3rd i

3rd i Co-presents at UNAFF 2016
2016-10-22 | Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, 94303, United States
3rd i Films is proud to present two films at the international documentary film festival UNAFF 2016 in Palo Alto.
Petals in the Dust: The Endangered Indian Girls
(89 minutes) Canada/India/US [watch trailer]
When: Saturday, October 22, 2016, 2:50 pm
Where: Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Director: Nyna Pais Caputi
Producers: Gino Caputi, Nyna Pais Caputi
Petals in the Dust: The Endangered Indian Girls is a filmmaker’s personal journey to understand and shed light on the origins and the enormity of the war against Indian women. The film examines the condition of an endangered class of people living in one of the most populous, culturally and economic vibrant countries: modern India. They come from all walks of life and share only one common trait: they are female. A patriarchal mindset, a preference for sons and a deep-seated intolerance has led to the murder of fifty million girls and women in India in the last century. They continue to lose their lives in this century to infanticide, sex-selective abortions, starvation and medical neglect, dowry deaths and brutal gang rapes. The declining female population is also leading to increased crimes against women including trafficking and bride buying. By 2020 there will be twenty percent more men than women in India. The film explores the cultural origins of this vast genocidal crime and includes the voices of activists and gender experts as well survivors of these gender crimes who have struggled to build meaningful lives. By bringing this issue out into the open, the filmmakers hope to light the spark of resistance to this culture of gender violence and extermination, mobilize the Indian and international communities into getting involved in ending this “gendercide” and to encourage a new generation of Indian citizens to value and respect their daughters, wives and the women in the community.
Biography:
Nyna Pais Caputi has worked on several short award-winning films including DCBA-Desi Confused by America, Able and Gentle Lovers. She is a Bay Area Video Coalition 2013 media-maker fellow. She also founded the Global Walk for India’s Missing Girls in 2010, an international awareness campaign on the violence and genocide of Indian women that has taken place in over twenty-five cities and five countries.

The Learning Alliance
(9 minutes) Pakistan
When: Saturday, October 22, 2016, 11:15 am
Where: Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Director: Muhammad Umar Saeed
Producers: Muhammad Farrukh Saeed, Muhammad Umar Saeed
Collecting garbage to pay their fees for school. Three brothers who are changing their future by studying and at the same time selling garbage in Lahore, Pakistan. The Learning Alliance is a portrait of children with dreams and their struggle towards achieving them.
Biography:
Muhammad Umar Saeed’s documentaries and short films have been screened in film festivals around the globe. Umar was part of the Sesame Street production in Pakistan (a project by USAID). He is also curating and programming film festivals in Lahore. The Learning Alliance is his latest documentary.

The Golden Sita
2016-10-22 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Asian Art Museum, Samsung Hall, 200 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA, United States
3rd i Co-presents at the Asian Art Museum
The Golden Sita / Kanchana Sita
(G. Aravindan, India, 1977, 90mins, In Malayalam with English subtitles)
When: Oct 22, 2-4pm
Where: Asian Art Museum, Samsung Hall
Cost: Free with Museum Admission
G. Aravindan’s adaptation of the Ramayana begins where the tale approaches its end: in the Uttara Kandam or The Northern Tales. When Rama decides to do a Ashvamedayagna, a ritual to invoke the gods in aid of his imperialist intentions, his abandoned wife is cast as a statue that sits beside him. This is the Golden Sita (or Kanchana Sita) from which the film takes its title.
While the plot might be familiar to connoisseurs of the tale, Aravindan’s treatment is far from traditional. Following the contours of C. N. Sreekantan Nair’s feminist play, Aravindan makes Sita the protagonist of this retelling, and in a stroke of genius, casts her as Nature itself. As Rama meanders through the forest, leading up to the eventual showdown with his own two sons, Sita is always present – as the earth beneath his feet, as the sun shining down on him, as the wind in the trees. Against this sensual backdrop, Rama’s journey is presented as that of a man at the end of his life, taking stock of his legacy. Confronted by Sita’s absence, and presence, in his every step, Rama’s grief is inconsolable, leading to a striking conclusion.
With a cast of non-professional actors, drawn largely from the Rama Chenchu tribe (who claim to be direct descendants of Rama himself), and lensing by the acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Shaji N. Karun, Aravindan’s adaptation is poetry itself, uncompromising in its cinematic vision and unflinching in its indictment of patriarchy, caste, and superstition. The film won two national awards in 1977, for Best Direction and Best Cinematography, cementing G. Aravindan’s place as a master of Indian cinema.
We present this little-seen gem in its recently digitally restored glory, thanks to the National Film Archive of India.
More information on the program is available at: http://www.asianart.org/events/993?starttime=1474009200

