Mumbai: Asha for Education announced that it will be hosting the first ever ‘India’s Film Festival of Hope’ on 21 June from 1-9 pm in San Francisco.

Through documentary films, photography and arts, this festival will paint the picture of underprivileged kids in today’s India with a ‘hope’ of bringing them a better tomorrow.

Asha San Francisco has brought together an exciting line-up of documentaries that include Raju and I, I want my Father back, The New Heroes: India, with Robert Redford, Child in law, Patta Patta Akshar Hoga, Born into Brothels, Calcutta Calling and Fragile Promise.

Born into Brothels won the Oscar for best documentary film, and Raju and I won the best-animated feature film award from the 52nd National Films Awards in India. Together with these films, this year, the festival will also feature photographs taken by the children from the workshops run by the NGO. The festival will also showcase Mithila paintings created by marginalized women in Northern India from PinkMango.

"Our focus is raising great awareness. We endeavour to present these breakthrough films, and offer a window into the real India through the eyes of talented documentary filmmakers. The hope, or should I say ‘asha,’ is to build a sound future for them," says Asha for Education director and coordinator Hemang Kapasi.