achiever with cerebral palsy. When asked what she wanted for her 40th birthday, Malini said she wanted to have sex. This was a revelation for Bose, who went on to write the story of Laila, a talented composer-songwriter who views her cerebral palsy as a minor hurdle to overcome as she strives to fulfill all the typical desires of an ambitious and spirited young woman. At a writing program at NYU. Laila meets a beautiful Bangladeshi-American woman (who is visually impaired and a Muslim), and their flirtation quickly blossoms into a full-on affair. But what will happen when Laila brings her new love home to India, where homosexuality is still illegal by legislation, and where such a romance among the differently abled is especially taboo?
More info and tickets
http://ticketing.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=3505&fid=52

Margarita, With a Straw
2015-06-27 18:30 | Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States

New Video Art from India
2015-07-02 19:30 - 21:15 | Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
3rd i Films co-presents at the Pacific Film Archive:
Other Species, Other Times
When: July 2, 7:30pm
Where: PFA Theater (Directions)
Cost: $6.50-$9.50 (Buy Tickets)
Introduced by Anuj Vaidya
In a reversal of contemporary exhibition practices, this program presents single-channel video art and installations in a repertory film space, and suggests novel ways of considering bodies in movement. These bodies are neither discrete nor constant; they challenge borders and boundaries, and prefer entanglements with other species and other kinds. Varied in their consideration of the digital and in their use of performance practices, the works are primarily by artists living in Mumbai, Goa, and New Delhi.
A woman lies among pigeons in a public plaza in Logic of Birds, her body hospitable to their pecking and fluttering; man and bird merge in a play between painting and video in Man with Cockerel; an island sets the stage for bodies becoming other in Fjaka; and melting ice clocks the duration of a row in Iceboat. These performances of time and in space offer new utopias: a universe inhabited by myth and desire is the setting for the queer eco-fable Between the Waves (image above); ancient ruins and spaceships offer a promise of time and space travel in the Forerunner; and a landscape comes to life in the liminal time between digital and analog in Night Noon.
Curated by Lalitha Gopalan and Anuj Vaidya. Special thanks to Project88, Chatterjee and Lal, and all the artists. Please visit the PFA website for more details on the program.

Logic of Birds, Sonia Khurana

Man with Cockerel-2, Ranbir Kaleka

Fjaka, Nikhil Chopra/Munir Kabani/Jana Prepuleh

Iceboat, Neha Choksi

Forerunner, Sahej Rahal

Night Noon, Shambavi Kaul

Featured image (at top of page): Between the Waves: Channel 1, A Fable in Five Chapters, Tejal Shah

Queer Mythologies: A Multi-Media Presentation
2015-07-11 17:00 - 18:30 | ATA, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA, 94608, United States
3rd i Films presents: Queer Mythologies: Non-Human Voices in Indian Art/Cinema
When: July 11, 5:00pm
Where: ATA (992 Valencia St, SF)
Cost: $5 (at the door; cash only)
3rd i Films invites you to take a journey through the contemporary landscape of experimental film/video/art in India. Presented by Anuj Vaidya (co-director of 3rd i’s annual film festival, and professor of queer studies at Montclair State University, NJ), this multi-media presentation will explore the intersections of human and non-human in contemporary queer artistic production in India. The talk will introduce audiences to a brief and selected history of non-human actors in Indian art cinema through films such as G. Aravindan’s Kanchana Sita and Kamal Swaroop’s Om-Dar-Ba-Dar, to arrive at the works of contemporary artists such as Tejal Shah, Neha Choksi, and Shine Shivan, amongst others.
Featured Image: Man with Cockerel-2, Ranbir Kaleka

Screening: "Upaj: Improvise"
2015-09-29 17:30 - 19:30 | USF Presentation Theater (Education Building 117), 2350 Turk St (just west of Masonic), San Francisco, CA, 94118, United States
Co-presented with the USF Center for Asia Pacific Studies
3rd i Films is pleased to co-present a screening of Upaj: Improvise (Hoku Uchiyama, 2013, USA, 60 min) a documentary which captures the magic of the innovative collaboration between Pt. Chitresh Das, Indian master kathak dancer, and Jason Samuels Smith, an African American tap dancer from the U.S. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session and a dance performance with Antara Bhardwaj (producer/dancer).
When: Tuesday, Sept 29, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Where: USF Presentation Theater (Education Building 117)
For more information and to register for the event, please click here.

