NIFFA - CasteGate: The Untold Story & Tara film screening session!

About NIFFA: National Indian Film Festival of Australia 2026 Perth: 16–19 April 2026 The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) returns in 2026, continuing its journey as Australia’s leading platform celebrating the breadth and diversity of Indian cinema. NIFFA brings together a curated selection of films from across India, spanning languages, regions, and styles. From mainstream spectacles to bold independent voices, the festival showcases stories that reflect the depth, complexity, and evolving identity of Indian filmmaking today. The Perth chapter will be hosted at the State Library of Western Australia, featuring a curated line up of screenings, special presentations, and conversations. Join us for the screening of: 1) CasteGate: the Untold Story Director: Vikram Mishra Duration: 1 hr 29 mins Language: English Synopsis: A controversial lawsuit in California unravels into a broader inquiry on power, narrative, and institutional accountability tracing how allegations of caste discrimination against Hindu Americans reshape public discourse. Through interviews, legal records, and personal accounts, the film examines the role of advocacy groups, media, and state agencies in constructing contested truths. As the case collapses under scrutiny, it reveals the fragile line between justice and bias where reputations, rights, and democratic principles hang in balance. 2) Tara Director: Ashutosh S. Shankar Cast: Siya Malasi, Sankalp Joshi, Sukanya Gurav, Sumali Khaniwale Duration: 23 mins Language: English, Hindi Synopsis: A dalit, trans-woman puts herself out in the dating pool of Bombay as she tries to navigate through her queer & caste identity. At a queer party Tara meets a charming young man, Aman and is instantly enamoured by his charm and comfort that he shares about her trans-identity. Tara, on the same night learns that Aman is an upper caste man and thus she decides to keep her Dalit (lower caste) identity to herself with the fear of Aman losing interest in her. What follows is Tara’s struggle of discretion and coming to terms with her own identity and facing her real self at the cost of losing love.