Exciting news! The Tasveer South Asian Film Festival has just been announced as an Oscar-qualifying festival. Rita Meher, co-founder of this incredible event in the Seattle area, received official confirmation from the Motion Picture Academy on Wednesday. Tasveer has now been approved as an Academy-qualifying festival on the Short Films Qualifying Festival List. This means that short films that receive the Best Short Film award at Tasveer may now be eligible to enter the Short Films competition for the concurrent season. How amazing is that? You can find all the requirements in our official rules at www.oscars.org/rules.
, This is a groundbreaking achievement for the South Asian film industry. Tasveer is the first South Asian film festival to earn this prestigious distinction. Rita Meher, the festival’s executive director and co-founder, expressed her excitement, stating, “We have always believed in the power of South Asian stories, and this achievement means that these stories will now be recognized on one of the world’s most respected cinematic stages. This is a monumental step forward for South Asian cinema.” The festival credits the relentless efforts and hard work of Rita Meher, Ariel Brownstein, Richa Rudola, Fawzia Mirza, and Srihari Sathe for their support in this process. Meher also acknowledges the collective efforts of a community that believes in the power of South Asian narratives. It is their belief that has led to this unprecedented moment.
The 18th Tasveer South Asian Film Festival is scheduled for October 11-22, 2023. This hybrid event will feature in-person screenings in Bellevue and Seattle, as well as an online program. Submissions for the festival are still open, so don’t miss your chance to be a part of this incredible celebration of South Asian cinema.
In addition to the festival, Tasveer will be hosting a Film Forum on October 11 and 12. This forum aims to address the lack of Asian representation in the film industry, which currently stands at under 4 percent according to the Hollywood Diversity Report of 2022. With panels, industry mixers, networking events, and multiple pitch sessions, this summit is set to bring about reformation, knowledge, and momentum in the film industry.