3rd i Co-presents "Under the Same Sun"
2015-10-10 17:45 | Lark Theater, 549 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, CA, 94939, United States
3rd i is proud to co-present Under the Same Sun (Ek Surya Ke Taley) at the Mill Valley Film Festival.

Directed by Mitra Sen
Canada/India, 2014, 93 min
In Mitra Sen’s profoundly compassionate drama, only children can soothe the rage of a grieving heart. Karim, an injured fugitive, is welcomed like a beloved brother by three orphaned boys in a remote Rajasthani oasis of Hindu and Muslim harmony. This simple human kindness disrupts the smooth and certain arc of the young man’s mission and threatens his very identity. Karim soon discovers how these Hindu and Muslim children share the bond of one family, following each other’s traditions and living together under one roof in peace–a complete contrast to his childhood, which was devoid of music, color, and love. As the village children prepare to perform the Ramayana, the classic Hindu tale of good vs. evil, Karim wrestles with his true purpose in life and his desire to find his family. Amidst the town’s holy festival, a place so full of life, Karim must act wisely to find his way home.
Sat, Oct 10 5:45 PM, Lark Theater
Sun, Oct 11 7:45 PM, Throckmorton Theatre
Mon, Oct 12 5:30 PM, Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center (Rafael 2)

3rd i Co-presents "Under the Same Sun"
2015-10-11 19:45 | Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, United States

3rd i Co-presents "Under the Same Sun"
2015-10-12 17:30 | Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States

San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival 2015
2015-10-22 17:00 - 2015-10-25 23:00 | San Francisco, CA, United States
SAVE THE DATE!
3rd i’s 13th annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival will take place:
• October 22-25, 2015 in San Francisco
• November 1, 2015 in Palo Alto
We hope to see you there!

3rd i Co presents: "The Journey Within" at the SF Indie Fest
2016-02-20 16:30 | Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
When: Saturday, Feb 20, 2016 – 4:30 PM
Where: Roxie Theater
Click here for tickets
Price: $12 (advance)/$13 (door)
18th SF INDIEFEST runs through February 25th
Faced with the challenges of war and conflict, several musicians in post-9/11 Pakistan go on a quest for self-identity and start a music show designed to help reclaim the rich and vast musical heritage of the region. Bringing together unique cultural experiences and musical genres, including but not limited to Folk, Sufi, Rock, Pop and Rap, the filmmakers capture the show from its humble beginnings. The result is an experience that unifies eastern and western sounds to make music that resonated across the globe and inspired inward reflection.

3rd i Films presents: Rajnikanth and the Cult of the Superstar
2016-03-06 13:00 | ATA, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA, 94608, United States
When: Sunday, March 6, 1pm
Where: ATA, 992 Valencia St, SF 94110
South Indian superstar Rajnikanth commands a fan base of dedicated supporters for whom fandom exists beyond just assiduously watching his films–it means frenzied celebrations at movie releases, and birthdays that have over time garnered legendary reputations. This talk explores the political and social history of fandom in South India, and specifically that of Rajinikanth himself, that has over time contributed to his larger than life on-screen and off-screen persona. We explore the lives of fans willing to dedicating their entire careers and fortunes to the star’s cause, with clips from an upcoming documentary on Rajinikanth’s fans, For the Love of a Man.
Joyojeet Pal is a professor at the School of Information at the University of Michigan, where his work focuses on technological accessibility for people with disabilities. He is also the producer and researcher of For the Love of a Man, shot over five years in Tamil Nadu, India.

3rd i Co-Presents at CAAMFest
2016-03-11 19:30 | Various
3rd i Films co-presents three films at this year’s CAAMFest, playing March 11, 13, 19 & 20, 2016. See details below.
GOOD OL’ BOY (pictured at top)
Dir: FRANK LOTITO
It’s 1979, and 10-year-old Smith Bhatnagar’s American dreams — filled with SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, Darth Vader and the girl next door — clash with his parent’s hopes for his future. A coming-of-age dramedy about enduring first loves and the weighty expectations of immigrant parents. Starring Jason Lee, Samrat Chakrabarti and Anjul Nigam.
SUN MAR 13 | 3:10PM | ALAMO
SUN MAR 20 | 3:15PM | NEW PARKWAY