Masaan (Fly Away Solo)
2016-11-10 19:15 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
(Neeraj Ghaywan, India/France, 2015, 109mins) With its premiere at the prestigious Cannes film festival, Masaan (an Anurag Kashyap production), has become one of the most celebrated independent Indian films in recent memory. Set along the picturesque Ganges river in Benaras, Neeraj Ghaywan’s film weaves together two separate stories joined by a common concern, the effect of narrow-minded tradition on the budding desires of youth.
Two students who meet in a motel room for a romantic encounter become the victims of police corruption, while two others attempt to navigate their courtship through caste discrimination. Both relationships cause a ripple effect that leads to repression, rebellion and repentance, but Ghaywan never loses sight of the hope and resistance for a brighter future in his delicate and powerful masterwork.
Imbued with pathos and poetry, this immensely moving cinematic tapestry received a standing ovation at Cannes, won the prestigious FIPRESCI prize, and was honored with the Promising Future Award. The film’s release in India garnered rave reviews and is poised to make stars of its talented young cast.

Original Copy
2016-11-11 19:15 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Set in a crumbling cinema palace in Mumbai Central, Original Copy is a charming portrait of artist and guru Sheikh Rehman – one of the last hand-painters of colorful Bollywood posters, packed with romance and action.
This intimate doc provides a window into a world in transition: while Rehman cajoles his team into hand-painting unique billboards every week, modernity is taking over. Today’s films are publicized on plastic posters, and audiences are swarming to multiplexes. Rehman is the keeper of a disappearing artform, but he won’t give up. Neither will the theater’s owner Najma, valuing history and heritage over profits.
Ultimately, this exemplary and insightful doc is about the magic of cinema, its power to forge culture and community, and the changing face of India’s film industry.
Preceded by:
Events in a Cloud Chamber
(Ashim Ahluwalia, 2016, India, 21 min, English)
Filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia (John and Jane) works with the visionary Akbar Padamsee, one of the pioneers of Modern Indian painting, to remake his lost experimental film from 1969.

ORIGINAL COPY / trailer from Florian Heinzen-Ziob on Vimeo.

One Crazy Thing
2016-11-11 21:00 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Skype Q&A with Amit Gupta!!
(Amit Gupta, UK, 2016, 90mins) Set against the hubbub of London, Amit Gupta’s One Crazy Thing is a charming romantic comedy and a beautifully-crafted cautionary tale about the fickleness of fame, the healing powers of love, and the importance of forgiving oneself.
Former television star Jay is haunted by the sex tape that destroyed his life and turned his ex-girlfriend into an A-list Hollywood celebrity. Jay now cowers in obscurity as the manager of his family’s tandoori restaurant. His acting career is nonexistent, his family is irredeemably disgraced, and he constantly fears being recognized by any of the millions of viewers of his very public mistake. When Jay falls for the exciting and artistic Hannah, an American musician studying in London, he realizes he must confront the errors of his past, rather than hiding from his future.
Gupta’s keen and witty script produces a film that echoes the best of Woody Allen –especially in the main character played by Ray Panthaki, who was named one of BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brits in 2014.

Kaul (A Calling)
2016-11-12 13:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
(Aadish Keluskar, India, 2015, 122mins) With camerawork and sound design that bring a visceral sense of dislocation, Aadish Keluskar’s bold and innovative Kaul can only be described as a truly transformative cinematic experience.
A schoolteacher stops to offer an old man a light for his cigarette on his way back home one night, and encounters a supernatural experience that he is unable to explain. Left shaken to his core, and unable to ascertain its authenticity, he begins to doubt his very mind, until he meets the old man again and learns that he is the “chosen one.” Now is the true test of his sanity, whether to believe his “believer” and commit a crime, or to admit to his own insanity.
Deeply inspired by the films of Tarkovsky and Bela Tarr, and firmly rooted in a Marathi milieu, Keluskar masterfully walks a fine line between the believable and the unbelievable, and delivers a unique film that brings an equal measure of the mystical, the existential, the surreal, and the sublime.

