Indian Film Festival Cincinnati 2023

August 17th – 20th

Thank you for being here with us today and for your support of the Indian Film Fesval of Cincinna.

Enjoy the show!

Proud sponsor of The Indian Film Festival Cincinnati

Working to improve the overall health and well-being of South Asians through outreach and education efforts.

. Red Saree Cincinnati, Inc. (a non-profit organization) Cincinnati, OH https://redsaree.org

Navigating the Program and Schedule

Dear Guest,

Thank you for coming to the Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati, we are delighted you decided to spend the evening with us. We hope you find the schedule useful.

Parking is free at the venues. At the historic Mariemont Theater, additional parking is available behind the theatre & across the street in the Comey & Shepherd Realtors lot after 5 pm courtesy of Comey & Shepherd Realtors. Individual film tickets are $10. Tickets can be purchased at the respective venues or be booked in advance at our website, www.iffcincy.com.

August19

Mariemont Theatre

SPECIAL SCREENING Bully High

SHORTS COLLECTION

Shenanigans Bad Egg Butterscotch Birha

Footprints on Water

August19

Kenwood CityBase Theatre

August20

Mariemont Theatre

SHORTS COLLECTION

Unsuitable Rats in the Kitchen Vishappu Challenge

To Kill a Tiger

Afterparty gathering@Pints

FESTIVAL

Engage diversity through film.

Engage diversity through film

Message from the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the 2023 Annual Indian Film Fesval of Cincinna, presented by the Cincinna India Sister Cies Associaon. Aer three years of virtual screenings, we're thrilled to return to the big screen, igning the excitement of cinemac exploraon. This year, our fesval unites Cincinna's global and Indian immigrant communies through a curated selecon of films from the Indian diaspora, celebrang the universal threads of humanity. Within our interconnected global community, directors and creaves breathe life into these narraves, bridging cultures and celebrang diversity.

Our collecon of films showcase exceponal cinemac talent, telling powerful stories in minutes. Look out for notable films like “Call me Dancer”, “Three of Us”, “To Kill a Tiger”, “Bully High”, “Max Min and Meowzaki”, “Colonel Kalsi”, “Buerscotch”, “Footprints on water”, “Challenge” and “Colonial Interlude”, offering opportunies to engage in acve Q&A sessions with the directors. Gems like “Colonial Interlude", "Shenanigans", "Bully High", "Unsuitable", "Vishappu", have Cincinna connecons.

This fesval pays tribute to the filmmakers' dedicaon and passion, while also inving you – the audience –to experience novelty and transformaon. Whether you choose a single film or the full lineup, immerse yourself in the unique sengs of Cincinna Art Museum's Fath Auditorium, Mariemont Theatre’s historic charm, or the contemporary Kenwood City Base Theatre.

This year's films are presented in English or subtled, ensuring a connected experience. Explore the profound insights shared by the film community during our social events, discovering how film illuminates diverse perspecves. As we embark on this immersive cinemac journey, we extend hearelt gratude to your presence, dedicated volunteers, filmmakers, and our supporve community. Special menon goes out to my Cincinna family, husband Rajan Kamath and my girls. Together, let's celebrate the 2023 Annual Indian Film Fesval of Cincinna – a fusion of stories, cultures, and the transformave magic of cinema.

Ratee Apana Ph.D.

Founding Execuve Director President Cincinna India Sister City

DARE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

SISTER CITY YOUTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TO INDIA FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

JUNE 2024

Encourage, Explore, Engage, Empower & Bridge Cross -Cultural Differences.

Our mission is to engage youth in the Cincinnati public school system by offering them need based scholarships to engage in the Youth Ambassador Program. The India Sister City Program can take up to 15 High School students to India each year to build global awareness and engage in the global community. Students learn and explore in a safe environment. They are accompanied by chaperones at all times. The program will focus on the following:

CULTURE: Students are exposed to India’s rich culture, history and diversity. In the North they will visit Delhi and Agra and learn about the magnificent history of theTaj. In the South, in Mysore, they learn about the city's influence on India and the world through its literature, art, theater and history and now through its industry at the second largest software campus in the world- Infosys. Students visit local schools and interact with peers.

