Up Down & Sideways
2018-11-04 14:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Bay Area Premier
Hypnotic rhythms and complex polyphonic music reverberate through the hills of Nagaland in this ethnographic portrait of an indigenous community and their remarkable musical traditions. Directors Anushka Meenakshi and Iswar Srikumar take their camera to an alluring corner of India — the village of Phek in the northeast, bordering with Myanmar — where people rely on rice cultivation as their primary means of subsistence.
As both men and women labor, they sing Lis, a “call and response” style of work songs. The lyrics about flirtatious love, mischief-making, and friendship, echo timeless themes and mirror their relationship to the land. The title of the film derives from the belief that Li cannot be sung by a single voice, and needs to rendered as a harmonious group that goes “up, down and sideways”.
“This portrait of a people with an extraordinary musical culture is lovingly filmed with an eye for detail.”
– International Documentary Film Association

Sir
2018-11-04 16:30 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
San Francisco Premier
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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Shalom Bollywood: The Untold Story of Indian Cinema
2018-11-04 18:30 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
Featuring archival jewels from cinematic history, Shalom Bollywood reveals the forgotten history of early Indian cinema, when Jewish stars reigned supreme on the desi screen. Acting was a taboo profession for Hindu and Muslim women in those days, and so the Jewish women of Bombay’s Bene Israel and Bagdadi communities took to the movies, and catapulted into superstardom! What began with Ruby Myers — aka Sulochana, the first lady of Indian cinema in the 1920s — was cemented with Nadira, the quintessential vamp in the 1960s. Following the stories of nice Jewish girls who ruled the Indian screen for over four decades, Ben-Moshe’s entertaining and eye-opening doc includes interviews with Bollywood icons and kitschy animation, and shows us how cinema has always been a medium for bridging cultures.
“Danny Ben-Moshe tells the story of four extraordinary female superstars — Sulochana, Pramila, Miss Rose and Nadira — as well as popular character actor David Abraham, in a lively, audience-friendly documentary that…is full of surprises.”
– Deborah Young, Hollywood Reporter

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A Suitable Girl
2018-11-17 14:30, 2018-11-17 16:15 | Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94303, United States
A rarely-seen portrait of India’s urban middle class, this film documents the arranged marriage and matchmaking process in vérité over four years, and examines women’s complex relationships with marriage, family, and culture, and the many nuanced ways society molds them into traditional roles.
Ritu, Dipti and Amrita represent the new India. Educated, financially stable and raised with a mix of traditional and contemporary values in the urban cities of Mumbai and New Delhi, they have access to the world in ways their mothers did not. Yet their lives take a dramatic turn when the pressure to settle down and get married hits. Career aspirations become secondary to the pursuit of a husband, and the women struggle with the prospect of leaving their homes and families to become part of another.
“Oscar worthy. It’s impossible to not be moved by A Suitable Girl.”
— Clay Cane, BET.com
Winner of the Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director, at the Tribeca International Film Festival, 2017

3rd i Supports Cinequest
2019-03-05 19:15 | California Theatre, SJ, 345 S. First St., San Jose, CA, 95113, United States
3rd i is proud to support Cinequest Film festival and the screenings of Manto and Widow of Silence.
MANTO
(DIR. NANDITA DAS)
TUE 3/5; 7:15PM | CALIFORNIA THEATRE, SAN JOSE
Nandita Das presents her sweeping biopic, Manto, a moving and gorgeously crafted look at the work and life of India’s beloved—and controversial—writer, Saadat Hasan Manto. At the dawn of India’s independence, an air of optimism sweeps the country. Yet the euphoria flees when the country faces turmoil, violence, and fear of their quickly-changing world. A horrified Manto bears witness to the upheaval in his homeland and channels his emotions into writing.
Buy Tickets