The World of Goopi and Bagha (Goopi Gawaiya, Bagha Bajaiya)
2016-11-12 15:30 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
Director Shilpa Ranade and Musician Narayan Parasuram (of 3 Brothers and a Violin) in Person!!
(Shilpa Ranade, India, 2013, 79mins) Set in a world full of vibrant music and color, Shilpa Ranade’s magical film is an animated adaptation of a cherished children’s classic, and a remake of one of Indian master Satyajit Ray’s most beloved works. With an anti-war message at its heart, this timeless fable premiered to great acclaim at the Toronto Film Festival.
The film follows the misadventures of Goopi and Bagha, two musicians banished from their villages for their ear-splitting music. Their cacophony, however, enthralls the King of Ghosts, who grants them four magical boons. Thanks to their new gifts, Goopi and Bagha are appointed court musicians in the neighboring kingdom of Shundi, only to be drawn in to courtly intrigue and politics. It will be up to them to use their boons (and their brains!) to prevent war between two brothers — and win the hands of two beautiful princesses.
Ranade’s imaginative and textured animation brings a unique vision to this inventive and heartwarming film full of humor, spirit, and kindness.

Khoya (Lost)
2016-11-12 17:45 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
Director Sami Khan and Actor Rupak Ginn in Person!!
(Sami Khan, India/Canada, 2015, 82mins) A nuanced and introspective thriller, Sami Khan’s outstanding feature Khoya is a deeply affecting film about the universal quest to find one’s roots, home, and belonging. When Rog Moreau’s mother dies, the adoptive ties to his Canadian identity begin to feel tenuous, setting him off on a journey to India in search of his birth parents. But India is a foreign land, and Rog cannot even speak the local tongue.
Seeking to unravel the dark mystery surrounding his adoption, Rog follows the spectres that lead him through the back alleys of the Mumbai slums to arrive in the expansive and dusty plains of Madhya Pradesh to confront a startling revelation. The film weaves between Rog’s dislocation in a strange new land and his internal conflicts, as he struggles to achieve an emotional epiphany.
Featuring stunning cinematography and an equally haunting score, Khoya showcases an excellent performance by Rupak Ginn who brings a local connection to the film with his San Francisco origins.

Special Thanks to the Adoption Museum Project.

3rd i's Castro Reception
2016-11-12 20:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
When: Saturday Nov 12, 8pm
Where: Castro Theater Mezzanine
Tickets: $20 at the door, or Become a Sponsor
Join us for a special reception at the Castro Mezzanine, and meet all the festival filmmakers up close and personal! Enjoy desserts and drinks, get your photograph taken with our celebrity guests and get your feet wet for Parched.
Festival Guests include: Director Shilpa Ranade and Musician Narayan Parasuram from The World of Goopi and Bagha; Director Sami Khan and Actor Rupak Ginn from Khoya; Director Harune Massey from Gardaab/Whirlpool; and California filmmakers Kimberly Hwang, Abhi Singh and Pallavi Somusetty featured in the shorts program Coast to Coast.
Special Thanks to our Reception Sponsors
Diya TV
Kasa Indian Eatery
Trader Joe’s
Whole Foods
Lagunitas
Rossi & Rovetti

Parched
2016-11-12 21:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
3rd i’s Saturday Night at the Castro!!
(Leena Yadav, India/US/UK, 2015, 116mins) Parched takes the riot of Bollywood and infuses it with an indie vision in this warm and incisive film that premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year. Leena Yadav examines the complex lived experiences of women in India through the strident lens of “sex in the village” and produces a film that is raucously full of girl power.
Thirty-something Rani is a widower consumed with the task of marrying off her mean-spirited son. Meanwhile, Rani’s feisty best friend Lajjo contends with her alcoholic husband, and a third friend, Bijili, is demonized for being an exotic dancer and sex worker.
Through unexpected twists and turns, these adventurous friends must rely on each other before they can escape their harsh realities, and ride into the sunset. With vivid performances and musical interludes, and the sultry Rajasthani landscape as the backdrop, Parched has the spirit of rebellion at its heart!

