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Opening Night film The World Unseen features Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth against the backdrop of apartheid in 1950s South Africa. Mark those calendars!
Tasveer participates in LGBTQ Pride
We are excited to inform you that Tasveer has dedicated half of this year's ISAFF to queer programming and what better way to kick-off the celebration of this courageous and unprecedented decision than to participate in this year's Pride Parade on Sunday the 29th of June in downtown Seattle. Please come cheer us on as Neelu pilots her sidecar with the 'dykes on bikes' contingent or join us in solidarity with our Trikone Northwest and Chaya friends, who will be marching alongside each other.
Trikone-Northwest's "Masala" Float Invites you!
If you have any questions or want to connect with someone before joining the parade, please contact Vega Subramaniam at alphalyra@gmail.com or 206-890-5022.
WHAT?
"Masala" at Seattle Pride 2008
WHEN?
11am, Sunday June 29
WHERE?
In order of preference:
1. Between 4th and 5th Ave on Marion, at the parade registration booth
2. Between Madison and Spring on 4th Ave, close to the road
3. Somewhere before 4th and Bell, close to the road
WHO?
You
IS THERE POSSIBLY ANYTHING ELSE?
YES! Please dress up in your best and most colorful South Asian outfit!!
Below are the details:
Come out and march with Trikone Northwest on Sunday, June 29 at
Seattle Pride 2008! Trikone Northwest's theme this year is "Masala", a
mixture that embodies pep, vigor and excitement.
You can participate in the parade in one of these ways:
1. (Preferred) Come to Marion Street, between 4th and 5th Ave, and
join the Trikone float BEFORE the our float starts moving. Report to
the float by 11:00am. The best dressed person gets to be on the float!!!
2. (Optional) If you want to watch a part of the parade before
Trikone's float, watch it from close to the start of the parade route.
The Seattle Public Library between Madison and Spring on 4th Ave is a
good spot for this. When the Trikone float passes by, jump in and join
our float! You'll have to be close to the road so plan to be there by
11am which is when the parade starts. The earlier the better!
If you watch the parade from elsewhere, make sure it is well before
4th and Bell, where the judges are located.
3. (Non-Optional) Watch the parade from the sidelines. Sorry, this is
NOT an option.
This year's parade includes a People's Choice Award by Verizon
Wireless, where the audience can text in for their favorite group in
the parade. Help us win this award! We need your support in handing
out flyers, distributing bindis and dancing to your favorite
Bollywood/Bhangra fusion tunes to get the audience excited about our
float and contingent.
Hope to see you make Seattle Pride "Masaledar" this year!
Please join us in giving our heartfelt thanks to:
  
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Statement of Support for ISAFF 2008
From: Vega Subramaniam, Board Chair, Trikone-NW, on behalf of the board
This letter is in strong support of the queer content planned for this year's ISAFF. We at Trikone-NW are so proud of our long-standing partnership with Tasveer, extending to Tasveer's beginnings in early 2002. In fact, the very first Tasveer film event was a joint venture with Trikone-NW. Each year since 2004, ISAFF has designed well-thought-out programs around specific themes and addressing specific issues. "Aaina," and specifically "Yoni ki Baat," is a testament not only to Tasveer's strong relationship with Chaya, but also to your willingness and commitment to engage with and tackle controversial issues affecting all of us. How fitting, then, that 2008's film festival continues to extend these traditions --of developing well-formulated themes, establishing strong partnerships, and embracing all South Asians-- to have a queer-themed ISAFF.
As a fellow South Asian community organization, Trikone-NW applauds Tasveer's commitment to ensuring that all South Asian voices, experiences, contributions, and challenges are reflected in your programming, from the films to the filmmakers to the related events. This commitment strengthens our community, builds stronger partnerships, and beautifully meets your mission to engage the community in dialogue and action around sociopolitical and cultural themes that are specific to South Asia. Tasveer has never shirked from controversy and has never allowed the fear of potential loss of supporters to stop you from pushing the boundaries of thought and dialogue. We know that Tasveer's courage and inclusiveness will be at the heart of the queer programming of ISAFF 2008.
Voices of our community
"Tasveer's film festivals have provided a remarkable space for people to meet across various identity markers. As a queer South Asian immigrant, I applaud Tasveer's commitment to presenting the diversity that is the "South Asian community." And because of the popular medium of film to bring folk together, the space is more easily inhabitable by people who might otherwise shy away from each other. This kind of cultural organising is critical to developing stronger relations within and across communities. Thank you!" Dipika Nath
"as a queer south asian woman, there are so few representations of me, my life, and my communities in the world. to see my own life and reflection presented creatively and artistically through film can be a very empowering experience on a personal and collective level. in addition, as a progressive voice in the south asian community, i see tasveer as uniquely positioned to support queer south asian artists, filmmakers and communities. this is a valuable opportunity for the south asian community to explore issues of gender and sexuality within a cultural context through the medium of film." gita mehrotra
"I fully support Tasveer's choice to devote this year's ISAFF to exploring issues affecting queer South Asians. Relative to the South Asian mainstream, queer South Asians represent a marginalized community who are viewed as being less than fully South Asian because of their sexual orientation. Beyond just entertainment, ISAFF represents a unique opportunity to explore these internalized mechanisms of oppression. As a community and as a diaspora, we need to have this conversation, and I applaud Tasveer's courage in providing us a forum for that to happen." Shankar Narayan
"Films reflect both oppression and possibilities. ISAFF is a space where I find complexity and depth reflected in a real way, and I am deeply appreciative of that. That's why I think it's important and significant to reflect the queerness of desis through this medium. What we silence is as impactful as what we voice. If we don't represent the identities and lives of a large section of South Asians, they are made further invisible. And if a large majority of people identify as heterosexual and consider queer ISAFF irrelevant, then this is dangerous for those of us who don't identify with them. Oppression affects all our lives - we have a responsibility to raise our own awareness, to challenge ourselves, and to support the struggles of those of us seeking visibility and owning our power. ISAFF opens doors - I want to see a wide array of doors that I can walk through, options I can choose from that will continue to open my mind and reflect the complexity of my life." Nitika
"The South Asian and broader communities are stronger and more politically engaged because of Tasveer's work. I'm looking forward to watching the community grow through this year's ISAFF, focusing on LGBTQ communities. There is no denying the power of film and media, and I admire Tasveer for using that power for the betterment of my life, and our community." Uma Rao
We would love to hear your thoughts about our ISAFF theme this year. Write to us at info@tasveer.org.
Please peruse our sponsorship kit to learn more about Tasveer and sponsorship opportunities for ISAFF 2008. To make a donation, please visit our website at www.tasveer.org
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