Top 20 South Asian, Diaspora films of 2024

Here are my Top 20 South Asian and South Asian Diaspora films of 2024 Films 110 are here 1120 will be next week1 SHAMBHALA by Min Bahadur Bham Nepal in Tibetan Nepali The first time a South Asian film made it to the Berlin Film Festival Competition in 30 years in 2024mdashit wasnrsquot an Indian film but a Nepali film Shambhala It was also at Locarno and was Nepalrsquos Oscar entry Mystic feminist story when the pregnant Pemarsquos husband abandons her she goes on a journey of selfdiscovery Spectacular cinematography by Aziz Jan Baki International coproduction starring Thinley Lhamo Sonam Topden Tenzin Dalha The women coproducers include Catherine Dussart Verona Meier Shuk Fong Chong Zeynep Koray and Justine O2 GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS by Shuchi Talati in English Hindi Absolutely wonderful comingofage debut feature from the USbased director on the relationship between a schoolgirl her boyfriend and her mother Won World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award and Special Jury Award for Acting for Preeti Panigrahi at Sundance With the sublime Kani Kusruti International coproduction produced by Richa Chadha Ali Fazal Claire Chassagne Shuchi Talati and Sanjay Gulati Screened by Cannes Cinema On Amazon Prime Video Woman director women producers3 SANTOSH by Sandhya Suri UK in Hindi Powerful police procedural by the BritishIndian filmmaker exposing how ldquolowrdquo castesmdashespecially womenmdash rarely get justice in India even with women police officers Narrative debut feature It was at Cannesrsquo Un Certain Regard and Toronto UKrsquos Oscar entry and on the Academy shortlist for Best International Feature Film Powerful performances by Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar Woman director4 LITTLE JAFFNA by Lawrence Valin France in French Delicious accomplished thriller Michael Beaulieu is a FrenchSri Lankan undercover cop planted in the separatist Tamil community in Paris who feels a kinship with those he is sent to destroy Venice Toronto festivals Directed acted by the goodlooking Frenchborn director of Sri Lankan Tamil origin5 POOJA SIR by Deepak Rauniyar Nepal in Nepali Thriller with Pooja Sir a woman police detective who is sent to solve a kidnapping case that exposes caste conflict and misogyny Venice Orizzonti and Busan film festivals International coproduction Nepal theatrical release due on March 14 Starring Asha Magarati also producer and coscreenwriter Daringly also shows a lesbian relationship Woman producer screenwriter6 SABA by Maksud Hossain Bangladesh in Bangla Saba struggles to manage her job and love life as sole carer for her paraplegic mother Moving debut feature Toronto and Busan festivals Mehazabien Chowdhury Rokeya Prachy and Mostofa Monwar are superb Women producers include Trilora Khan also cowriter and Mehazabien Chowdhury7 PARADISE by Prasanna Vithanage Sri Lanka in Sinhala English Superb film starring Roshan Mathew Darshana Rajendran Shyam Fernando and veteran Mahendra Perera The wedding anniversary holiday of an Indian couple in Sri Lanka during its economic crisis exposes cracks in their relationship On Amazon Prime Video8 SIMArsquoS SONG by Roya Sadat Afghanistan in Dari Farsi After the Taliban resumed control of Afghanistan Roya Sadat cowrote and shot the film in exile in Greecemdashstanding in for Afghanistan of the 1970s Period drama about two women friends of different classes and political views whose friendship survives the political turmoil It reminded us that Afghan women once went to university held jobs participated in public protests and sang songs ldquonow women have fewer rights than a convictrdquo Sadat observes Tokyo and Red Sea film festivals Producers Alba Sotorra and Frank Hoeve Woman director woman producer woman cowriter9 I THE SONG by Dechen Roder Bhutan in Dzongkha Nima is dismissed from her job after a lsquoblue videorsquo surfaces with people claiming it features her In tracking down Meto her doppelganger she discovers a case of sexual harassmentmdashand a lsquostolen songrsquo Best Director Criticsrsquo Picks Competition Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Estonia Second feature after Honeygiver among the Dogs Berlin Produced by Thinley Choden won World Cinema Fund Berlin Film Festival Woman director woman producer woman screenwriter Roder10 AGENT OF HAPPINESS by Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurboacute BhutanHungary in Dzongkha Absolutely charming documentary feature on two government surveyors measuring gross national happiness and what makes people truly happy Sundance film festival Producers include Noeacutemi Veronika Szakonyi Woman director woman producerThis list of Top 10 South Asian Films alone features an astonishing 23 women directors producers and screenwritersMeenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival National Awardwinning critic curator to festivals worldwide and journalistReach her at meenakshisheddemiddaycom