Aligarh
2016-11-13 12:00 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
(Hansal Mehta, 2015, India, 114mins) Premiering to a standing ovation at the Busan Film Festival, Aligarh is a heartfelt demand for the right to love — a right that no court should be able to deny.
Director Hansal Mehta and screenwriter Apurva Asrani find inspiration in the true story of Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a linguistics professor at Aligarh University who faced suspension and possible termination due to his sexual orientation. Though many supporters rally to Siras’ cause, including a dedicated journalist played with great panache by Rajkummar Rao, Manoj Bajpayee paints a portrait of the doctor as a gentle man more concerned with the beauty of life and love, than with courtroom battles.
One of the most vital films to come out of India in recent years, especially when both the right to privacy and queer rights are at increasingly at risk all over the world (homosexuality was recriminalized in India in 2014), Aligarh is a poetic call to transcend identity.

United Red Army (The Young Man Was, Part 1)
2016-11-13 14:30 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Skype Q&A with Naeem Mohaiemen!!
(Naeem Mohaiemen, Bangladesh/ USA/Japan, 2012, 70mins) This striking and hypnotic documentary — the first in a trilogy on ultra-left movements — by visual artist Naeem Mohaiemen, reconstructs the hijacking of Japan Air Lines flight 472 at the hands of the Japanese Red Army in 1977, during which the hijackers forced the plane to land in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Using the original sound recordings and surveillance video from the airport control tower, and a written transcript of the tense and cautious conversation between the hijackers and the hostage negotiator, the captivating and meditative doc presents a blow-by-blow account of the event. Mohaiemen interrupts the negotiations to take a trip back to his own living room, where he followed the events as an eight-year-old, hoping it would end so he could watch his favorite TV show.
As reviewer Wilson-Goldie (Bidoun) notes, United Red Army “delves further into the unintended damage that violent revolutionary movements wrought, articulating the need to address them critically, skeptically, even generously, but without nostalgia or romance, fascinated but not seduced.”

Gardaab (Whirlpool)
2016-11-13 16:45 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Harune Massey in Person!!
(Harune Massey, Pakistan/USA, 2016, 93mins) With echoes of Romeo and Juliet, Gardaab is a taut and stylized thriller about two lovers caught in a web of family and gang warfare in the underbelly of Karachi. Harune Massey’s restrained direction takes real life stories and anecdotes collected on the streets, and turns them into a compelling meditation on the fragility of human life.
In a city haunted by violence, turf wars and class divisions, a romance blossoms between Shahbaz, the protege of a drug lord, and Parveen, the daughter of a powerful rival clan. Caught in a whirlpool of desire, deceit, and obligations, the lovers struggle to break free. However, Shahbaz harbors a dark secret from the past that could very well be his undoing.
Massey’s debut feature points to an exciting new wave of Pakistani filmmakers on the horizon. Before this foray at the helm, he has been Assistant Director to some of the most celebrated filmmakers living and working in Pakistan, such as Sabiha Sumar and Meenu Farjad.

Gardaab Trailer from Harune Massey on Vimeo.

Coast to Coast: Mumbai to the Mission
2016-11-13 19:15 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Bay Area Filmmakers in Person!!
From power to pleasure, courage to comedy, this year’s kaleidoscope of cinematic offerings engage the sexual and the sensual: a young man gathers strength to approach his crush, while a young woman plots a shocking escape from marriage; Audrey Lorde’s poetry, Justin Bieber’s music, and painter Francis Newton Souza’s work and life become fodder for queer interventions; and SF’s Sexy Circus ponders its future.
Will SF’s Sexy Circus Be Priced Out Of Town?
(Abhi Singh, 2016, USA, 4mins, English)
It’s Not Always Sunny
(Kimberly Hwang, 2015, USA, 8mins, English)
Leeches
(Payal Sethi, 2015, India, 27mins, Urdu/Dakhani)
An Old Dog’s Diary
(Shumona Goel and Shai Heredia, 2015, India, 12mins, English)
Prema Lekha (Love Letter)
(Neelu Bhuman, 2016, USA/UK, 5mins, Telugu and English)
Sari
(Kareem Khubchandani and Sarah Hill, 2016, USA, 4mins, English)
Escaping Agra
(Pallavi Somusetty, 2016, USA/India, 23mins, English)

Gaalibeeja (Wind Seed)
2016-11-19 12:00 | BlueLight Cinemas 5, 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
(Babu Eshwar Prasad, India, 2015, 96mins) A unique cinematic experience, Gaalibeeja is a visually arresting meditation on cinema and modernity by artist-turned-filmmaker Babu Eshwar Prasad–an exciting new voice in Kannada-language cinema.
Prakash, a civil engineer by day and a cinephile by night, lives on the road, traveling to inspect his many projects. His encounters along the way–a peddler of pirated DVDs, a farmer at a highway bus stop, and a labourer on his bicycle–form the backbone of this idiosyncratic film.
While the paths of these diverse characters intersect and interrupt one another, it becomes clear that they each live in a vastly different time and space–one that is shaped by class and access to progress. While paying homage to the likes of Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, and Abbas Kiarostami, Prasad blends social critique with exquisite cinematic form in his take on the “road movie.”

