As a pre-selection screener and film selector for internationally recognised and emerging festivals, I engage with a diverse spectrum of independent cinema across fiction, documentary, and hybrid works. These roles extend my curatorial practice beyond South Asian contexts to global platforms, deepening my engagement with contemporary Asian, Global South, and international independent filmmaking.

San Diego International Film Festival

Pre-selection screener for international and American submissions, with a focus on feature documentaries, feature fiction, and short films. I provided in-depth analysis of narrative trends, aesthetics, and cultural impact while identifying standout works aligned with the festival’s programming vision.

Nottingham International Film Festival

Film Selector across categories with a particular focus on FLINTA (female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans, agender) narratives and mental health-aligned storytelling. I provided structured evaluations to support programming decisions and filmmaker feedback, with an emphasis on political clarity, intersectional framing, and formal experimentation.

I’m A Migrant Film Festival (2026)

A month-long programme that connects established filmmakers from across the SWANA region with emerging directors from the Arab world, platforming new talent and socially resonant cinema. Current pre-selection and film evaluation role for the festival’s 2026 edition, focusing on stories of migration, displacement, and transnational belonging. The position extends my ongoing interest in films negotiating identity, mobility, and postcolonial trajectories within global cinema.

Overview

Through these engagements, I continue to bring a research-driven, contextually sensitive perspective rooted in Asian and Global South cinemas, while navigating diverse thematic strands and festival frameworks. These collaborations have expanded my curatorial lens across geographies and strengthened my capacity to align artistic discernment with institutional programming objectives.