Tasveer's Story
It’s 2001 and the 9/11 attacks have just shaken the entire world. The aftermath of these attacks left South Asians feeling the weight of fear, racism, hate, and crimes that were on the rise against them. Troubled by the stereotyped and highly prejudicial images of South Asians in the mainstream media at the time, Farah Nousheen and Rita Meher decided to change the narrative. Their quest for better representation led to the founding of Tasveer (meaning ‘picture’ in Hindi & Urdu) in March 2002, in Seattle. And their aim was to recast the harmful labels by providing a glimpse into the lives of South Asians through film, art, and storytelling. We strive to better represent the still underrepresented yet quickly growing South Asian community.
Our first screening at The Elliot Bay Book Company during Pride Month marked the beginning of what would become a renowned arts and culture fixture in the Greater Seattle Area, North America and beyond. Now Tasveer hosts the world's only Oscar qualifying South Asian Film Festival.
Rita has been the driving force behind Tasveer since its inception, co-founding the organization with Farah and co-leading its initial years until 2008. Since taking the helm in 2009, Rita has dedicated herself to transforming Tasveer into a thriving nonprofit, achieving 501(c)(3) status and cementing its role as a cornerstone for South Asian storytelling.
In 2013, she made a bold decision to leave her other career and commit full-time to Tasveer, channeling her vision and energy to elevate the organization to new heights. One of her most impactful contributions was the creation of the Tasveer Film Market, a pivotal addition to the Tasveer Film Festival that fosters collaboration and opportunities for South Asian filmmakers globally.
Farah has continued to support Tasveer as a trusted advisor and board member, bringing her invaluable insights to the organization’s growth and mission. Beyond her role with Tasveer, Farah is a prominent DJ in the Seattle area, blending her artistic talents with her commitment to amplifying South Asian culture and voices. Together, Rita and Farah have laid the foundation for Tasveer’s transformative impact on the global stage.
Our Mission
"To inspire social change through thought-provoking South Asian films, art, and storytelling"
Our Vision
We envision an informed and just society where storytelling leads to truth-telling and in the process, individuals are entertained, transformed, healed and empowered.
Our Values
We work to produce programs featuring films, art, and stories that demonstrate excellence both in creativity and quality.
We aspire to create safe, respectful, and loving spaces for constructive dialogue around issues of race, gender, class, caste, religion, and sexuality. We welcome all viewpoints, in the spirit of challenging existing power structures. We strongly believe this type of dialogue fosters shared understanding.
We strive to educate and inform the community through thought-provoking films, stories, and art.
At Tasveer, we pride ourselves on inclusivity. “South Asia” covers Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet, Sri Lanka, and their diasporas worldwide, and we endeavor to represent everyone equally