Korla
2016-11-19 14:00 | BlueLight Cinemas 5, 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
Followed by panel discussion!!
(John Turner and Eric Christensen, USA, 2015, 78mins) In Hollywood there are many secrets, but only a few last a lifetime — now Korla’s can be revealed! As multifaceted as the sparkling jewel he wore on his turban, spiritual seeker Korla Pandit was a television pioneer and a godfather of the exotica music genre. From 1949, first in Los Angeles and subsequently in San Francisco, this self-described son of a Brahmin priest from New Delhi performed on TV daily while staring silently and dreamily into the camera.
In the 1950s he charmed American housewives, and decades later he would emerge as a cult figure while playing at clubs populated by Los Angeles tiki-lounge-loving hipsters. Often pegged as a “man of mystery,” Korla lived up to that billing when he took an amazing secret with him to his grave in 1998.
What lay behind Korla’s metaphysical musings, his cult status, and his Indian enigmatic facade? Find out in this fascinating and exotic tour through Pandit’s dizzying life.

Korla – Trailer from Appleberry Pictures on Vimeo.

Lala Begum
2016-11-19 16:15 | BlueLight Cinemas 5, 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
(Mehreen Jabbar, Pakistan/India, 2016, 58mins) Starring legendary Pakistani actress Marina Khan (Tanhaiyan), and directed by 3rd i alumna Mehreen Jabbar (Ramchand Pakistani), Lala Begum is a complex and impressive drama that delves into the ghosts of Pakistan’s past.
It is the 1970s. Two estranged sisters Meher (aka Lala Begum) and Seher come to terms with their haunting past: the loves they shared, the sacrifices they made, and their struggles with the colonial heritage that defines their lives. What happens when after 20 years of estrangement, both the sisters are forced to have a face-to-face confrontation and try to move forward?
Evocative, dramatic and endearing, Lala Begum is part of Zeal for Unity, a series of films for TV envisioned as a cultural exchange program between Pakistan and India. As Mehreen says, this is “one of the strongest and most effective ways of promoting understanding and respect while learning from what we can offer each other.”

Original Copy
2016-11-19 17:45 | BlueLight Cinemas 5, 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
(Florian Heinzen-Ziob & Georg Heinzen, India/Germany, 2015, 52mins) Set in a crumbling cinema palace in Mumbai Central, Original Copy is a charming portrait of artist and guru Sheikh Rehman–one of the last hand-painters of colorful Bollywood posters, packed with romance and action.
This intimate doc provides a window into a world in transition: while Rehman cajoles his team into hand-painting unique billboards every week, modernity is taking over. Today’s films are publicized on plastic posters, and audiences are swarming to multiplexes. Rehman is the keeper of a disappearing artform, but he won’t give up. Neither will the theater’s owner Najma, valuing history and heritage over profits.
Ultimately, this exemplary and insightful doc is about the magic of cinema, its power to forge culture and community, and the changing face of India’s film industry.

ORIGINAL COPY / trailer from Florian Heinzen-Ziob on Vimeo.

Between the Lines
2016-11-19 19:15 | BlueLight Cinemas 5, 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
BY POPULAR DEMAND, We have added a 9:15 Screening – tickets are available on Eventbrite:

PLEASE NOTE: Online tickets for 7:15pm screening are sold out. Your best bet is the RUSH LINE at the venue which will open 45 minutes prior to showtime.
Skype Q&A with Nandita Das and Subodh Maskara following 7:15pm screening!
(Ritesh Menon, India, 2015, 79mins) Nandita Das, one of India’s finest actresses, writes and stars in this stellar and pioneering cineplay–a new genre that adapts the stage for the screen. Shekhar is a high-profile criminal lawyer, while Maya balances work and life, drafting routine contracts for a law firm. As destiny would have it, they end up arguing on opposite sides of a criminal trial, resulting in the blurring of their personal and professional lives.
Co-written with Divya Jagdale, Between the Lines strikes a delicate balance between theater and cinematic realism. Das and her co-star Subodh Maskara give superlative performances, displaying great range and versatility, and bringing a natural chemistry to their on-screen relationship–which is hardly surprising since they are married in real life!
The nuanced script is never dull or preachy, instead it makes its statement subtly yet fearlessly, exploring the grey areas between tradition and modernity to examine how gender inequality cuts across class lines in an increasingly urban India.

