The 3rd i’s 24th annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival, titled ‘Beyond Bollywood,’ will showcase a diverse array of films from South Asia and beyond.
The 3rd i’s 24th annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival, themed ‘Beyond Bollywood,’ is set to return with an exciting lineup of narrative, documentary, and short films from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, France, South Africa, the UK, and the USA. The festival promises a rich selection of dark comedies, dramas, social satires, and cinematic perspectives that reflect South Asia and its global diaspora.
For its opening night, the festival will honor British-Indian director and screenwriter Avie Luthra with a retrospective titled “A Celebration of the Extraordinary Work of Avie Luthra.” This showcase will feature his comedic and socially insightful short films that delve into themes of immigration, relationships, identity, gender, sexuality, and social justice. The evening will also include a live Q&A session with Luthra, providing attendees with a chance to engage directly with the filmmaker.
Continuing its commitment to spotlight women filmmakers, the festival will present several notable titles directed by women. Acclaimed filmmaker Anusha Rizvi, known for her debut film *Peepli Live*, which was India’s entry for the Academy Awards, will showcase her latest project, *The Great Shamsuddin Family* (India, 2025). Set in a Delhi apartment and unfolding over the course of a single day, this social satire transforms domestic chaos into a reflection of contemporary India.
Another highlight is *Ghost School* (Pakistan/Germany/Saudi Arabia, 2025), directed by British-Pakistani filmmaker Seemab Gul. This narrative follows ten-year-old Rabia as she traverses a sun-drenched landscape in search of answers about local ghost stories while grappling with the mystery of why the only school in her village remains closed.
This year’s selection also includes independent narratives that challenge conventional storytelling. Director Sarmad Khoosat presents *Lali* (Pakistan, 2026), a layered thriller centered on a young Punjabi couple and their families. The plot follows Zeba, who has experienced the mysterious deaths of her three previous fiancés, as she prepares to marry Sajawal. What begins as a social satire evolves into an exploration of gender roles, jealousy, and the supernatural. Khoosat is known for producing *Joyland*, a Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize winner and Pakistan’s first film shortlisted for the Academy Awards.
In the arthouse experimental category, *Sand City* (Bangladesh, 2025), directed by Mahde Hasan, examines urban alienation in Dhaka. Filmed by French cinematographer Mathieu Giombini, the narrative follows two parallel lives, Emma and Hasan, connected through their relationship with sand, solitude, and survival in a bustling metropolis.
The documentary lineup features *Technocats* (India, 2026), directed by Gautam Sonti. An alumnus of India’s prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Sonti explores the pressures, rankings, and mental resilience required at these elite academic institutions, which have produced CEOs for global technology giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM.
Another significant documentary is *Eternal Trees, Eternal Mountains* (India/USA, 2026), co-directed by American researcher Harsha Reddy and historian Chris Chekuri. This film delves into the Indigenous Chenchu tribal community in the forests of South India, chronicling Reddy’s two-decade connection to the region that began in 1998 during a tiger study. The screening will feature a Q&A session with both directors, offering insights into their work and the community they portray.
The festival will conclude with *The Loyal Man* (France, 2020), a French-Sri Lankan Tamil romantic gangster thriller directed by Lawrence Valin. Set in the Paris underworld, the film follows Aathi, who grapples with his loyalty to his mob boss and his feelings for Minale, a woman trafficked under the mob’s control. The closing program will open with the short film *Homebody*, directed by Shruti Parekh, and will include a specially recorded Q&A with Valin.
The festival will take place from October 9 to 11 at The Roxie Theater in San Francisco. Individual film tickets are available for $13 and can be purchased online up to 30 minutes before showtime or at the Roxie Box Office. For additional details and the full schedule, visit thirdi.org.
This article was edited with the assistance of an AI tool and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and clarity by an editor at India Currents.