WIDOW OF SILENCE
THU 3/14; 8:30 PM | CENTURY 20, REDWOOD CITY
FRI 3/15 4:30 PM | CENTURY 20, REDWOOD CITY
Seven years ago, in the middle of the night, Aasiya’s husband was picked up by army officers. Ever since, she has led an incomplete life. Living life as a half-widow, she wants closure more than anything. In her attempts to obtain his death certificate from the government, she faces multiple challenges. Through her quiet strength, she carries her family, but she can’t keep juggling between her past and the present.
Buy Tickets

3rd i Presents "The Escapists"
2019-04-04 08:00 - 17:00 | ATA, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA, 94608, United States
3rd i Presents The Escapists, directed by Saprina Panday—a work-in-progress discussion with emerging film maker Saprina Panday and moderated by Tanya Tandon and Anjana Iyer

Date: Friday, April 26th, 2019

Time: 7:00pm – 9:30pm (film 20 min, followed by discussion)
Location: ATA – 992 Valencia Street

The Escapists is about three immigrant best friends who chase their dreams and disappoint their families. Helmed by a predominantly womxn-of-color crew and told through the lens of three millennial womxn of color, the web series covers the tumultuous journey of growing into oneself despite societal pressure.

3rd i Co-presents at SF Film Fest
2019-04-14 12:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
3rd i co-presents the new film Photograph at the Castro Theatre.
This powerfully romantic and gently comedic film from India comes from the same director as the cult hit The Lunchbox (2013). It quietly traces the story of a street photographer who convinces an upper-class girl he meets at a tourist site to pose as his fiancée so that his earthy grandmother, soon to arrive from the countryside, stops pressuring him to get married. Director Ritesh Batra is reunited here with the magnetic actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, among the most interesting and intriguing presences in global cinema.
This screening of Photograph will feature a special onstage conversation with actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, reflecting on his career to date and recent work in film and television.
Date: Saturday, April 14, 2019
Time: 12 noon
Venue: The Castro Theatre, San Francisco
Visit the San Francisco International Film Festival website for tickets.

3rd i Co-presents South Asia Film Festival - Davis
2019-05-03 17:30 | Alumni House, UC Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
SOUTH ASIA FILM FESTIVAL: A South Asia Without Borders Initiative
May 3, 5:30pm @ Alumni Center, UC Davis
AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY (1977)
This Bollywood classic offers freewheeling comedy and camp, and a potent vision of social harmony. The film will be preceded by a special reception, and a presentation by the authors of Amar Akbar Anthony: Bollywood, Brotherhood, and the Nation: William Elison (Religious Studies, UCSB), Christian Lee Novetzke (International Studies, University of Washington) and Andy Rotman (Religion, Smith College).

May 4, 1pm @ International House, Davis, CA
GOOD GUY BAD GUY (2018)
As much a portrait of the city, as of its main protagonist, Indu Krishnan’s doc chronicles five years in the tumultuous life of Zakhir, a gentle soul who lives on the streets of Bangalore. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.

May 4, 3:15pm @ International House, Davis, CA
DRAWN TOGETHER (2017)
With a lively backdrop of superheroes and comic books, Harleen Singh’s “Drawn Together” examines issues of diversity, representation, and racism. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.

May 4, 4:45pm @ International House, Davis, CA
JUTTI KASOORI + HALFWAY HOME (2018)
Nicole Ranganath’s doc explores the rich history of the Punjabi community in Northern California, while Steve Arounsack’s doc takes us through the vibrant arts scene in the Asian American community of the Central Valley. Followed by Q&A with filmmakers and artists.

Co-sponsors for the event include: International House Davis, Sikhlens, Asian American Studies, Cinema and Digital Media, Religious Studies, Global Affairs, UC Davis Library, and the Davis Humanities Institute.
Outreach partners include: Sikh Cultural Association, Indian Student Association, Pakistani Student Association, Jakara, Punjabi American Heritage Society, and KVIE Public Television.