SERVICE LEARNING: Students visit and volunteer with children and young adults at the Odanadi home in Mysore.

SCIENCE: Students learn about wildlife, silk making, and agriculture through visits to game sanctuaries, plantation and industry visits.

Joinus!EngageExplore Enjoy

Call 886 5817 or visit

www.IndiaCincinnatiSisterCity.org

Engage diversity through film

India Cincinnati Sister City Association (ISCA), one of the nine Cincinnati USA Sister City Associations, is excited to host the 2023 Annual Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati (IFFC) in partnership with the Cincinnati Art Museum. We share a common theme in our missions.

- The Art Museum contributes to a more vibrant Cincinnati by inspiring its people and connecting our communities through the power of art, - ISCA’s mission is to contribute to a more vibrant Cincinnati through the exchange of India’s culture, ideas, innovation, and enterprise.

Movies have been a staple of Indian society for a long time. Apart from providing entertainment to masses, movies have addressed the social issues head on. In choosing movies for this year’s festival, our team has struck a good balance between life transforming dramas, mystery, human struggles, conflicts, and triumphs which transcend ethnic, cultural and language boundaries.

The IFFC started in 2016 with a modest beginning on a November weekend in the Cincinnati Art Museum. It has now grown into a premier international movie festival attracting directors and producers from around the world. We have added other venues to accommodate the schedule.

Staging such an event can only be done with a team of enthusiastic volunteers. We are fortunate to have a great team.

Our special thanks go to Cincinnati Art Museum’s Marketing and Communications Department for hosting our opening event, and especially to Haley Perkins-Babcock, Associate Director of Interpretive Programming for facilitating and promoting the festival.

Thank you for electing to spend your time at these movies. I promise this will be a tremendously enriching experience.

Pat Niskode, Ph.D.

Program Director, Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati Vice President, India-Cincinnati Sister City Association

Message from the Program Director

IFFCincy Family

We thank everyone who has helped us put this festival together. Without your help we could not do this. You all know who you are. You may have helped us put up a poster, placed social media posts, connected us to networks, provided us with food, made those drives for us, hosted happy hours, made crucial connections and so much more, all of which contribute to this festival. There are too many of us to list individually and we do not want to leave out any names. We promise to do a better job next year.

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Chair

Ratee Apana

, Executive Director, IFFCINCY Director

Dr. Pat Niskode

ADVISORY

Uma da Cunha

Indu Tandon

Kalpa Shah Maniar

Kumkum Amin

Pulin Kinkhabwala

Charles Dalton

Rajan Kamath

Press & Communica"on - Diana Maria Lara

Social Media and Communica"on - Kalpa Shah

Maniar

Mail Chimp Communica"on - Alec Fields

Design - Ratee Apana

Publica"on - Vidisha Patni

Sponsorships - Pooja Soni

Technology - Jay Sinnard

Fes"val Promo"on/Hospitality - Haroon Khan, Anita Suares, Thuy Pham

Volunteers

Clara Matonhodze - Registra"on

Linda Averbeck – Registra"on

Debi Kaur

Kanupriya Sharma

Vijaya S’navar Pa"l

Anita Raturi

Theresa Bird

Thuy

Annie D’Lima

PRELUDE SHOWCASE

Three Of Us

Mariemont Theatre: Thursday, August 17th at 7:30 PM

Directed by: Avinash Arun

98 Mins. Hindi Language Film with Subtitles in English.

Synopsis: A touching relationship drama set in the stunning Konkan region of Maharashtra. Shefali Shah, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Swanand Kirkire deliver powerful performances as they lead us through a story centered on Shailaja, who grapples with early signs of dementia. Together with her husband and childhood sweetheart, she embarks on a transformative journey to relive cherished memories before they fade away. Along the Konkan coastline, Shailaja confronts ghosts from her past, the monotony of her married life, and the uncertainties of her future. Witness her path to self-discovery, forgiveness, and personal liberation during this evocative trip. Threeof Us is an introspective and soul-stirring exploration of human relationships, resilience, and the power of confronting one’s past to find solace in the present and hope for the future.

