Tasveer Film Festival Aims to Champion Social Change Through Power of South Asian Storytelling

Iram Parveen Bilal’s “Wakhri,” about a widowed school teacher in Pakistan who becomes a viral sensation overnight, will open the highly anticipated  Tasveer Film Festival & Market (TFFM) next month. The festival will close with Roshan Sethi’s “Nice Indian Boy,” starring Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff. 

One hundred-and-ten films including 36 world premieres, 28 North American premieres, 45 Seattle premieres, and 19 feature films from 15 countries will be screened at the festival. Fiftytw0 films of the 110 films showcased at the festival are by women, trans, and non-binary directors. Organizers say “selected films reflect the vision and filmmaking artistry of South Asian filmmakers and important issues from the subcontinent and diaspora.” Among them are  are Payal Kapadia’s feature narrative debut, “All We Imagine as Light” —the 2024 Cannes Grand Prix winner; and Nik Dodani’s LGBTQIA+ semi-autobiographical drama “Blue Boy.”

Ninety-one short films will be screened at this year’s festival as well, with 35 world premieres, 22 North American premieres, and 33 Seattle premieres.Some of the short films in the lineup are Yassa Khan’s “Pink” (world premiere), Rippen Sindher’s “Flight 182″ (North American premiere), and Tathagata Ghosh’s” If” (Seattle premiere), among others. Tasveer is the only Oscar qualifying South Asian Film Festival in the world in the short film category, and has “championed social change through the power of South Asian storytelling,” according to a festival press release. 

The 19th edition of the festival not only celebrates the vibrant storytelling of the region, but it also launches North America’s first-ever global film market dedicated to South Asian filmmakers. Running from October 15-17, the Tasveer Film Market (TFM) will feature the celebrated, award-winning filmmaker Deepa Mehta (Fire, Water) as the inaugural keynote speaker. 

Organizers call TFM “a groundbreaking initiative designed to reshape financial and distribution models for South Asian filmmakers worldwide.” 

With a focus on “expanding the reach and fostering collaboration, the market will host events such as the co-production market, Tasveer Film Fund pitches (supported by Netflix), industry panels, and networking sessions. “These activities aim to empower creatives by connecting them with producing partners, distributors, and global platforms,” organizers said. Other participants at TFM include will include and Pan Nalin (“Last Film Show,” “Angry Indian Goddesses”), and representatives from companies such as CAA, WME, Blumhouse, NBCU Launch, Amazon MGM Studios, Red Sea Film Foundation, and more.

“As the first film market dedicated to the South Asian community, our mission is to build a groundbreaking platform where diverse voices can thrive and be heard,” said Rita Meher, founder of the Tasveer Film Market and co-founder of the Tasveer Film Festival. “By carving out this space, we aim to empower underrepresented filmmakers, amplify South Asian stories, and foster global connections that will bring these narratives to the world stage.”

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Ina statement, Mehta said she’s “honored to inaugurate” TFM. “Tasveer Film Festival’s legacy and contribution to South Asian cinema is one for the history books,” she said. “Launching the first South Asian film market on a global scale could not have come at a better time.”

This year the festival boasts of prolific jury members who will be in attendance such as Oscar-nominated filmmaker Shaunak Sen (“All That Breathes”), actor Omi Vaidya (“3 Idiots”) and director Geeta V. Patel (“House of the Dragon”).

The festival will also include engaging fireside chats, post-film Q&As with filmmakers from around the world, and a remarkable lineup of industry talents.