For more information, please visit:
mesa.ucdavis.edu

Good Guy Bad Guy - UC Davis
2019-05-04 13:00 | International House, UC Davis, 10 College Park, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
SOUTH ASIA FILM FESTIVAL: A South Asia Without Borders Initiative
May 4, 1pm @ International House, Davis, CA
GOOD GUY BAD GUY (2018)
As much a portrait of the city, as of its main protagonist, Indu Krishnan’s doc chronicles five years in the tumultuous life of Zakhir, a gentle soul who lives on the streets of Bangalore. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.
Also in this festival:
May 3, 5:30pm @ Alumni Center, UC Davis
AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY (1977)
This Bollywood classic offers freewheeling comedy and camp, and a potent vision of social harmony. The film will be preceded by a special reception, and a presentation by the authors of Amar Akbar Anthony: Bollywood, Brotherhood, and the Nation: William Elison (Religious Studies, UCSB), Christian Lee Novetzke (International Studies, University of Washington) and Andy Rotman (Religion, Smith College).
May 4, 3:15pm @ International House, Davis, CA
DRAWN TOGETHER (2017)
With a lively backdrop of superheroes and comic books, Harleen Singh’s “Drawn Together” examines issues of diversity, representation, and racism. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.
May 4, 4:45pm @ International House, Davis, CA
JUTTI KASOORI + HALFWAY HOME (2018)
Nicole Ranganath’s doc explores the rich history of the Punjabi community in Northern California, while Steve Arounsack’s doc takes us through the vibrant arts scene in the Asian American community of the Central Valley. Followed by Q&A with filmmakers and artists.
Co-sponsors for the event include: International House Davis, Sikhlens, Asian American Studies, Cinema and Digital Media, Religious Studies, Global Affairs, UC Davis Library, and the Davis Humanities Institute.
Outreach partners include: Sikh Cultural Association, Indian Student Association, Pakistani Student Association, Jakara, Punjabi American Heritage Society, and KVIE Public Television.
For more information, please visit:
mesa.ucdavis.edu

Drawn Together - UC Davis
2019-05-04 16:15 | International House, UC Davis, 10 College Park, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
SOUTH ASIA FILM FESTIVAL: A South Asia Without Borders Initiative
May 4, 3:15pm @ International House, Davis, CA
DRAWN TOGETHER (2017)
With a lively backdrop of superheroes and comic books, Harleen Singh’s “Drawn Together” examines issues of diversity, representation, and racism. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.

Also in this festival:
May 3, 5:30pm @ Alumni Center, UC Davis
AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY (1977)
This Bollywood classic offers freewheeling comedy and camp, and a potent vision of social harmony. The film will be preceded by a special reception, and a presentation by the authors of Amar Akbar Anthony: Bollywood, Brotherhood, and the Nation: William Elison (Religious Studies, UCSB), Christian Lee Novetzke (International Studies, University of Washington) and Andy Rotman (Religion, Smith College).
May 4, 1pm @ International House, Davis, CA
GOOD GUY BAD GUY (2018)
As much a portrait of the city, as of its main protagonist, Indu Krishnan’s doc chronicles five years in the tumultuous life of Zakhir, a gentle soul who lives on the streets of Bangalore. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.
May 4, 4:45pm @ International House, Davis, CA
JUTTI KASOORI + HALFWAY HOME (2018)
Nicole Ranganath’s doc explores the rich history of the Punjabi community in Northern California, while Steve Arounsack’s doc takes us through the vibrant arts scene in the Asian American community of the Central Valley. Followed by Q&A with filmmakers and artists.

Co-sponsors for the event include: International House Davis, Sikhlens, Asian American Studies, Cinema and Digital Media, Religious Studies, Global Affairs, UC Davis Library, and the Davis Humanities Institute.
Outreach partners include: Sikh Cultural Association, Indian Student Association, Pakistani Student Association, Jakara, Punjabi American Heritage Society, and KVIE Public Television.