AVINASHARUN is a film director and photographer from India. He is a cinematography graduate from FTII Pune. He has worked as a cinematographer on Hindi movies like Drishyam, Madaari, and Hichki. At the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, the children's jury gave his debut Marathi film, Killa, a Crystal Bear. In 2013 Avinash worked as a cinematographer in short film That Day After Every Day. He has also worked as a director of cinematography in 2015 film Masaan. He is working as a cinematographer in Manish Mundra's untitled film. Avinash directed Paatal Lok, a web series produced by Anushka Sharma in year 2020.

Special Thanks

Engage diversity through film.

SPECIAL SCREENING

Bully High

Mariemont Theatre: Saturday, August 19th at 11:00 AM

Directed by: Bill McAdams Jr.

Synopsis: Bully High centers around a Pakistani High School exchange student who gets bullied for wearing her Hijab. The movie tells the story of an abuse survivor and a Christian lesbian who fights to strip away stereotypes and stand up for her right to live in peace.

BILLY MCADAMS JR.

“A self-proclaimed “jock who did drama,” Bill McAdams, Jr. was a college baseball player at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. who graduated in 1994 with a double major in Theater Arts and Philosophy. During his senior year, he took a train up to Camden Yards in Baltimorewith his seniorbaseball picture and handed it tothecastingdirector of the film MajorLeague2. A month later, he was earning his first film credit as a utility baseball player in the sports comedy film.

In Hollywood, he couldn’t afford film school, so he gained hands on” experience by workingwithvariousAcademyAward-winning actors, writers, directors and cinematographers such as Steven Spielberg, David Lynch and Francis Ford Coppola. He learned how to direct and act as a stand-in for Matt Damon on such films as The Rainmaker, Good Will Hunting, Rounders and Dogma.

Today, Bill has carved out an impressive resume as a filmmaker. Some of his work includes Gallows Road (2015) and Jose Canseco: The Truth Hurts (2016). His latest film, Bully High, is a thought-provoking film that tackles some of today's more prevalent and controversial issues such as religious prejudice, sexual orientation, and bullying.

94 Mins. English Language Film.

August

Come dance your way through the rest of this fesval and support our filmmakers!

Engage diversity through film.

OPENING FILM Call Me Dancer

Cincinnati Art Museum: Friday, August 18th at 6:00 PM

Directed by: Leslie Shampaine Starring: Manish

LESLIE SHAMPAINE In her 13-year career as a professional ballet dancer in the United States, Europe, and Israel, Leslie began sharing stories for the first time. She has been doing this her entire life. After that, she made the switch to television, where she created acclaimed shows for CBS, PBS, Discovery Channel, A&E, and Al Jazeera. Her work includes 8 years as a member of the Kennedy Center Honors production crew, which won an Emmy. Her work also includes documentaries, cultural, and educational shows.

84 Mins. English Language Film.

Synopsis: Manish, a gifted Mumbai street dancer, faces a familialconflict as his parents push himtoward a traditional path to support them. A serendipitous encounter in an inner-city dance school introduces him to Yehuda, a 70-yearold Israeli ballet instructor, igniting a newfound desire. With a fierce determination to succeed, Manish battles the odds in his quest to become a professional dancer.

