Today we’d like to introduce you to Tripti Bhatnagar and Alka Bhanot.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tripti, Alka. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. In February of 2013, Indie Meme was set up as a product of passion for cinema, and the compulsive desire to make independent films available in the US for everyone and not just the festival goers. There was a need to watch something more rewarding than what was usually available – good meaningful cinema from India. This simple thought led to Indie Meme, which has evolved & grown every day from that first idea, like an organic being living off the environment it is thrown in.
It’s been such an incredible journey so far. The tremendous support from the community has enabled us to continue to move ahead – one screening at a time! The support from family, old friends and new has been steadfast. And every Indie Meme event has been led by volunteers, who ran the show and truly cared about what we were trying to build. They motivated us to carry on every time the going got tough!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way? The journey has been challenging no doubt but in a good way! Each challenge has helped us grow not only as a company but also as individuals in many different ways – we surely are a lot wiser-:) We started because there certainly was a need in the community for indie cinema from South Asia but that community was very niche and small. It was up to us to seek our audience who enjoyed independent cinema and let them know that now through Indie Meme they could watch these exceptional films on the big screen in their backyard. That outreach took and continues to take, a lot of effort on our part. And slowly but steadily our audience has grown & now we are proud to have managed to build a robust community of socially conscious, global citizens, who not only want to watch the films but participate in post screening dialogue and subsequent actions. We continue to discover different avenues to encourage community engagement and involvement to address social issues through films.
Like any startup, Indie Memes’ journey has been ever evolving and changing. The Indie Meme Film Festival in Austin was a natural progression from the individual film screenings we organize in Dallas & Austin. With all the new functions came new roles that we continue to learn as we go. No 2 days are the same at Indie Meme -:)
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Indie Meme – what should we know? A 501c(3) non-profit, Indie Meme.Org’s mission is to promote socially relevant independent cinema from South Asia, in an effort to influence social and cultural awareness and consciousness and encourage and facilitate dialogue. Indie Meme engages, educates, entertains, and brings together different communities to promote cross-cultural understanding and build a globally conscious community.
We offer screenings of carefully curated independent cinema – feature, documentaries, short films, etc. from South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Iran). Our aim is also to connect the audience with the makers of the films and celebrate them for their creative genius.
We organize year-round screenings & events in Dallas & Austin & a 4-day award winning film festival in Austin (Awarded Best of Austin Chronicle). We also do co-presentations with area festivals and other organizations. We are launching a youth initiative at IMFF2018 and excited to work with young voices who want to tell their south Asian stories!
Indie Meme uses films to initiate socially relevant discussions and partners with area organizations like Chetna, Plano International Festival, My Possibilities, Frisco Arts, Deaf Network of Texas, Nepalese Society of Texas, Crow Collection of Asian Arts, DFW Marathi Mandal to amplify the voices on issues. We also invite panelists for post screenings discussions and at times fundraise for various non-profits as well. UT Southwestern, legal firms, Psychologists, NBCF and many other local organizations have supported us for our events. We have touched upon many important issues like child abuse, sex trafficking, illegal organ trade, relationships, palliative care, disabled athletes, political outlooks, acid attacks, environment amongst many others.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role? Indie Meme is more of a movement than a company that’s truly driven by the entire community! And we are SO thankful for that! From the filmmakers who trust us to represent their work to the audience who come support the films – everyone deserves credit. We have so many champions – in our mentors, board, volunteers, members, donors, sponsors and partners. Each and every one who has supported us over the years has been instrumental in shaping us to where we are today. They have given us the wings to fly and to do what we do best-:) Indie Meme has created a credible platform for dialogue that was made possible only due to the engagement of each and every individual who brings a unique energy, different perspective and above all the will to participate in our events.
Pricing:
- Our ticket range is usually $10-$15 and we take pride in making this accessible and affordable.
- We provide student and senior discounts as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.indiememe.org
- Email: info@indiememe.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indiememe/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/indiememe
Image Credit:
Indie Meme Volunteers
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