Copresented with EnActe Arts.

3rd i Films co-presents AFRO-ASIAN-AMERICAN CONVERSATIONS
2017-02-23 18:30 | International House, UC Davis, 10 College Park, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
3rd i Films co-presents
with the “Reimagining Indian Ocean Worlds” Mellon Initiative
at University of California, Davis
AFRO-ASIAN-AMERICAN CONVERSATIONS
Two films that bring the African/African-American and South Asian communities into dialogue around issues of identity and immigration.
A Stray (2016, 82 min)
Director: Musa Syeed
When: Feb 23, 6:30pm
Where: International House (10 College Park, Davis, CA 95616)
In Minneapolis’ large Somali refugee community, Adan has nowhere to go. His mom kicked him out, and his friends are tired of his headstrong ways. As a last resort, he moves into the mosque, praying for a little help. Surprisingly, God seems to answer. Adan quickly lands a good job, devout friends, and a newfound faith. When Adan nearly hits a stray dog on the job, he’s forced to take it in for a night. But one of his new mosque friends considers the dog impure, and he throws Adan out. With Adan back on the streets, surrounded by his old crew, ex-girlfriends, prying FBI agents, and his estranged family, the dog may be his only friend as he tries to keep his faith and get through the night.

Korla (2015, 78 min)
Director: John Turner
When: Mar 7, 6:30pm
Where: Wyatt Pavilion Theater (UC Davis, Arboretum Dr, Davis, CA 95616)
As multifaceted as the sparkling jewel he wore on his turban, spiritual seeker Korla Pandit was a television pioneer and a godfather of the exotica music genre. From 1949, first in Los Angeles and subsequently in San Francisco, this self-described son of a Brahmin priest from New Delhi performed on TV daily while staring silently and dreamily into the camera. In the 1950s he charmed American housewives, and decades later he would emerge as a cult figure while playing at clubs populated by Los Angeles tiki-lounge-loving hipsters. Often pegged as a “man of mystery,” Korla lived up to that billing when his amazing secret was revealed upon his death in 1998. Korla Pandit’s dizzying life offers a revealing look into race and identity politics in America.
Series co-sponsors include: Midddle East/South Asia Studies, African-American Studies, South Asia Without Borders Initiative, International House, Performance Studies Graduate Group

3rd i Films co-presents AFRO-ASIAN-AMERICAN CONVERSATIONS
2017-03-07 18:30 | Wyatt Pavilion Theater, UC Davis, Arboretum Dr, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
3rd i Films co-presents
with the “Reimagining Indian Ocean Worlds” Mellon Initiative
at University of California, Davis
AFRO-ASIAN-AMERICAN CONVERSATIONS
Two films that bring the African/African-American and South Asian communities into dialogue around issues of identity and immigration.

A Stray (2016, 82 min)
Director: Musa Syeed
When: Feb 23, 6:30pm
Where: International House (10 College Park, Davis, CA 95616)
In Minneapolis’ large Somali refugee community, Adan has nowhere to go. His mom kicked him out, and his friends are tired of his headstrong ways. As a last resort, he moves into the mosque, praying for a little help. Surprisingly, God seems to answer. Adan quickly lands a good job, devout friends, and a newfound faith. When Adan nearly hits a stray dog on the job, he’s forced to take it in for a night. But one of his new mosque friends considers the dog impure, and he throws Adan out. With Adan back on the streets, surrounded by his old crew, ex-girlfriends, prying FBI agents, and his estranged family, the dog may be his only friend as he tries to keep his faith and get through the night.
Korla (2015, 78 min, image at top of page)
Director: John Turner
When: Mar 7, 6:30pm
Where: Wyatt Pavilion Theater (UC Davis, Arboretum Dr, Davis, CA 95616)
As multifaceted as the sparkling jewel he wore on his turban, spiritual seeker Korla Pandit was a television pioneer and a godfather of the exotica music genre. From 1949, first in Los Angeles and subsequently in San Francisco, this self-described son of a Brahmin priest from New Delhi performed on TV daily while staring silently and dreamily into the camera. In the 1950s he charmed American housewives, and decades later he would emerge as a cult figure while playing at clubs populated by Los Angeles tiki-lounge-loving hipsters. Often pegged as a “man of mystery,” Korla lived up to that billing when his amazing secret was revealed upon his death in 1998. Korla Pandit’s dizzying life offers a revealing look into race and identity politics in America.
Series co-sponsors include: Midddle East/South Asia Studies, African-American Studies, South Asia Without Borders Initiative, International House, Performance Studies Graduate Group