Mariemont Theatre

Saturday, August 19th at 1:35 PM

Butterscotch

Directed by: Mayank Deogaonkar

Birha – The Journey Back Home

Directed by: Puneet Prakash

14 Mins. English Language Film

Synopsis: This film narrates a tale of acceptance through the experiences of Dr. Maya Sharma, a single mother and physician. Maya envisions a predetermined path for her daughter, Dia Sharma, involving medical school and mirroring her own profession. An unexpected acceptance letter from an art school addressed to Dia sparks a confrontation between them, revealing Dia's frustrations with her mother's controlling nature.

4 Mins. Punjabi Language Film with English Subtitle

Synopsis: Following its successful recognition at the New York IndianFilm Festival andLos Angeles FilmAwards, this film has achieved another milestone by being chosen for 'The Ottawa Indian FilmFestival Awards.’Birhaisa Punjabi short film that unfolds a poignant tale of a family torn apart by the excessive aspirations of a young child. Set in the backdrop of Punjab, the film sheds light on the tragic fate of a family shatteredbytheallure oftheWest, reflectingaprevalentissue in the state.

MAYANKDEOGAONKARis a focused anddriven filmmaker with a diverse background. He has worked as a writer, director, cinematographer, and videoeditor onmultipleprojects. His work ranges from short films, web series, news info-reels to feature length films. He is also well-versed in the production and post production aspects of filmmaking.

PUNEETPRAKASHhasbeendirectingadfilmsforleading brands in India for the past three years and in that short time he hasacquiredthereputationofanemotional storytellerwith his films. Before that, he did theater in Delhi with Act One underthementorship of Mr. N K Sharma, thenhefinishedhis film school in LA, joined Mr. Anubhav Sinha as an assistant.

Engage diversity through film.

Mariemont Theatre

Saturday, August 19th at 1:35 PM

Bad Egg

Directed by: Mehak Jamal

Shenanigans

Directed by: Lulu Valencia

28 Mins. English Language Film

Synopsis: Zoya receives a disturbing call from her mother - her sister Zara has gone missing during the pandemic. Surprisingly, Zoya isn't rattled enough. She's hiding something, all of which leads back to the fateful night of a party. Throughout the film, Zoya interacts with her surroundings as if she’s re-calibrating to them. As the plot unravels, so does she. In this story, appearances can be very deceiving.

11 Mins. English Language Film

Synopsis: Sherika, a no-nonsense prosecutor, is on her way to court for a sentencing. She plans on asking for the maximum sentence; anything to get promoted and look good in the office. She orders an Uber and in the ride, she’s rude and condescending to the polite and sweet driver. Things go sideways when the Uber driver picks up 2 friends and her cousin in the middle of the ride, pissing off Sherika with unexpected shenanigans.

MEHAKJAMAL is a film maker and writer from Srinagar, Kashmir. She was a Writing Fellow at the literary mentorship program, South Asia Speaks 2022. Under the mentorship of journalist Rahul Bhatia, she was writing her book, Loal Kashmir, a work of narrative non-fiction.

Mehak’s short film Bad Egg premiered at the 19th Indian Film Festival Stuttgart 2022 and won the German Star of IndiaAudience Award and the Excellence in Cinema Award at the Atlanta Indian Film Festival 2022. She has co-written the feature film Love Hostel. She is currently writing for Disney and Amazon.

LULUVALENCIA is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director whose projects have won awards in international film festivals. Shenanigans won Best Comedy at the 2022 City of Angels Women’s Film Festival and was an official selection at the 17th Peachtree Village International Film Festival in Atlanta.

Engage diversity through film.

Footprints on Water

Mariemont Theatre: Saturday, August 19th at 4:00 PM

Directed by: Nathalia Syam

Starring: Adil Hussaiin, Nimisha Sajayan, Lenaa Kumar & Antonio Aakeel

Synopsis: Excellent performances from Adil Hussain, Nimisha Sajayan, Antonio Aakeel, Lena highlight this drama thriller, where an illegal immigrant father in the UK looks for his missing daughter while trying to avoid the police radar Nathalia Syam and her sister Neetha Syam, immigrants to the UK themselves, deeply understood the feeling of displacementthatcomes withtheimmigrantexperience. Overtime, theybecameacutelyawareofthechallenges faced by illegal immigrants – a group often overlooked, whose identities remained absent from official records, making them vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous employers. In response, the sisters recognized the urgency to shed light on the struggles of these invisible workers and initiate discussions around their predicaments.

