The 19th Annual Tasveer Film Festival Returns to Celebrate With an Industry Market That Connects South Asian Creatives to the Greater Film World

This month, the 19th Annual Tasveer Film Festival and Market (TFFM) makes a return to the Pacific Northwest to showcase filmmakers and creatives from the South Asian community. The festival will feature films that range from narratives and documentaries to animated shorts, broadcasting South Asian stories to a global audience. The films will be shown in person at the SIFF Cinema Uptown and PACCAR IMAX Theater at Pacific Science Center from Oct. 15 to 20, with the market occurring Oct. 15 to 18 at the Tagney Jones Hall and the M5 Creative Building in Seattle Center. The virtual screenings will be offered from Oct. 21 to 31 via their streaming platform, TasveerTV. Check out the festival schedule on their website to get full details on locations for the screenings you plan to attend. You can purchase your passes on the Tasveer Film Festival and Market website.

Shailiaja Rao, the board president of Tasveer and social justice activist, says, “The 19th Edition of the Tasveer Film Festival is also our largest yet. We received a record-breaking 500 submissions, and from these, we have curated a lineup of 110 films. This year’s selections include 19 feature films and 91 short films.”

The festival not only boasts more films compared to last year’s, but “the festival’s themes have expanded beyond the familiar narratives of female empowerment and socio-cultural issues, diving into broader topics such as masculine emotions, euthanasia, and the experiences of the elderly. This year’s festival also coincides with the inaugural Tasveer Film Market,” Rao said.

The market, which will run from Oct. 15 to 18, is designed to provide ample opportunities for South Asian filmmakers and storytellers. Rita Meher, one of the founders of Tasveer Film Festival, said in a press release, “A film market focused on South Asian cinema has been coming for a long time … the Tasveer Film Market will help filmmakers secure the resources they need to bring their stories to a global audience.”

The market’s purpose is to uplift the South Asian community by providing a platform to receive production funding, gap financing, and distribution deals. Rao says this will give “filmmakers a unique opportunity to network with industry executives, distributors, and producers, furthering their chances of success and fostering new business connections that will contribute to the growth of Seattle’s film industry.”

The market will feature representation from top industry studios and organizations such as Amazon MGM Studios, Blumhouse, HBO, Pillars Fund, EST N8, and more — allowing for South Asian filmmakers to network within the film industry. On Oct. 15, the market kicks off with a cocktail reception for attendees and their “MIC DROP” segment, featuring stories in connection with music like the animated visual album, Too Beautiful: A Spaceman Story, directed by Alex Salsberg.

Rao said, “We aim to challenge the misconceptions and stereotypes that still surround South Asian communities. That’s why our curation is deliberate — each film is chosen to provoke curiosity and highlight shared human experiences that connect us all, regardless of background.” She continues, “Through these diverse stories, festival-goers will have the opportunity to learn something new about the complexities, struggles, and joys of South Asian life.”

Seattle festival-goers will be able to enjoy the plethora of culturally rich films displayed during this year’s screenings. On Oct. 17, the Opening Night Film and Red Carpet Gala will feature the short films Wakhri (One of A Kind) directed by Iram Parveen Bilal, and Loop Line directed by Renuka Shahane.

Wakhri, inspired by courageous individuals like Qandeel Baloch, tells the story of a widowed school teacher in Pakistan who accidentally releases her nonconforming opinions on social media, resulting in newfound fame overnight –– good and bad. This film shows the entanglement of a woman within a culture that struggles with her having autonomy over her thoughts and space, whether her own physical or internet spaces.

The animated short film Loop Line follows a housewife in Mumbai consumed by never-ending chores, who turns to her fantasies for peace in her daily life. But as her chauvinistic husband and his misogynistic colleagues return from work, her day of dreaming ends.

The festival’s closing night and award ceremony on Oct. 20 will showcase the acclaimed short film Blue Boy and feature-length film A Nice Indian Boy. Based on the award-winning novel by Rakesh Satyal and directed by Nik Dodani, Blue Boy is an endearing coming-of-age story about a mischievous boy who has a vision that he’s the reincarnation of Krishna. To cap a night celebrating the arts, attendees can continue to Pioneer Square’s Nirmal’s for live music, Goan cuisine, and a cash bar.

This year marks the 19th Tasveer Film Festival, showing us that these stories by South Asian filmmakers are needed in the community and the film industry. The festival generates avenues for filmmakers to share their creative visions and will continue to proudly display the expansive South Asian experience while curating universal connection through cinema.

Rao said, “We hope that filmgoers will not only admire the beauty and artistry of South Asian storytelling but also gain a deeper understanding of South Asian lives as they truly are. Our films are curated to provide an authentic glimpse into the immense cultural diversity of South Asia, something that is often missing from mainstream media and the larger film industry.”

Come show your support for these filmmakers, mingle, and enjoy the South Asian cinema this festival offers! You can purchase tickets on their website to partake in the monthlong screenings.

This article is published under a Seattle Human Services Department grant, "Resilience Amidst Hate," in response to anti-Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander violence.