3rd i co-presents "The Tiger Hunter" at CAAMFest 2017
2017-03-09 19:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
The Tiger Hunter
Directed by Lena Khan
USA / 2016 / 94 min
Sami Malek’s father is a tiger hunter; a man who stares danger in the eyes, takes aim and bang. With the same fearless blood running through him, Sami decides to leave his small Indian village to chase the American Dream. But once he arrives in the United States, reality sets in, and he realizes that this will be his grandest adventure yet.
Along the way, he does his best to woo his childhood sweetheart and develops friendships with a lovable and hilarious band of misfits, perfectly played by some of the best South Asian and South Asian American actors today.
Set in the 1970’s, THE TIGER HUNTER is a blast of nostalgia that chronicles the journey of many immigrants to America. Co-Director and Co-Writer Lena Khan’s bold debut feature will be CAAMFest ’s opening film at the Castro theater.
Expected Guests in Attendance: Lena Khan (Director) and Cast
Dates & Times
The Tiger Hunter
Castro Theater
March 9, 2017, 7:00 pm
For more information and tickets: http://caamfest.com/2017/films/tiger-hunter/

3rd i co-presents "Chee and T" at CAAMFest 2017
2017-03-11 15:10 | Alamo Drafthouse, 2550 Mission St, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Chee and T
Directed by Tanuj Chopra
Narrative / USA / 2016 / Bay Area Connection, Comedy / 80 min / English / Color
San Francisco Premiere
Living in the tech bubble of Silicon Valley, dynamic duo Chee and T are anything but tech savvy. They just can’t seem to get things right while making a living off of odd jobs while knocking down doors and bullying locals to collect rent for Chee’s Uncle Rob, a wealthy landlord-tycoon. Trapped under Uncle Rob’s influence, Chee and T’s lives are stuck in neutral. That is until Uncle Rob asks them to take care of Mayunk— his once shy, now wild young nephew—and to get him ready for his engagement party. It’s an easy decision at first until they really begin to understand Mayunk. That’s when the real challenge begins.
In this charming buddy comedy, director Tanuj Chopra delivers a new film that captures the growing pains of friendships and family and of becoming an adult.
Expected Guests in Attendance: Tanuj Chopra (Director/Writer), Sohini Sengupta (Producer), Sunkrish Bala (Actor)
Dates & Times
Alamo Drafthouse
March 11, 2017, 3:10 pm
For more information and tickets: http://caamfest.com/2017/films/chee-and-t/

3rd i co-presents "Brown Girls" at CAAMFest 2017
2017-03-16 18:30 | Alamo Drafthouse, 2550 Mission St, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Brown Girls
Directed by Sam Bailey
Loosely based on creator Fatimah Asghar’s own life, BROWN GIRLS follows the lives of Leila, a South Asian writer in the midst of navigating and owning her queerness, and her friend Patricia, who struggles to find meaning financially, romantically and creatively.
With its Broad City meets Insecure vibes, this new web series paints an intimate portrait of two young women of color navigating their relationships, families, sexual orientations and the messiness of being in your mid-20s.
Expected Guests in Attendance: Fatimah Asghar (Writer), Nabila Hossain (Actor)
Dates & Times
Alamo Drafthouse
March 16, 2017, 6:30 pm
For more information and tickets: http://caamfest.com/2017/films/brown-girls/
Read a Time magazine interview with Fatimah Asghar.