NATHALIA SYAM is a London based award-winning film director Footprints on Water has won the Best Debut award at New York Indian Film festival judged by the Film Critics Circle of India, best award on celebrating stories theme at UKAFF, Best Debut award at the Indo-German Film Week in Berlin & Special jury award for Best Debut at the Ottawa Indian Film Festival. Between the British and Indian film industries, she has experience working as an associate director/ 1st AD and has broadcast credits for her previous short-films and commercials. As a director, her previous short film, Lehenga, was nominated for the 'Best of British' award at the BAFTA qualifying 'Iris Prize' Award in Cardiff. Nathalia has a special interest in creating films that portray distinct characters and themes from around the world where audiences can get the essence of different cultures and social situations.

106 Mins. English Language Film.

Engage diversity through film.

To Kill a Tiger

Kenwood: Saturday, August 19th at 7:30 PM

Directed by: Nisha Pahuja

Synopsis: Ranjit, an Indian farmer, undertakes a momentous battle as he seeks justice for his 13-year-old daughter, who has becomea victim of a harrowing gang rape. His determination to stand by his daughter’s side and fight for her rights goes against the norm, setting his journey apart as a groundbreaking and unprecedented endeavor

NISHA PAJHUJA is an independent Canadian filmmaker, born in New Delhi and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She was introduced to film through studying English literature, working in social services, and through working as a documentary researcher. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow. Nisha's first full-length film debut was in 2003 in Bollywood Bound, and in 2012 she produced a film The World Before Her which explored the diverse lifestyles of women competing to become Miss India and juxtaposing it with Hindu Nationalists fighting for their beliefs.

180 Mins. Hindi Language Film with Subtitles in English.

Engage diversity through film.

Mariemont Theatre

Sunday, August 20th at 1:00 PM

Rat in the Kitchen

Directed by: Arkish Aftab

Two Worlds

Directed by: Nithya Gopalakrishnan

22 Mins. Hindi and English Language Film with Subtitles in English

Synopsis: After a bitter separation from his wife, Vikram starts to live alone, which makes him spiral into a life of loneliness, negligence, and alcoholism. He begins to notice that his food is going missing, and his kitchen is ransacked every time he comes home. Thinking he has a rat problem; he installs CCTV cameras around his house. But what he uncovers instead, is far more bizarre and macabre.

12 Mins. Tamil Language Film with English Subtitles

Synopsis: Amidst the bustling streets of Chennai, a recent graduate buried in debt answers a call on a sunny morning. Promising to arrive within 15 minutes, he sets off on his motorcycle, navigating the congested traffic, even jeopardizing his safety.

ARKISHAFTABisafilmmakerfrom Assamandcurrently resides in Mumbai, India. He is an alumnus of AJK MCRC, JamiaMiliaIslamiaandModernSchoolBarakhamba, Delhi. After working as a Creative Producer, Editor and Writer for a few years, he made his directorial debut with his short film - Rat in the Kitchen, which was also written and co-edited by him.

NITHYAGOPALAKRISHNAN is an engineering graduate who is currently a partner and Executive Director of a family run logistics business in Chennai. She always had a huge passion for movies since her college days and grew up watching a lot of world cinema. She decided to pursue her passion and took the deep dive to make a short film on her own.

Engage diversity through film.

Mariemont Theatre

Saturday, August 20th at 1:00 PM

Unsuitable

Directed

by: Kaustuv Mukherjee

Vishappu

Directed by: Sunish Sasidharan

28 Mins. English Language Film

Synopsis: A satirical narrative of a young second generation Indian American's surreal fight against societal conformism.

