The 19th annual Oscar®-qualifying Tasveer Film Festival concluded on a high note, with the announcement of the 2024 Audience Choice Awards, and Juried Competition Award winners. The awards ceremony followed a sold-out screening of A Nice Indian Boy, at the PAC SCI IMAX theater in Seattle Center, USA.
The week-long festival, with the inaugural Tasveer Film Market, showcased 110 films representing 15 countries, including 19 narrative features and 91 shorts. The lineup featured 36 world and 28 North American premieres, highlighting a strong commitment to gender diversity and inclusivity with 52 films by women, trans, and non-binary filmmakers.
“We curate films from all South Asian countries and their Diaspora, and we are dedicated to uplifting independent South Asian filmmakers and Diaspora storytelling,” said Rita Meher, Executive Director and Founder of the Tasveer Film Market.
Shailaja Rao, Associate Director of the Tasveer Film Festival, added, “Our curation is deliberate. Year after year, we work with great conviction to present nuanced narratives often facing censorship and suppression in South Asia. Storytellers in the region frequently navigate challenging social, cultural, legal, and political landscapes that can hinder their ability to express themselves freely.”
The Festival held two competitions: juried and audience-based. Winners were selected by a carefully selected jury of industry professionals and by audience members through post-screening ballots.
Juried Competition Winners:
Best Feature Narrative: All We Imagine As Light by Payal Kapadia
Best Feature Documentary: Bhangaar by Sumira Roy
Best Short Narrative: Holy Curse by Snigdha Kapoor
Honorable Mentions: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Now and Then (Feature Documentary) and Loop Line (Short)
Tasveer Audience Choice Awards:
Best Narrative Feature: A Nice Indian Boy by Roshan Sethi
Best Narrative Short: Pink by Yassa Khan
Best Documentary Short: A Dream Called Khushi by Rishabh Jain
Best Actor: Faizan Sheikh from Stalled
Best Animation: Loop Line by Renuka Shahane
Best Director: Pooja Kaul for The Umesh Chronicles
Best LGBTQI Film: Katlaa Curry by Rohit Prajapati
Best Social Justice Film: A Lullaby for Yellow Roses by Rahul Roye
Best Children’s Film: Gold Medal by Ujjwal Pate
