PROGRAMME

Saturday May 2nd, 2026, at 8p.m.

Victoria | India | Dir: Sivaranjini J | 2024 | 81’ | VOSE | Drama  

Victoria, a beautician in a small town, defies her Catholic family by running away with her Hindu boyfriend. Her life becomes even more complicated when a neighbor gives her a rooster intended for religious purposes. While dealing with the rooster’s mischievousness, unexpected clients, and her boyfriend’s unpredictable behavior, Victoria grapples with conflicting emotions that lead to a day of profound personal and spiritual revelations.

Sivaranjini J is an Indian director with a PhD in communication design and a master’s degree in video and film communication from the National Institute of Design (NID). With experience in short films such as Ritham (2016) and Kalyani (2014), this film marks her debut as a writer, director, and editor.

Saturday May 9th, 2026, at 8p.m.

Aalav  | India | Dir: Prabhash Chandra | 2022 | 123’ | VOSE | Drama  

This is the story of Bhaveen Gossain, a 63-year-old son who cares for his ailing 95-year-old mother, Savitri, in their home in a quiet suburb of New Delhi. Bhaveen rarely leaves the house, as he is completely devoted to his mother’s care. From the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed at night, Bhaveen is Savitri’s sole caregiver.

Prabhash Chandra is an Indian director who cemented his place in the industry with his critically acclaimed feature film I’m Not the River Jhelum (2022), which earned him the Mohanan Award for Best Debut Director from India. His minimalist and authentic aesthetic is accompanied by poetic and introspective narratives that prompt reflection on existence and its fleeting moments. Furthermore, Prabhash has solidified his influence on regional cinema through his work as an educator, conducting workshops and talks to inspire the next generation of filmmakers.

Saturday May 16th, 2026, at 8p.m.

Shadowbox | India | Dir: Tanushree Das, Saumyananda Sahi | 2024 | 93’ | VOSE | Drama  

A woman’s world crumbles when her war veteran husband becomes embroiled in a murder case. While battling his PTSD and mounting suspicion, she and her son take drastic measures to prevent their family from falling apart.

Tanushree Das (1980) is an Indian theater director and actress with a degree in editing from the Film and Television Institute of India. Her work as an editor has been presented at festivals around the world, and she now presents her directorial debut with this feature film.

Saumyananda Sahi (1986) is an Indian director specializing in cinematography who studied alongside Tanushree at the Film and Television Institute of India. Together, they would later found the production company Skreen Films. With years of experience in editing and cinematography, this duo teamed up to co-direct Shadowbox.

Saturday May 23rd, 2026, at 8p.m.

Humans in the Loop | India | Dir: Aranya Sahay | 2024 | 74’ | VOSE | Drama 

This film portrays Nehma, a woman from a tribal community who returns to her village in Jharkhand with her children after her divorce. To support her family, she becomes a data entry clerk, a job that reflects the real-life participation of many Adivasi women in India’s burgeoning artificial intelligence industry. The film addresses the topic of artificial intelligence not only from a philosophical and abstract standpoint, but also from a perspective deeply rooted in the protagonist’s lived reality, tackling contemporary issues such as digital colonialism and the treatment of women in the technology sector.

Aranya Sahay is an Indian filmmaker who graduated in film directing from the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune. Having directed five short films that have screened at festivals such as the Mumbai International Film Festival, he now presents a feature film dedicated to the rise of AI and its inherent bias, which perpetuates the prejudices of the humans who feed it content. Inspired by Karishma Mehrotra’s 2022 article “Human Touch,” the director investigated the relationships between tradition, technology, Eastern and Western societies, and how these are perpetuated through new technological trends such as AI.