7 Mins. Malayalam Language Film with English Subtitles

Synopsis: This short film delves into the primal instinct of hunger that all living beings share. It examines the diverse ways in which individuals relate to hunger, shaped by their unique life experiences. The film aims to explore the multifaceted perception of hunger across different generations.

KAUSTUVMUKHERJEE is an artist who loves doing artwork in different mediums. About 10 years ago, he voluntarily started working to create sets and props for theatre and gradually got interested in the art of storytelling. He loved doing it and gradually started writing scripts. He then felt that films were his chosen medium. He is self-trained with no prior film background and has made about 10 short films and been recognized at esteemed film festivals.

SUNISHSASIDHARAN is a professional IT engineer, passionate about film and theater. This is his first film. He is currently living in Mason, OH.

Engage diversity through film.

Mariemont Theatre

Sunday, August 20th at 1:00 PM Challenge

Directed by: Ramen and Sibanu Borah

36 Mins. English Language Film

Synopsis: This film depicts a compelling narrative that commences with the birth of a special child into a povertystricken family. The film explores the distinct qualities of the child and the societal misconceptions surrounding both the child and the family. As the story unfolds, it follows the journey of an empowered woman, painting a moving picture of struggle and eventual victory.

RAMENBORAH is an Indian film director storyteller, and editor. He is best known for his documentary film about poaching of the Great one-horned rhinos, Sikar Aru Sitkar (2016), which received a special mention at the 64th National Film Award. He is also renowned for his feature film, Montur Montoh (2021) which was showcased at Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati, andalsoat Montreal IndependentFilmFestival.

Engage diversity through film.

CENTERPIECE

Max, Min & Meowzaki

Mariemont Theatre: Sunday, August 20th at 3:15 PM

Directed by: Padmakumar

Narasimhamurthy

135 Mins. English Language Film.

Synopsis: Max and Min are ending their relationship, causing uncertainty about the future of their beloved cat Meowzaki. Amidst the challenges of their breakup, both Max and Min embark on distinct yet impactful paths. This heartwarming drama, directed by N Padmakumar (known for ABillionColourStory), captivates romantics and premiered successfully at the Busan International Film Festival.

PADMAKUMAR NARASIMHAMURTHY His first feature, A Billion Colour Story, which he wrote, shot, and directed himself, earned a nomination at the Busan International Film Festival in the New Currents selection, an official selection at the BFI London International Film Festival, earned a Best of Fest nomination at Palm Springs and went on to win as many as 17 awards and citations, before making its way to Netflix, where it's available to watch. He has, since, created Thinkistan, a popular Indian show on MX Player that continues to earn positive reviews all over, and a second feature, Distant Teardrop, based in Sri Lanka and England, which was due for release in 2020. He has an M.Sc. in Statistics and Computer Programming, is an enthusiastic sportsman, an accomplished photographer, and a poet.

CLOSING FILM-DOUBLE FEATURE

Colonel Kalsi

Synopsis: Colonel Kalsi is a documentary that chronicles the inspiring journey of Kamaljeet Kalsi, an American Sikh army officer, as he navigates the challenges of upholding his principles while serving his nation with integrity. Raised in a family of military heritage, with a father in the Indian air force and a grandfather in the British Army, Kalsi held an unwavering desire to join the US army. Despite his willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for his adopted country, he remained steadfast in preserving his religious identity as a Sikh, refusing to compromise on his beliefs. This documentary delves into his remarkable story of resilience and determination.

