Jury President
Shaunak Sen
“I have long admired Tasveer's unwavering commitment to amplifying South Asian voices worldwide. It is a privilege to return to Tasveer as President of the 2024 Film Festival jury and contribute towards this important mission.”
Kanak Mani Dixit
“Cinema helps people separated by borders to understand each other's loves and fears, and Tasveer provides opportunity to view what is being made.”
Kanak Mani Dixit, 68, is a writer, journalist, and civil rights and democracy activist. He is the Founding Editor of ‘Himal Southasian’ magazine and an active campaigner for subcontinental regionalism. He is active in the conservation of built heritage and open spaces. As heading Nepal’s only public bus transport company, Dixit is involved in developing a public transportation system for the Valley. A long-time trekker, Dixit writes on travel, culture, and the environment. Having suffered from a fall while trekking in 2001, Dixit helped start the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre. He heads the main archives of the Nepali language, the Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya. Believing in the power of non-fiction film, he helped start in 1997 and chairs the Film Southasia Festival of Documentaries. Dixit is also a translator, an author of political and geopolitical commentary, and a popular author of books for children. His writings are archived at www.kanakmanidixit.com.
Elham Ehsas
“It's great to be back at Tasveer again this year as a Jury Member. I am looking forward to watching some of the best short films from the diaspora, especially at one of the best festivals that champion ethnic stories, Tasveer.”
Elham is a BAFTA-nominated and Oscar-shortlisted writer/director, working in Film and Television.
He loves stories that explore what it means to be human, how the tiniest of moments can change us forever through connection, and where hope can take us if we are allowed to dream.
His debut short Our Kind of Love was BAFTA long-listed in 2019 and has been screened at festivals worldwide. The film has garnered over 3.6 million views on YouTube to date. His latest short film Yellow was BAFTA nominated in 2024 and shortlisted for the Academy Awards in the same year.
Elham is also part of BAFTA Connect and BBC Voices, both prestigious mentorship schemes championing new voices.
Arshad Khan
“It is an honour to be invited to participate in the Tasveer Film Festival jury because the festival is creating a sea change in uplifting marginalized South Asian voices, creating a community, and building a movement.”
Arshad Khan is an acclaimed Montreal-based filmmaker of Pakistani origin. He creates intersectional works that explore identity and sexuality in a relatable way across generational divides. Khan’s award-winning autobiographical documentary Abu (2017) has played at over 90 film festivals worldwide. Abu documents his rocky relationship with his father after Khan came out as a gay man. Khan is currently developing his first fiction feature comedy titled ”Anyone But Him” which examines the tug-o-war between romantic love and family through the eyes of second-generation immigrants.
Geeta Vasant Patel
“I am thrilled and honoured to be part of this festival jury. The films are artful and powerful.”
Emmy-nominated writer and director Geeta Vasant Patel is renowned for her form-pushing and nontraditional filmmaking style, which spans both drama and comedy. In 2024, Patel is slated to helm a handful of prestigious projects, positioning her as one of the most-watched directors in the entertainment industry today. First up, she returns to direct and executive produce season two of Max's Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning fantasy/drama series "The House of the Dragon" starring Matt Smith and Emma D'Arcy, set to premiere Sunday, June 16th. Patel takes the reins on episode #3 and the finale of season two, marking her return to the show after directing "The Lord of the Tides" (ep. #8, season 1) in 2022.
Also in television, Patel serves as an Executive Producer and Pilot Director on Hulu's new limited series "Under the Bridge" starring Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough. "Under the Bridge," and Patel's work was nominated for Breakthrough Limited Series at the inaugural 2024 Gotham TV Awards.
Additional recent credits for Patel include directing "Ahsoka" for Disney+, "P-Valley" for Starz, and multiple episodes of Hulu's award-winning series "The Great" starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult. She has also directed episodes of "The Magicians," "The Runaways," "Sweetbitter," "Dead to Me," "Chambers," "Santa Clarita Diet," "The Mindy Project," "Atypical," "Fresh off the Boat," and 5 episodes of the comedy series "Superstore."