For more information, please visit:
mesa.ucdavis.edu

JUTTI KASOORI + HALFWAY HOME - UC Davis
2019-05-04 16:45 | International House, UC Davis, 10 College Park, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
SOUTH ASIA FILM FESTIVAL: A South Asia Without Borders Initiative
May 4, 4:45pm @ International House, Davis, CA
JUTTI KASOORI + HALFWAY HOME (2018)
Nicole Ranganath’s doc explores the rich history of the Punjabi community in Northern California, while Steve Arounsack’s doc takes us through the vibrant arts scene in the Asian American community of the Central Valley. Followed by Q&A with filmmakers and artists.
Also screening:
May 3, 5:30pm @ Alumni Center, UC Davis
AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY (1977)
This Bollywood classic offers freewheeling comedy and camp, and a potent vision of social harmony. The film will be preceded by a special reception, and a presentation by the authors of Amar Akbar Anthony: Bollywood, Brotherhood, and the Nation: William Elison (Religious Studies, UCSB), Christian Lee Novetzke (International Studies, University of Washington) and Andy Rotman (Religion, Smith College).
May 4, 1pm @ International House, Davis, CA
GOOD GUY BAD GUY (2018)
As much a portrait of the city, as of its main protagonist, Indu Krishnan’s doc chronicles five years in the tumultuous life of Zakhir, a gentle soul who lives on the streets of Bangalore. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.
May 4, 3:15pm @ International House, Davis, CA
DRAWN TOGETHER (2017)
With a lively backdrop of superheroes and comic books, Harleen Singh’s “Drawn Together” examines issues of diversity, representation, and racism. Followed by Q&A with filmmaker.

Co-sponsors for the event include: International House Davis, Sikhlens, Asian American Studies, Cinema and Digital Media, Religious Studies, Global Affairs, UC Davis Library, and the Davis Humanities Institute.
Outreach partners include: Sikh Cultural Association, Indian Student Association, Pakistani Student Association, Jakara, Punjabi American Heritage Society, and KVIE Public Television.

For more information, please visit:
mesa.ucdavis.edu

3rd i Co-presents "Shiraz" at the SF Silent Film Festival
2019-05-05 14:15 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
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, Shiraz (Rai) 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 National 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).
UK-Germany-India 1928
Directed by Franz Osten
105 minutes
Date: Sunday, May 5th, 2019
Time: 2:15 pm
Venue: The Castro Theatre

3rd i Co-presents at CAAMFest37
2019-05-10 19:20 | 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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Ravening (Aamis)
2019-11-09 12:45 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
West Coast Premiere
Official Selection to Tribeca, Mumbai and Calgary Festivals, 2019, and Winner, Facebook award for Film with Most Buzz
Bhaskar Hazarika’s quietly shocking film blends gentle romance and body horror into a unique cinematic experience. Niri (a doctor) and Sumon (a doctoral student) find common ground in their shared love for unconventional meats. As Sumon pursues a dissertation on the regional meat-eating traditions across India, he woos Niri with increasingly adventurous delicacies that he lovingly prepares for her.
Hazarika masterfully concocts a tale of love and addiction, that builds slowly – from a lilting rhythm to a pounding finale.
“Bhaskar Hazarika folds in class commentary and dreamlike interludes, but saves the film’s most surprising and shocking gambit—and aftermath—for the third act, capping off an unforgettable meditation on taboo and transgression.” – Frederick Boyer, Tribeca Film Festival