ANAND KAMALAKAR is a Brooklyn based film director, producer, and editor. Salam (Best Film, Raw Science Film Festival), The Gowanus Canal (Best Film, Brooklyn Film Festival), Chief Engineer Conrad, Citizen Sharma, Building Bridges, 300 Miles to Freedom and Garwin, are some of the films he has directed. Heart of Stone, a film he produced and edited, won over ten awards including Best Film at Slamdance Film Festival, Philadelphia Film Festival and Cinequest Film Festival. It also won an award for Best Editing at the Santa Fe Film Festival. Anand has worked as an editor for Primetime (ABC), Dateline (NBC) and 20/20 (ABC) and was the editor of the 2004 Emmy nominated ABC special on the Iraq war titled Brothers in Arms. Anand was also a creative consultant on the academy award-winning documentary Born Into Brothels. His last project Holy (un)Holy River premiered at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival and has won several awards around the world.

37 Mins. English Language Film.

Engage diversity through film.

Engage diversity through film.

CLOSING FILM - DOUBLE FEATURE

Colonial Interlude

Mariemont Theatre: Sunday, August 20th at 6:30 PM

Directed by: Kanniks Kannikeswaran

Synopsis: The film unravels the enthralling story of Muthuswami Dikshitar, a southern Indian composer from the late 18th century, who ingeniously combined colonial tunes introduced by the British East India Company with his Sanskrit lyrics. Director and composer Kanniks Kannikeswaran, based in Cincinnati, guides viewers through Dikshitar’s musical odyssey, exploring his compositions at various sacred sites. The film illuminates the contrast between traditional raga-based works and the nottuswara sahityas songs featuring Sanskrit lyrics set to Western melodies. Through stunning visuals of sacred sites, festivals, and interviews with local folk performers, the documentary showcases the evolution of European melodies in India and the USA. Supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council.

KANNIKS KANNIKESWARAN popularly known as Kanniks, is an Indian-born American musician, scholar, composer, writer, and music educator based out of Cincinnati, OH. Often described as ‘The Magic Musician From Madras’, Kanniks has numerous productions, choral performances, lectures, workshops and articles to his name. He has founded and led community choirs in 10 cities in North America including Cincinnati OH, Bethlehem PA, Houston TX, Tampa FL, Ft. Lauderdale FL, Minneapolis/St Paul MN, Toronto ON, Washington DC, Atlanta GA, and Chicago IL. He has expanded his work to Europe (The Hague - Netherlands). He has done extensive research on the music and life of 19th century composer Muthuswami Dikshitar.

37 Mins. English Language Film.

DATES:

AUG 17-20, 2023

VENUES: CINCINNATI ART

MUSEUM MARIEMONT THEATER

KENWOOD CITY BASE THEATER

FOR AFTERPARTIES- CHECK SCHEDULE ON WEBSITE

TICKETS $10 AT THE THEATRE BUY DIRECTLY.

CALL 513-272 2002

-OPENING NIGHT FILM 18TH AUG AT THE ART MUSEUM. TICKETS ON THE WEBSITE. $12, $30, $50

WWW.IFFCINCY.COM

-CLOSING NIGHT AT MARIEMONT THEATRE 20 AUG

FREE PARKING IN FRONT & BEHIND THE THEATRE.

August 18th at 6:00 PM

Cincinnati Art Museum

OPENING NIGHT

CALL ME DANCER

Director: Leslie Shampaine

Time: 84 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: Manish, a gifted Mumbai street dancer, battles the odds in his quest to become a professional dancer.

August 19th at 1:35 PM

Mariemont Theatre

SHORT FILMS (four films in one show )

SHENANIGAN

Director: Lulu Valencia

Time:7 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: A prominent attorney’s trip to court is interrupted by unexpected shenanigans.

August 19th at 1:35 PM

Mariemont Theatre

BIRHA– The Journey Back Home

Director: Puneet Prakash

Time 24 Minutes

Punjabi Language Film

Synopsis: Set in the backdrop of Punjab, Birha unfolds a poignant tale of a family torn apart by the excessive aspirations of a youngchild.

