Austin nonprofit Indie Meme presents 9th Annual Indie Meme Film Festival

Austin-based nonprofit Indie Meme, founded by two passionate women, is proud to announce the official dates and lineup for their ninth annual Indie Meme Film Festival (IMFF), taking place April 17 – 21 at the Austin Film Society Cinema (located at 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752).

Following closely on the heels of SXSW, Indie Meme is bringing an international film festival to Austin with more than 30 international films from over 13 countries spanning more than 17 languages, solidifying Austin’s reputation as a hub for cultural exchange and a true film capital.

With a deep commitment to promoting Texas filmmakers sharing South Asian stories, IMFF will include a Local Shorts Showcase featuring conversations with several regional storytellers in their programming. Additionally, the festival’s roster includes several international premiers, an array of international shorts and a lineup of award-winning feature films, the majority of which are created by female and global filmmakers, that bring socially relevant cinema from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and more to the United States.

IMFF 2024 lineup will explore currently relevant themes such as women’s rights, immigration, childhood trauma, and family dynamics, as well as other human interest stories centered around consumerism, environmentalism and global issues. Tickets for this year’s Indie Meme Film Festival are now available and can be purchased here: www.indiememe.org/event-details/imff-2024. There will be a special red carpet event on Friday, April 19, at 5 p.m. For more information on IMFF, please see their website: www.indiememe.org/imff-2024. For the full festival lineup, please see here: www.indiememe.org/festival-schedule

Kicking off the festival on Wednesday, April 17 is “Sultana’s Dream,” a surreal, animated feature about a woman’s search for Ladyland, the Utopian land of women. Thursday’s spotlight shines on the International premiere of “Mithya,” a sincere tale focused on a young boy’s grief after losing both of his parents. Friday’s opening night film, “Footprints on Water,” a dramatic thriller delving into immigration and family narratives, will also include a Q&A after the screening with director Nathalia Syam and lead actor Adil Hussain. Other films of note in this year’s lineup include “Sthal (A Match)” directed by Jayant Digambar Somalkar, which examines the practice of arranged marriage and women’s rights, and “Vasudhavia Kutumbakam (The World is Family),” by trailblazing filmmaker Anand Patwardhan who will be in attendance at the screening. “Against the Tide” is another not-to-be-missed film, documenting two indigenous fishermen striving against a cruel sea and climate change, that has won multiple awards at various film festivals such as Sundance, Asian Pacific Awards, Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and Sydney Film Festival. The final closing night film of this year’s incredible lineup is “Girls Will Be Girls,” another Sundance award-winning film, centered around a young woman’s experience through a coming-of-age story shared with her mother. There will be a Q&A with director and writer Shuchi Talati following the screening.

Additionally, several films in this year’s festival lineup are premiering for the first time in the United States and internationally. On Wednesday, April 17, Indie Meme will present their Local Shorts Showcase starting at 6:15 p.m. where both “So, That Happened” will premiere internationally alongside the North American premiere of “The Road Not Taken.” On Saturday, April 20, “Ullarivu,” “Vakuppu (The Clause,” “Helena,” “Something Like an Autobiography,” and “Next, Please” will all be premiering for the first time in North America. Then on Sunday, April 21, “Bahadur – The Brave” will be having its North American premiere.