Seattle’s Tasveer Film Festival’s 21st edition will open Oct. 13 with the Berlinale Panorama title “Lali” and showcase 136 films from 16 countries.
Seattle’s Tasveer Film Festival & Market announced its 21st edition lineup, featuring 136 films from 16 countries that will screen Oct. 13‑18. The festival will open with Sarmad Sultan Khoosat’s “Lali,” a Berlinale Panorama title making its West Coast premiere.
The program, under the theme “Bring Your Story Home,” spans more than 25 languages and includes 20 world premieres, four North American premieres and four U.S. premieres. Highlighted titles are the North American premiere of “Mayilaa,” the documentary “Breaking the Code,” the Washington State premiere of the animated feature “The Chair,” and the closing night film “Elephants in the Fog,” Nepal’s Oscar contender. Twelve LGBTQ+ films from six countries are also part of the slate.
Festival director Rita Meher, co‑founder and executive director of Tasveer, praised the lineup, and Aparna Purohit, CEO of Aamir Khan Productions, will serve as chief guest and jury head. The Tasveer Film Market runs Oct. 13‑15, its third year, and adds a Co‑Production Market Selects program, pitch sessions through the Tasveer Film Fund, and four $35,000 grants for selected filmmakers.
Public funders include King County, the City of Seattle and the Port of Seattle, among others; awards are sponsored by the RAGS Foundation. The nonprofit Tasveer, operating since 2002, moved into the Tasveer Film Center in 2025. The reporting does not provide details on audience size or broader impact.