In 2014, Patel, alongside her brother, gained global acclaim for their romantic comedy "Meet The Patels" which they co-directed, wrote, edited, and produced. The film dove headfirst into cultural identity and matrimonial expectations within their Indian-American family and premiered to critical acclaim. Variety called it "sharp" and "riotously funny," while The Hollywood Reporter said it's "the funniest doc I've seen in years and a sure-fire Oscar contender." "Meet The Patels" was nominated for Outstanding Arts & Culture Documentary at the 2017 News & Documentary Emmy Awards, nominated for Viewfinders Grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC, and won Best Documentary Feature at the Los Angeles Film Festival. The film further solidified Patel's path in wearing multiple hats in bringing a project to life, as she also took on the role of cinematographer.
Patel launched her career in the film industry as an associate screenwriter for big-budget studio films across all stages of production. She collaborated with Disney, Universal Pictures, ABC, NBC, and Twentieth Century Fox, and worked on projects including "The Fast and the Furious" and "Blue Crush." Her directorial talents were first recognized in her debut documentary "Project Kashmir," a war thriller that explored the geopolitical tensions in the Kashmir region. The film was produced by the Sundance Documentary Fund, featured at the Sundance Film Festival, and earned Patel directing fellowships at both the Sundance and Tribeca Institutes.
A graduate of Duke University with a degree in Comparative Area Studies, Patel's background in languages and global human geography enriches her narrative approach, providing a deeper cultural and social context to her films. While studying in Berlin, filmmaker Anthony Minghella inspired her to pursue a career in storytelling. Beyond her roles behind the camera, Patel has also served as a Visiting Artist in various countries, including Belarus, Turkey, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Japan as part of the U.S. State Department's film diplomacy program. This role not only highlights her commitment to cross-cultural exchange through film but underscores her influence as a global storyteller. Her extensive body of work, marked by a commitment to exploring diverse narratives and pushing the boundaries of conventional filmmaking, continues to earn her recognition and respect within the international film community.
Jury Lead
Chaitanya Sareen
"We are honored to unite a brilliant constellation of storytellers, creatives, and changemakers to our jury panel. These Oscar and BAFTA nominees, acclaimed artists in front and behind the camera, passionate human rights champions, and innovative technologists, awe us with their unique perspectives."
Chaitanya Sareen is a creative and technologist with a passion for storytelling. He is an Executive Producer of several works including BAFTA-nominated and Oscar-shortlisted “Yellow,” “Meet the Patels,” and “Alien: American Dream Denied.” His photography has appeared in the New York Times and he has published an audiobook. He serves as a volunteer and advisor to the Tasveer organization.
Chaitanya is also a seasoned product leader with 20 years of technology experience and over 50 patents. He and his teams crafted the spatial interfaces and instinctual interactions of mixed reality headsets, the multitasking and productivity innovations of Microsoft Windows, and information worker breakthroughs in Microsoft Office. He has founded startups in the fields of distance-learning as well as user-generated content. He is also an angel investor and advisor.
Chaitanya is always in search of a good story.
Saket Saurabh
“Being part of the Tasveer Film Festival Jury is an incredible opportunity to support and uplift exceptional South Asian stories, promoting deeper cultural understanding through the prism of a filmmaker’s vision.”
Saket Saurabh is an award-winning cinematographer whose short film, The Lost Behrupiya, won the prestigious 61st National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film. He has made significant contributions to the mainstream Indian film industry, working on renowned films such as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Ki and Ka, Shamitabh, O Kadhal Kanmani, and many more. With over 12 years of experience, Saket has shot narrative films, documentaries, commercials, and television shows worldwide.
Saket holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Cinematography from the LV Prasad Film and Television Academy in Chennai. His independent works include Aadha Chand Tum Rakhlo, showcased at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015, and Surveillance, which earned him the Best Cinematography Award in 2023.
Saket believes that every cinematographer has a distinct visual style that defines their work and aesthetics. For him, the world of the story doesn't need to look good every time; instead, it must enhance the narrative and keep audiences engaged.
Beena Sarwar
“I have been following Tasveer with awe since this much-needed platform was launched. I was honoured to showcase some of my films there in 2006, and I feel honoured now to serve on the jury of this awesome festival.”
Journalist, artist, documentary filmmaker, and human rights activist, founder curator Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan) www.southasiapeace.com; Editor Sapan News Network launched 2021 www.sapannews.com
Editorial positions include Editor Aman ki Asha (Hope for Peace), a joint initiative of the Jang Group of Newspapers, Pakistan, and The Times of India; launch team Geo TV, Pakistan, producer Special Reports, OpEd Editor, The NewsInternational; Editor weekly The News on Sunday; Features Editor The Frontier Post; Assistant Editor The Star Weekend. The founding team of Himal Southasian, is now on its editorial board.