DRAWING THE TIGER
Dir: AMY BENSON, SCOTT SQUIRE & RAMYATA LIMBU
DRAWING THE TIGER observes a rural Nepali family over seven years in an immersive tableau of the human experience. Even the filmmakers themselves couldn’t have foreseen how a hopeful story of a teenage girl winning a big city scholarship could lead to the Darnal family eventually being overturned by tragedy.
Nepal / 2015 / Documentary / 97 mins
FRI MAR 11| 7:30PM | ROXIE

UMRIKA
Dir. PRASHANT NAIR
UMRIKA is how a small village in India refers to “America.” One of their own decides to journey to “Umrika,” inspiring both hope and debate. When the village loses touch with its contested hero, his younger brother Rama and friend Lalu set out on their own to find him.
India / 2015 / Narrative / 102 mins
SUN MAR 13 | 12:20PM | ALAMO
SAT MAR 19 | 3:00PM | NEW PARKWAY
For more info on all the above and to purchase tickets, please visit:
http://caamfest.com

3rd i Co-presents at SFIFF 59: "Thithi"
2016-04-08 08:00 - 17:00
Thithi
April 30, 2016
3:30 p.m.
Roxie Theater, San Francisco
May 1, 2016
3:15 p.m.
Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley
May 4, 2016
9:00 p.m.
Alamo Drafthouse, San Francisco
Country(ies): India/USA
Language(s) Kannada
Year: 2016
Running time: 123
Director(s): Raam Reddy
In a small South Indian village in Karnataka, a cantankerous centenarian known as Century Gowda suddenly keels over and dies—setting the stage for a capricious comedy of errors among three generations of dissimilar sons. Century’s middle-aged grandson Thamanna, driven by money and status, is determined to acquire property that Century owned, but which now belongs to Century’s eldest son and Thamanna’s father, Gadappa. But Gadappa has little interest in the material world; with his long white beard and shoeless feet, he is an aimless roamer seeking freedom, simplicity and some cheap alcohol. For Thamanna’s cocky teenage son Abhi (who proves as inept as his father at good decision-making), lust and desire are primary motivations as he attempts to woo a female member of a tribe of nomadic sheepherders. Conflict, confusion, corruption and a series of ill-conceived actions all come to a head at the final ritual celebration for Century (the titular thithi), a grand (and expensive) affair attended by the entire village. With its charming cast of non-professional actors—both human and ovine—director Raam Reddy’s feature film offers a playful portrait of intergenerational conflicts and differences. —Joanne Parsont
More info

3rd i Films presents a work-in-progress screening
2016-04-17 15:00 | Artists’ Television Access, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Burqa Boxers
Filmmaker Alka Raghuram in Person!
When: Sunday, April 17, 3pm
Where: ATA, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
In a culture where beauty, delicacy, refinement and submission are the most prized traits for the ultimate feminine career fulfillment, marriage, young Muslim women in Kolkata challenge stereotypes, learning boxing with Razia Shabnam, one of the first Indian women to become a boxing coach and an international referee.
Burqa Boxers is the story of Ajmira Khatoon (16), who wants to make a name for herself to prove to her father and brothers that she amounts to something; Parveen Sajda (24) who dreams of becoming a police officer; and Taslima Khatoon (16) who must learn to negotiate her fear of sexual assault, as they take the first baby steps towards making their dreams true, dreams of creating a different future than the one handed to them. It is a portrait of their dreams and aspirations. The story covers four years in the lives of these boxers and documents the changing landscape of their lives and their transformation.

3rd i Co-presents "I am Chut Wutty"
2016-04-17 18:00 | Roxie Theater, 94103
Join us at Green Film Fest, April 14–20 at the Castro Theatre, Roxie and venues across the Bay. A week of new films and events that spotlight the world’s most urgent environmental issues and most innovative solutions. Tickets available at www.greenfilmfest.org or (415) 552-5580.
3rd i co-presents
I Am Chut Wutty
(Fran Lambrick, Vanessa de Smet, UK, 2015, 54 mins)
Date: Sunday, April 17, 6 pm
Location: Roxie Theater
Buy tickets
In one of the last remaining wildernesses in South East Asia, Cambodian community activists struggle to defend their forests. Environmentalist Chut Wutty, defies threats and intimidation to fearlessly investigate the corrupt rubber plantations and logging syndicates. Fran Lambrick uncovers the fierce battle for the community to hold onto their connection with the Prey Lang forest.