August 17th at 7:30 PM

Mariemont Theatre

THREE OF US

Director: Avinash Arun

Time: 98 Minutes

Hindi Language Film

Synopsis: When she begins to face signs of early onset dementia, Shailaja, and her husband embark on a transformative journey to relive cherished memories before they fade away

August 19th at 11:00 AM

Mariemont Theatre

SPECIAL SCREENING

BULLY HIGH

Director: Bill McAdams Jr.

Time:94 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: A Muslim high school girl is bullied for wearing a Hijab.

August 19th at 1:35 PM

Mariemont Theatre

BAD EGG

Director: Mehak Jamal

Time 28 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: Zoya isn’t shocked to find out that her sister has disappeared, and her unusual reaction seems to traceback to a pivotal party night.

August 19th at 1:35 PM

Mariemont Theatre

BUTTERSCOTCH

Director: Mayank Deogaonkar

Time 14 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: Dr. Maya Sharma envisions a predetermined path for her daughter involving medical school, but an unexpected acceptance letter from an art school throws the two’s relationship into turmoil.

August 19th at 4:00 PM

Mariemont Theatre

FOOTPRINTS ON WATER

Director: Nathalia Syam

Time 106 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: During their time in the U.K., sisters, Nathalia and Neetha Syam, work to fight the oppressive systems they face on their path to citizenship.

August 20th at 1:00 PM

Mariemont Theatre

CHALLENGE

Director: Ramen and Sibanu

Borah

36 Minutes

Assamese Language Film

Synopsis: Challenge explores how a special child born into a poverty-stricken family must navigate the societal misconceptions surrounding herself and her family.

August 20th at 1:00 PM

Mariemont Theatre

UNSUITABLE

Director: Kaustuv Mukherjee

28 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: A satirical narrative of a young Indian American’s surreal fight against societal conformism

August 20th at 1:00 PM

Mariemont Theatre

TWO WORLDS

Director: Nithya Gopalakrishnan

12 Minutes

Tamil Language Film

Synopsis: Amidst the bustling streets of Chennai, a recent graduate buried in debt answers a call for an important appointment – but he must be there in 15 minutes

August 20th at 6:30 PM

Mariemont Theatre

CLOSING FILM

COLONEL KALSI

Director: Anand Kamalakar

39 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: Kamaljeet Kalsi, an American Sikh Army Officer, navigates the challenges of upholding his principles while serving his nation with integrity

August 19th at 7:30 PM

Kenwood City Base Theatre

TO KILL A TIGER

Director: Nisha Pahuja

125 Minutes

Language: Hindi Language Film

Synopsis: Ranjit, an Indian farmer, undertakes a momentous battle as he seeks justice for his 13-year-old daughter, who has become a victim of a harrowing gang rape

August 20th at 1:00 PM

Mariemont Theatre

RAT IN THE KITCHEN

Director: Arkish Aftab

22 Minutes

Hindi & English Language

Synopsis: After noticing his food going missing, a lonely Vikram sets up CCTV cameras to investigate, but discovers something far more unsettling

August 20th at 1:00 PM

Mariemont Theatre

VISHAPPU

Director: Sunish Sasidharan

7 Minutes

Malayalam Language Film

Synopsis: Vishappu examines the diverse ways in which individuals relate to hunger, shaped by their unique life experiences.

MAX, MIN, MEOWZAKI

Director: N. Padmakumar

August 20th at 3:15 PM

Mariemont Theatre

135 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: Max and Min end their relationship, embarking on distinct yet impactful paths; causing uncertainty about the future of their beloved cat Meowzaki

August 20th at 6:30 PM

Mariemont Theatre

CLOSING FILM

COLONIAL INTERLUDE

Director: Kanniks

Kannikeswaran

37 Minutes

English Language Film

Synopsis: Follow Muthuswami Dikshitar, a Southern Indian composer from the late 18th century, on a Musical odyssey that explores his compositions at various sacred sites.