Namdev Bhau: In Search of Silence
2019-11-09 15:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
SF Bay Area Premiere
Official Selection to Busan International, BFI London, Dharamshala & Palm Springs, and critically acclaimed, wins Best Feature
A magical and witty, off-beat take on the road movie, Dar Gai’s film is a meditative reflection that takes us through the breathtaking landscapes of Ladakh in the Himalayas. Driven to the end of his wits by the cacophony of Mumbai – the noisiest city in the world – Namdev Bhau, a 65-year-old chauffeur, sets off in search of the fabled Silent Valley. The elderly man’s attempts at maintaining solitude are comically subverted at every turn, until the precocious and talkative young Aaliq becomes a constant companion through the rest of his awe-inspiring sojourn.
Gai – a philosopher by training – weaves a heart-warming odyssey that cleverly keeps everything on the surface until a final revelation brings an unforeseeable twist. In the end, this cinematic journey offers the expedient truth that coming to terms with your internal conflicts and disharmony is an exigency of a happy life.
“Thoughtfully paced and with terrific performances, Dar Gai’s second feature confirms her as an exciting new voice in contemporary Indian cinema.” – BFI London Film Festival
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Children of the Sun (Gaadi)
2019-11-09 17:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
Director Prasanna Vithanage in person!
North American Premiere
Official Selection, Busan International. Director Prasanna Vithanage is an award-winning filmmaker whose narratives and documentaries have screened at festivals around the world and achieved commercial success.
Vithanage’s searing masterpiece is a period drama that takes on caste conflict and British colonial influences in Sri Lanka in the early 1800s. An exceptional narrative and captivating cinematography, Vithanage draws us into the past with great ease.
When the aristocratic Sinhalese community’s plans to oust the Tamil king Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe go awry, the men go into hiding, while their wives are forced to marry men from the Rodiya community – a lower caste group at the bottom of the social ladder – with tumultuous results. Working with a wide palette that ranges from historical drama to nuanced and intimate storytelling, Vinthanage crafts a deeply empathetic film that is simultaneously heart-wrenching and hopeful.
“Our nation went through three decades of a brutal civil war waged in the name of racial and religious identities. Since the struggle to uphold identities has not stopped in post-war Sri Lanka, I believe it is important to raise the question, ‘Is identity more important than the sanctity of life?’” – Prasanna Vithanage, Filmmaker

Bollywood at the Castro - Animated Tribute "Bombay Rose"
2019-11-09 20:00 | Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
SF Bay Area Premiere
Official Selection, Toronto International & Venice Film Festivals, Gold Hugo nominee at Venice, 2019
In this gorgeous and evocative hand-painted animated feature, Bombay Rose, a single red rose weaves together three fantastical tales of impossible loves.
In the rich, colorful and layered animation there is an ethereal brightness to the chaotic Mumbai streetscapes where Bollywood cinema is both satirized and romanticized, and small town folks in the big city can be crushed by its mean streets, or redeemed by love. The film moves seamlessly between a documentary feeling of present day struggles in Mumbai, to the lusciously designed dream sequences set in ancient India and inspired by Mughal folk art. Yoav Rosenthal’s original score merges swooning ballads with traditional Bollywood music and a haunting Latin love tribute.
Class and political commentary are subtle and second to the visual evocation of this story about unsung heroes struggling for survival, who live and love across time and memory. Rao’s long awaited feature debut must not be missed.
“ … with its heart firmly beating to the music of Bollywood, Gitanjali Rao’s debut feature is a stunningly realised work of animated filmmaking… cleverly choreographed and painted frame by frame over a six-year production period.” – Fionnuala Halligan, ScreenDaily
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Nishtha Jain: A Master Class
2019-11-10 12:30 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, United States
SF Bay Area Premiere
Director Nishtha Jain is an award-winning Indian filmmaker best known for her documentary Gulabi Gang. Most notably she has been awarded the Amnesty International Award for Human Rights, and Best Documentary, International Association of Women in Radio and Television.
3rd i is thrilled to offer a free Master Class in film with returning award-winning filmmaker Nishtha Jain (City of Photos, Lakshmi and Me, At My Doorstep, Gulabi Gang). She will engage audiences in a presentation about her filmmaking process, and will screen excerpts from past work and her current work-in-progress, The Golden Thread, which is an immersion into the sense-scape of industrial textile labor.
Jain will also present her first narrative short Saboot (Proof), which was co-directed with Dipti Gupta. A conscientious young gynecologist is confronted with the systemic failures and misogyny of the “women’s ward” at a government hospital in Delhi. The film was shortlisted for the Venice Film Festival, and recently won Best Short Film at the Brooklyn International Film Festival.
A gifted independent filmmaker, Jain’s work holds up a mirror to some of the most pressing concerns in India today. She will address social and political issues, including India’s #metoo women’s movement.

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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Bangla
2019-11-10 16:30 | New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, 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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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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