Moving past checkbox notions of diversity and identity, these filmmakers have crafted narratives that emerge from genuine community connections and lived experiences. Their work explores a range of deeply vulnerable struggles with identity, desire, caste, migration and more. From village traditions clashing with modern expectations to the textures of small-town life, these films reveal the complexities often flattened in mainstream narratives. Through this panel, the filmmakers discuss how the hyperlocal – rooted in specific languages, landscapes, and lived realities – can resonate universally, and what it takes to bring these authentic stories from the margins to the center on the global stage.
