Cinquest, Cinejoy, AI and more…
The Cinequest Film & Creative Festival returns this March 6-17 promising an extraordinary cinematic experience that merges the worlds of storytelling and technology. Returning to downtown San Jose, the film festival’s theme this year is “Uplift” , bringing together innovation, the arts, and community. Cinequest will unveil 217 films from 37 countries — chock-full of comedies, inspiring artistry, and diversity of culture and thought. Fans can enjoy selections from the festival from the comfort of their homes immediately following the in-person festival on Cinequest’s virtual platform, Cinejoy from March 21-31st. In addition to online screenings available to stream 24/7 during the event, Cinejoy will include live spotlight events, interactive passports, group share, and screening party experiences.
This year, Cinequest’s groundbreaking AI Day & Town Hall will bring AI luminaries together with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, to address the powers and mitigate the pitfalls of AI for communities and the world of creativity. Cinequest opens its lineup of World and U.S. Premieres with the invigorating thriller The Island Between Tides, and closes with Maverick Spirit Award recipient Matthew Modine’s Hard Miles. Cinequest’s Silent Cinema Event will present Douglas Fairbanks’ The Mark of Zorro and Buster Keaton’s Our Hospitality, accompanied by music of organist Dennis James.
As a media partner of Cinequest, India Currents is offering our readers four VIP passes to Cinequest Film Festival on a first come first served basis! To claim your VIP experience, please submit your email and phone number to: Editor@indiacurrents.com. Passes will be sent electronically. You must be able to attend the festival in downtown San Jose.
Meanwhile, here is a sneak peek into this year’s South Asian Spotlight Films:
Yellow Bus, U.S. Premiere
In Wendy Bednarz’s feature debut, an Indian woman living in the Arabian Gulf embarks on a search for truth and accountability after her daughter is left to die on a school bus in the sweltering desert heat. Ananda (Tannishtha Chatterjee) and Gagan (Amit Sial) emigrated to the Arabian Gulf from India in search of new opportunities and a better life for their family, which soon grew to include daughters Ravina and Anju. But their dreams are shattered when Anju, their youngest, dies after being forgotten on a school bus in the sweltering desert heat.
Showtime: March 11, 9:30 p.m. California Theatre, San Jose
Laughing Buddha, U.S. Premiere
In the heartwarming tale of Laughing Buddha, we meet Babla and his elder sister in a poverty-stricken village. Their unbreakable bond guides them through life’s hardships. Babla, a talented young boy, stumbles upon a valuable golden Buddha figurine, igniting dreams of wealth. However, his obsession with riches strains relationships and trust. Laughing Buddha explores the struggle between dreams and greed, highlighting the enduring importance of integrity, family bonds, and self-discovery on the path to true happiness.
Showtimes:
March 10, 7 p.m. California Theatre, San Jose
March 14, 12:20 p.m. Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose
Listen Up! SF-San Jose Bay Area Premiere
For Mahmoud, it’s normal for women to sunbathe or people to have fun around the lake. He grew up in Oslo with Pakistani parents. What he’s worried about is spending the summer without a penny in his pocket. Who’s going to hire somebody with a Muslim name for the summer? And there’s zero chance of vacation. His father drives a taxi day and night and still the family barely gets by. And then, an uncle comes to visit from Pakistan, and a carefully constructed web begins to unravel. The family is confronted with old wounds and new challenges. Kaveh Tehrani’s directorial debut, based on Gulraiz Sharif’s bestselling novel, is a lively family comedy about gender, class, and identity.
Showtimes:
March 8, Noon Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose
March 12, 9:30 p.m. Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose
And Cut! World Premiere
Part of the Shorts Program 12 – Laughs, Thrills, The Past, And The Future
Avi, an eccentric young film director, opens his own production company alongside the short-tempered, gay producer Joelle. Also, in the team are Tarun, the uptight finance guy, Anshuman, the 40-something office boy who doesn’t like to be called an office boy, and the starry-eyed intern, Ishika. With different goals in mind for the company, Avi and Joelle spend most of their days at loggerheads. Tarun and Anshuman are far opposites but often find themselves in situations together, and Ishika is—well—mostly excited, usually confused, and foolishly enthusiastic about getting to work in the film industry. Chaos ensues when this rag-tag group comes together to make everything from nothing – budget corporate videos to hokey budget commercials.
Showtime: March 10, 9:00 a.m. Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose
Pain And Peace, World Premiere
Rais Bhuiyan, a survivor of a horrific 9/11 hate crime, captured the world’s attention when he chose to openly forgive his assailant. His extraordinary act of forgiveness propelled him into the spotlight, when he initiated a remarkable campaign aimed at reversing his attacker’s death penalty sentence. Two decades later, during a time marked by incessant turmoil and division, Bhuiyan embarks on a profound journey to understand the roots of hatred and discover the invaluable lessons that can be gleaned from both victims and perpetrators alike.
Showtimes: March 16, 7:00 p.m. Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose
A House Named Shahana, U.S. Premiere
The film follows the turbulent life of Dipa, a young divorced woman whose refusal to suffer silently makes her a misfit in a rural town in 90s Bangladesh. She is raised by weak and ineffectual parents in a peculiar family dynamic dominated by her maternal uncle and aunt. Under their authority, Dipa is married off to a widower in England. Dipa suffers, refuses to settle, and eventually escapes. Seven years later, Dipa has become a transformed and confident professional, yet she still must fight the social stigma and the burden of “ family honor ” to live on her own terms.
Showtime: March 17, 1:35 p.m. California Theatre, San Jose
Festival Tickets and Info here.
