Austin’s Indie Meme Film Festival wraps record breaking edition, SHAPE OF MOMO doubles up on awards
The 11th Indie Meme Film Festival wrapped a record-breaking edition of the Austin-based film festival celebrating South Asian film, and announced filmmaker award winners at the Closing Night Awards After Party and Ceremony held at Lone Star Court at Domain. Tribeny Rai’s Shape of Momo was a two-time winner, taking both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature. Vaishali Sinha’s Give It a Shot wins the Grand Jury Prize, and Orlando von Einsidel’s The Cycle of Love takes the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature. The winner of the Audience Choice Award for Short Film was Sayani Gupta’s Aasmani Gupta was among the many filmmakers in attendance to present their work, and fans were delighted to engage with her during the screenings and Q&A sessions at AFS Cinema.
Regarding Shape of Momo, the jury said, “For its daring cinematic language and profound emotional resonance, Director Tribeny Rai crafts a work that transcends conventional storytelling, merging striking visual composition with a deeply introspective narrative that lingers long after the screen fades to black.” Sivaranjini J’s Victoria received an Honorable Mention in the category. Shape of Momo’s win is another indicator (Following the path of previous breakouts like Boong) that Indie Meme has solidified its reputation as one of South Asian cinema’s premiere “discovery engines,” a tastemaker festival that platforms underrated gems long before they capture the global spotlight.
The Narrative Features Jury members were:
Lindsey Ashley, SXSW Film and TV Relations Manager
Yen Tan, Filmmaker
Bijan Tehrani, Film historian, writer, and critic
Vaishali Sinha’s Give It a Shot, which was Indie Meme’s Closing Night selection, received the Grand Jury Prize after captivating the Austin audience earlier that evening with its call to action regarding a male contraceptive breakthrough developed in India in the 70s, yet still not being made available her in the U.S. The Honorable Mention in the category went to Arjun Talwar’s Letters From Wolf Street.
The Documentary Features Jury members were:
Sachin Dheeraj, National Award-winning filmmaker, educator
Stephen Jannise, Senior Director of Film Programming, Paramount and State Theatres
Kalani Gacon’s Family Man received the Grand jury Prize for Best Short Film. The jury said they were impressed with “this elegant film’s fearless approach to pace, tone and mood, trusting the audience with a minimalist sensibility that compels and surprises throughout. A stunning visual and sonic palette brings this spectral meditation on memory, loss and the endless search for belonging to vibrant life.” Chandradeep Das’ Jasmine That Blooms in Autumn received an Honorable Mention in the category. Runners up as the Audience Choice selections for Short Film were Apurva Bardapurkar’s Blessings (Maaybaapache Aashiriwaad), and Amol Jalandhar Jadhav’s Deva Aaj Pan Vhay.
The Short Films Jury members were:
Asha Magarati, screenwriter, producer, and actress
Jim Kolmar, Film curator, consultant, and writer
Mindy Raymond, Film producer, consultant
Austin film fans came out in record numbers to enjoy Indie Meme’s curation of bold and innovative South Asian cinema from around the world. Gala selections began with a Kick-Off screening of Jitank Singh Gurjar’s Vimukt (In Search of the Sky), followed with an Opening Night presentation of Tribeny Rai’s Shape of Momo, a Centerpiece screening of Ali Asgari’s Divine Comedy, and a Closing Night presentation of Vaishali Sinha’s Give It a Shot. Films featured a diverse slate of narrative features, documentaries, and short films highlighting voices from South Asian, and Iran, with themes including explorations of identity, migration, family, politics, and social change. This year’s lineup included 27 films, (6 narrative features, 4 documentaries, and 17 short films), representing 14 countries.
Indie Meme’s Texas Showcase was a highlight, featuring Rachel Immaraj’s documentary An Unquiet Mind, Santosh Dahal’s New Moon Rain, and Aliza Khan’s Texas Jaanu. The festival’s documentary slate was equally strong, featuring an unprecedented inclusion of four titles; the experience was further enhanced by the appearance of The Cycle of Love protagonists PK Mahanandia and Lotta Von Schedvin, who attended with their children, Karl and Emelie. The final days were enriched by a robust gathering of visiting filmmakers and talent engaging with Austin audiences, including Vaishali Sinha (Give It a Shot), Kislay (Shape of Momo), and Kovid Gupta (An Unquiet Mind). Also in attendance were the Texas Jaanu team—director Aliza Khan, lead actors Sajel Oelerich and Sri Chilukuri, and producer Mase Kerwick—alongside Sangeeta Agrawal (Hills Don’t Dance Alone), Santosh Dahal (New Moon Rain,), Vivek Menon (Showtime), and Sharmila Ray (Burnt Orange). Actor Sayani Gupta’s appearance added additional fanfare to the closing celebrations. Additional highlights included the indie hit Fucktoys, which follows a sex worker on a chaotic, surreal quest. Director Annapurna Sriram, recently nominated for the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Independent Spirit Awards, was also in attendance with producer Timothy Petryni to discuss her bold work.
A significant milestone for the 11th edition was the inaugural Indie Meme Industry Mixer, held at Austin Studios. Designed to bridge connections within the Texas film community, the event featured a keynote by acclaimed producer Elizabeth Avellán, alongside two high-impact panels focused on low-cost independent filmmaking and the various resources available through the Texas Film Commission. These sessions provided invaluable insights from attending filmmakers, further establishing IMFF as a hub for both creative exhibition and professional growth in the region. For independent filmmakers, Indie Meme has become an essential destination festival, offering a powerful platform to gain visibility and momentum within the South Asian cinematic landscape and beyond.
For more information on Indie Meme, please visit: https://www.indiememe.org/
The 2026 Indie Meme Film Festival Award Winners:
JURY AWARDS
GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
Shape of Momo
Director: Tribeny Rai
NARRATIVE FEATURE JURY HONORABLE MENTION
Victoria
Director: Sivaranjini J
GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Give It a Shot
Director: Vaishali Sinha
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE JURY HONORABLE MENTION
Letters From Wolf Street
Director: Arjun Talwar
GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR BEST SHORT
Family Man
Director: Kalani Gacon
SHORT JURY HONORABLE MENTION
Jasmine That Blooms in Autumn
Director: Chandradeep Das
AUDIENCE AWARDS
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
Shape of Momo
Director: Tribeny Rai
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Cycle of Love
Director: Orlando von Einsidel
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT
Aasmani
Director: Sayani Gupta
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT RUNNER UPS
Blessings (Maaybaapache Aashiriwaad)
Director: Apurva Bardapurkar
Deva Aaj Pan Vhay
Director: Amol Jalandhar Jadhav