Top 20 South Asian, Diaspora films of 2024

Here are my Top 20 South Asian and South Asian Diaspora films of 2024 Films 1120 are here 110 were last week11 SISTER MIDNIGHT by Karan Kandhari Hindi Darkly feminist comedy and debut feature by Londonbased Kandhari that was at the Cannes Film Festivalrsquos Directorsrsquo Fortnight and BFI London International Film Festivals IFF With Radhika Apte Ashok Pathak Chhaya Kadam Smita Tambe About a fierce woman with no interest in domesticity stuck in an arranged marriage Woman producer Anna Griffin with Alastair Clark and Alan McAlex12 THE SHAMELESS by Konstantin Bojanov Hindi Directed by the Bulgarian Bojanov this queer drama is about two women destined for a life in sex work Anasuya Sengupta portrays a Muslim woman with a Hindu name Renuka who fiercely resists patriarchy and befriends Devika Omara Shetty destined to be a devadasi Sengupta won Best Actress in Cannesrsquo Un Certain Regard section a first for India Also at Busan IFF13 DEVI by Subina Shrestha in Nepali Debut documentary feature on Devi a former guerilla fighter who survived war time rape and later became a Member of Parliament and demands justice for war crimes including rape International coproduction Nepal UK South Korea Woman director woman producers Ashmita Chaudhary Khadka Rosie Garthwaite and Heejung Oh Was at HotDocs DMZ Docs14 SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE by Saurav Ghimire Nepali Gorgeous moving black and white short that won an International Jury Special Mention in Generation 14Plus at the Berlin IFF Chicago IFF Extraordinary film made without shooting anything at all It was created entirely from found footage mainly in Ghimirersquos camera and archives Prem a radio jockey gives advice to lovers in troublemdashfilm comments on caste and gay issuesmdashbut himself suffers from heartache NepalBelgium film with producers Minsho Limbu and Min Bahadur Bham15 MARCHING IN THE DARK by Kinshuk Surjan Marathi This inspiring docu feature a Belgium India Netherlands coproduction was at HotDocs won a Special Mention Human Rights Award at CPH Dox Sanjivani Bhure widow of one of the hundreds of farmers who have committed suicide in rural Maharashtra quietly fights the patriarchy after joining a survivorrsquos group Woman cinematographer Leena Patoli et al women producers Hanne Phlypo Evelien de Graef coproducers Digna Sinke Arya Rothe16 THE GLASSWORKER by Usman Riaz Pakistan English This debut 2D animation feature was Pakistanrsquos entry for the Oscars at the Annecy International Animation FF Vincent a young glassblower and Alliz a violinist fall in love but the war tests their relationship Woman screenwriter Moya OrsquoShea produced by Khizer Riaz and Manuel Cristobal and executive produced by Apoorva Bakshi Delhi Crime et al woman producer17 RANI by Asoka Handagama in Sinhala Sri Lanka Based on the true story of Richard de Soyza a journalist and human rights activist who was abducted and killed in 1990 His mother Dr Manorani Saravanamuttu played by the feisty Swarna Mallawarachchi seeks justice for her sonrsquos death Produced by Subaskaran Allirajahrsquos Lyca Productions18 STATE OF STATELESSNESS by Tsering Tashi Gyalthang Sonam Tseten Tenzing Sonam and Ritu Sarin and Tenzin Tsetan Choklay in Tibetan Vietnamese English Anthology feature film that explores statelessness and migration through four poignant stories of Tibetans living in exile Directed by Tibetan filmmakers in India America and Vietnam the film captures the painful realities of a scattered people Busan Dharamshala IFF19 BUNNYHOOD directed and animated by Mansi Maheshwari in English UK This horrorcomedy animated short was at the Cannes IFF where it won third prize in the La Cinef section and at Sundance This is her student film from the National Film and Television School NFTS UK On lies parents tell especially to cover up medical operations Woman director woman producer Ashionye Ogene20 SAUNA DAY by Anna Hints and Tushar Prakash in Voro Estonian Stunning sensory exploration of men in a sauna exploring masculinity vulnerability catharsis At Cannes Film Festivalrsquos Criticsrsquo Week TIFF Toronto and ClermontFerrand IFF Woman director Hints earlier won Best Directing Award at Sundance in the documentary section for her Smoke Sauna Sisterhood edited by Indiaborn Tushar PrakashSpecial Mention Montrealborn Durga ChewBosersquos Bonjour Tristesse Canada that was at TIFF Toronto and Roya Sadatrsquos documentary The Sharp Edge of Peace Afghanistan that was at Hot Docs Mami Mumbai IFF The above list of 20 films has an astonishing 38 women credited as director producer cinematographer screenwriterMeenakshi 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