3rd i co-presents "Hotel Salvation" at SFFilm Festival 2017
2017-04-06 15:00 | SFMOMA, 151 3rd St, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
Hotel Salvation
Directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani
India 2016 / 99 min / Hindi with English Subtitles
In Shubhashish Bhutiani’s winning debut feature, 77-year-old Dayanand sees his coming death in a dream and insists that his business-minded son take him to a hotel in the holy city of Varanasi. A moving and bittersweet drama that gracefully captures societal customs in India surrounding death and family, and is based on real hotels that administer such services. Hotel Salvation’s gentle rhythms and beautiful setting allow us to join these characters in contemplating the big questions in life—and death.
Date & Time: April 6, 3 pm at SFMOMA and
April 7, 8:15 pm at Roxie Theater
For tickets and information: http://www.sffilm.org/festival/lineup/hotel-salvation

3rd i co-presents "Hotel Salvation" at SFFilm Festival 2017
2017-04-07 20:15 | Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States

3rd i co-presents "The Cinema Travellers" at SFFilm Festival 2017
2017-04-09 18:00 | SFMOMA, 151 3rd St, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
The Cinema Travellers
Directed by Shirley Abraham, Amit Madheshiya
India 2016, 96 min
Hindi, Marathi with English Subtitles
A moving homage to the bygone era of celluloid, The Cinema Travellers captures the splendor of the moving image through India’s traveling movie caravans. Shot over five years, this intimate documentary takes the viewer on a cinematic journey joining the undaunted technicians, the projectionists who create movie magic, and the boisterous, overflowing crowd that await at each stop. The seeds for the film were planted by director Amit Madheshiya’s award-winning 2010 photography show of these mobile cinemas. That experience inspired Madheshiya and co-director Shirly Abraham to join the circuit with Akshay Touring Talkies company.
Expected Guests in Attendance: Directors Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya expected to attend April 9th.
Date & Time: April 9, 6pm at SFMOMA
For tickets and information: http://www.sffilm.org/festival/lineup/the-cinema-travellers

3rd i co-presents Shah Rukh Khan in Person!!! at SFFilm Festival 2017
2017-04-14 20:30 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
A Conversation with SRK and screening of his film My Name is Khan
Shah Rukh Khan in Conversation: Shah Rukh Khan is not only one of India’s biggest-ever stars, his fame has transcended borders and brought him worldwide acclaim. Join powerhouse director-producer Brett Ratner for a conversation with Khan about his three-decade Bollywood career, followed by a screening of My Name Is Khan (2010).
My Name is Khan
Directed by Karan Johar
India 2010/165 min

My Name is Khan is an epic drama that tackles the subject of post 9/11 prejudice in America, as seen through the eyes of Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), a devout Muslim who ends up on a cross-country Quest to meet the President. The film has musical numbers and underlying messages of tolerance, unconditional love, and truth-seeking which are all worth celebrating in theses challenging times…. especially with Shah Rukh Khan, in person.
Expected Guests in Attendance: Shah Rukh Khan in person!
Date & Time: April 14, 8:30 pm at the Castro Theatre
For tickets and information: http://www.sffilm.org/festival/lineup/a-tribute-to-shah-rukh-khan-my-name-is-khan

3rd i Co-presents "Kalpana" at BAMPFA
2017-05-06 15:00 | BAMPFA, 2155 Center Street, Berkeley, CA, 94703, United States
3rd i co-presents two films at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA).
Kalpana
Saturday, May 6 – 3 PM
Uday Shankar
India, 1948
Digital Restoration
This gorgeous experimental drama, the only film by celebrated dancer Uday Shankar (brother of Ravi Shankar), is the semi-autobiographical story of a young man’s dream to establish an arts academy in the Himalayas.
Introduction by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur

Celluloid Man
Saturday, May 6 – 6:30 PM
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
India, 2012
Archival Print
Celebrate a passion for film with this portrait of the pioneering efforts of film preservationist P. K. Nair, who founded the National Film Archive of India in 1964. “One of the best movies ever made about cinema ” (Mark Cousins).
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur in person

3rd i Co-presents "Celluloid Man" at BAMPFA
2017-05-06 18:30 | BAMPFA, 2155 Center Street, Berkeley, CA, 94703, United States
3rd i co-presents two films at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA).
Celluloid Man
Saturday, May 6 – 6:30 PM
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
India, 2012
Archival Print
Celebrate a passion for film with this portrait of the pioneering efforts of film preservationist P. K. Nair, who founded the National Film Archive of India in 1964. “One of the best movies ever made about cinema ” (Mark Cousins).
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur in person
Kalpana
Saturday, May 6 – 3 PM
Uday Shankar
India, 1948
Digital Restoration
This gorgeous experimental drama, the only film by celebrated dancer Uday Shankar (brother of Ravi Shankar), is the semi-autobiographical story of a young man’s dream to establish an arts academy in the Himalayas.
Introduction by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