Fellowships include Media Transformation Challenge Fellow 2023-24 at the Poynter Institute; British Chevening Fellowship, U.K., for MA Television Documentary, Goldsmiths College, University of London, 2001; Nieman Fellow, Harvard University (2005-06); Research Fellow, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard Kennedy School (2006-07); Scholar in Residence, Bellagio Center, The Rockefeller Foundation, Italy, June-July 2004; BA double major in Studio Art & English Literature, Brown University, 1986.
Filmography includes Mukhtiar Mai: The Struggle for Justice (Best Documentary, Jaipur International Film Festival 2009), ‘Milne Do – Let Kashmiris Meet’; Ushhaq ke Qafle (Caravans of Passion), a historical documentary on the 1950s student movement.
Commentary and analysis for print, radio, and television outlets include The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, BBC, The Guardian, The New York Times, OpenDemocracy, Dainik Bhaskar, The Hindu, Hardnews, Voice of America, InterPress Service.
Activism: Founder member of Women’s Action Forum (WAF), thrice-elected Council Member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Founder member War Against Rape (WAR) Lahore; Founder member Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD).
Essays published in anthologies include: ‘A Human Rights Giant,’ an essay on Asma Jahangir, in Voices of Freedom from Asia and the Middle East, ed. Mark Dennis and Rima Abunasser, Texas Christian University, under publication; ‘A personal connection,’ In Tributes to Asma Jahangir, A South Asian Champion of Human Rights, South Asians for Human Rights, Colombo, August 2018; ‘View from Pakistan: “Religious” Politics and the Democratic Political Process’ – in Making sense of Modi’s India, HarperCollins India, March 2016; ‘The Green Pen – environmental journalism in South Asia’ (Sage, India, 2010), “Bridging Partition: People's Initiatives for Peace between India and Pakistan" (Orient Blackswan, New Delhi, 2010); ‘The Great Divide: India and Pakistan’ (Harper Collins, IIC India, 2009).
Website: beenasarwar.com; social media - @beenasarwar on Twitter (X), Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo
Omi Vaidya
“Tasveer is authentic. Tasveer is fierce. That’s why Tasveer is the most honest and independent South Asian festival in North America.”
Omi Vaidya is an Indian-American actor and filmmaker who gained widespread recognition for his role as Chatur Ramalingam, also known as "The Silencer," in the critically acclaimed Bollywood film "3 Idiots." An NYU Tisch Film Grad, he's also made appearances in American television shows such as "The Office" and "Arrested Development and other Bollywood films like "Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji" (2011), "Desi Boyz" (2011), "Jodi Breakers" (2012), "Blackmail" (2018) the Indian web series, "Metropark."
Omi has successfully bridged the gap between the Indian and American film industries and has gained a dedicated fan following. His charismatic and relatable persona, coupled with his comedic talent, has endeared him to audiences worldwide.
He continues working in India and the United States, showcasing his versatility as an actor and filmmaker. His new Marathi Movie "Aaicha Gavat Marathi Bol" was recently released in theaters and is now available on Amazon.
Priya Vashist
“It’s an honor to serve on the jury of a festival that pioneers South Asian filmmaking, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to work alongside industry leaders to celebrate films that will shape the future of South Asian storytelling.”
Priya Vashist (she/ they) is a filmmaker and an Assistant Professor of Film at Old Dominion University. Priya’s film work focuses on social justice and the representation of queer South Asian immigrants on screen. Priya's films and screenplays have won awards and have been featured at several national and international film festivals and conferences. Priya is one of the founding board members of the Virginia Queer Film Festival. Priya received her MFA in Cinema Production from San Francisco State University.
Samia Zaman
“Tasveer puts together a delightful and sometimes-overlooked array of films from South Asia every year - I am looking forward to being part of the journey of that discovery.”
Samia Zaman is a Film Producer and Director from Bangladesh. Her latest production, Award winning Feature Narrative Ajob Karkhana (Song of the Soul), has been shown around the world in Film Festivals including Tasveer Film Festival 2022.
Samia actively mentors upcoming filmmakers through her organisation International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB), a platform connecting filmmakers from Bangladesh and South Asia with the film community worldwide. She is a founding Trustee member of Dhaka Doc Lab, a South Asian documentary pitching Forum.
Samia Zaman has been a Jury member in many film festivals including/latest in Asian Competition Section of Dhaka International Film Festival in January 2024.