Tasveer Film Market: A new frontier for South Asian cinema
The Tasveer Film Market is set to make its grand debut, showcasing over 40 projects selected from a pool of more than 300 submissions. This initiative aims to become a pivotal hub for South Asian and diaspora filmmakers, launching as part of the 19th Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle.
Celebrating diverse talents
Among the notable talents presenting their projects are Radhika Apte with “The Sleepwalkers,” the Cannes-winning team of Apoorva Charan and Saim Sadiq with “Joyland,” and Sarvnik Kaur with “Against the Tide.” Other distinguished names include Q with “Garbage,” Nabeel Qureshi with “Na Maloom Afraad,” and Hania Chima with “Laal Kabootar.” The lineup also features the adaptation of Soniah Kamal’s “Pride and Prejudice” titled “Unmarriageable,” led by Sadia Ashraf and James McMillan.
Industry heavyweights in attendance
The event will see participation from industry leaders such as filmmakers Deepa Mehta and Pan Nalin, along with representatives from major studios and agencies including Amazon MGM Studios, Blumhouse, HBO, EST N8, Creativeland Studios, NBCU, CAA, and WME. The market has also partnered with organizations like NBCU, K&L Gates, and Washington Filmworks.
A jury of distinguished professionals
The Tasveer Film Market’s jury includes prominent industry figures such as producer and curator Dominique Welinski, former Vice Media executive Falguni Adams, Shobha Sant (CEO of Creativeland Studios), filmmaker Hemal Trivedi, and producer Swati Shetty. This esteemed panel will evaluate 20 Jury Select projects, presenting them to studio executives, producers, and other industry figures.
A platform for emerging voices
The market will feature 20 Jury Select projects, 20 Tasveer Film Market Select projects, and 20 finished films in an out-of-competition section. Additionally, the event will host the final pitching session of the 5th Tasveer Film Fund, supported by Netflix, where nine U.S. narrative shorts finalists will compete for a $25,000 grant.
Rita Meher, founder and director of the Tasveer Film Market, emphasized the market’s vision: “Through the Tasveer Film Market, our goal is for these filmmakers to secure financing, access vital resources, engage directly with industry leaders, and gain distribution. It’s time for South Asian stories to transcend borders and be celebrated on the global stage.”
Anupama Bose, advisor and associate director of the Tasveer Film Market, added: “Our aim is to create a platform where South Asian and diaspora filmmakers can connect with the global industry, particularly in North America, where diverse voices are being amplified more than ever. We believe the Tasveer Film Market will become a vital stepping stone for these unique voices to gain the attention they truly deserve and for the ecosystem to incorporate and nurture more representation of South Asia, the diaspora, and their concerns. Being in Seattle, we will also bring a boom to the creative economy of the region.”
Event details and project highlights
The Tasveer Film Festival and market are scheduled for October 15-20 in Seattle. Here are some of the standout projects:
Jury Select Projects
- “A Country Without A Post Office” by Umbreen Butt (Canada) – Documentary Feature (animation)
- “Birdie” by Prarthana Joshi (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Burnout” by Swetha Regunathan (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Feral” by Nihaarika Negi (U.S./India) – Narrative Feature
- “Hori” by Arun Deo Joshi (Nepal) – Narrative Feature
- “Jackie and Jilal” by Jyothi Kalyan Sura (U.S.) – TV
- “Kabootar” by Ishan Sharma (India) – Narrative Feature
- “Mangal – The Holy Beast” by Triparna Maiti (India) – Narrative Feature
- “Samosa” by Nipunika Fernando (Sri Lanka) – Narrative Feature
- “Their Life is Water” by Brayden Yoder and Aditi Mediratta (U.S./India) – Narrative Feature
- “Montu Went To The Moon” by Radhika Apte (India) – Narrative Feature
- “Rain Echoes Fire” by Ayon Pratim Saikia (India) – Narrative Feature
- “Queen Peak” by David Barchet and Hania Chima (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “The Aunt” by Ranjan Ghosh (India) – Narrative Feature
- “Umbrellas of the Acrobats” by Mukesh Subramaniam (U.S.) – Documentary Feature
Work in Progress Projects
- “Adi” by Amole Gupte and Deepa Bhatia (India)
- “A Street Play” by Tanmaya Shekhar (India)
- “Laptein AKA Flames” by Ravi Shankar Kaushik (India)
- “The Return” by Anjali Kamat and Rehan Ansari/Sanjna Selva (U.S.)
- “Waste-Side Story” by Supriyo Sen (India)
Tasveer Film Market Select Projects
- “Anandibai” by Samip Mallick (U.S.) – ShortDoc Animation
- “Behind The Scene” by Bilal Sami (U.S.) – TV
- “Chilli Score” by Vinny Anand and Ronald Austin, Jr. (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Disrupted” by Sarvnik Kaur (India/U.S.) – Documentary
- “Dreams Uprooted” by Meghna Damani (U.S.) – ShortDoc
- “Fara” by Arshad W. Khan (Canada) – Narrative Feature
- “Good Girls” by Hira Shiraz (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Lone Star Hijra – An Indian Fairy Tale” by Sheila Sawhny (U.S.) – Narrative Feature (WIP)
- “Nisa (Woman)” by Ambarien Alqadar (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Patel” by Ravi Kapoor (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Prisoner” by Nabeel Qureshi (Pakistan) – Narrative Feature
- “Unmarriageable” by Sadia Ashraf (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Suraiya” by Shibabrata Barman and Robiul Alam Robi (Bangladesh) – Narrative Feature (WIP)
- “Tandava” by Vinay M. Umapathy (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “The Laughter” by Saim Sadiq and Apoorva Charan (U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “The Pharaoh of Pharma” by Zaki Chinde (India/U.S.) – Narrative Feature
- “Untitled” by Tanuja Chandra (India) – Documentary
- “Welcome Home Jhaiji” by Pallavi Somusetty (U.S.) – Documentary
- “Whistle in the Mist” by Jahnu Barua (Australia) – Narrative Feature
- “Zewel” by Q (India) – Narrative Feature
Tasveer Film Fund Finalists
- “Bombil Fry: Sunsets Limited, Cigarettes Pivoted and Sambal Swallowed” by Tushar Gidwani
- “By Design” by Moitri Ghosh
- “Extreme Vetting” by Shehryar Mir
- “Lavenders Bloom” by Sara Rangooni
- “Open Shaadi” by Jerika Marchan and Dini Parayitam
- “Pooja in Her Prime” by Kesav Wable and Asavari Kumar
- “Tabbasum” by Sri Ram Burgula
- “The Sale” by Meera Angelica Joshi
- “Yakshi” by Karan Sunil
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