3rd i Flims
3rd i Films is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that organizes the annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (SFISAFF) and year-round screenings, workshops, and filmmaker master classes, serving the Bay Area South Asian diaspora and independent cinema audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What 3rd i Flims does
3rd i Films is a California-based 501(c)-style non-profit organization that produces and programs the San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (SFISAFF), now in its 23rd edition as of October 2025. Founded circa 2002, the organization curates award-winning independent and alternative cinema from India, Sri Lanka, France, the UK, Canada, and the US South Asian diaspora, operating under a "Beyond Bollywood" positioning that differentiates it from mainstream commercial South Asian film offerings. The audience served is the South Asian diaspora in the San Francisco Bay Area and cinephiles seeking world cinema, with secondary beneficiaries being independent South Asian filmmakers seeking festival exposure.
The core product surface is event-based: an annual October flagship festival, a year-round screenings and co-presentations program, a signature shorts program (3rd i Shorts), filmmaker master classes, and free introductory storytelling workshops. Programming is delivered across a network of Bay Area venues including Roxie Theater, Castro Theatre, New People Cinema, Artists' Television Access, Palo Alto Art Center, and Oakland Asian Cultural Center. There is no proprietary technology platform; ticketing is routed through Eventbrite and the organization runs on standard nonprofit digital infrastructure (website, email newsletter, social media).
The revenue model combines earned income (Eventbrite ticket sales, mix of free and paid events), contributed income (individual donations via a donate page, volunteer labor), and institutional support (sponsorship from India Currents, California Arts Council, San Francisco Arts Commission, Greater Bay Area arts funding, Villa Albertine/French Embassy, and other corporate and cultural sponsors). The go-to-market motion is event-driven and community-led: programming, marketing, and outreach are anchored in grassroots diaspora networks, ethnic media partnerships, and Bay Area cultural organizations rather than paid acquisition channels.
3rd i Flims firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 3rd i Flims
- Legal name
- 3rd i Films
- Website
- https://thirdi.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- 3rd i Films is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that organizes the annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (SFISAFF) and year-round screenings, workshops, and filmmaker master classes, serving the Bay Area South Asian diaspora and independent cinema audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
3rd i Flims industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Festival & Cultural Events
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH), Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG), Campus & Educational Screenings (Universities, Schools) (MPADAKAI)
Keywords
Where 3rd i Flims is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
3rd i Flims business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue generated through ticket sales for festival screenings and year-round events via Eventbrite platform
- Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsors support the festival with financial contributions
- Donations: Individual donations from community supporters to sustain festival operations
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One-time | Free events with registration |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
3rd i Flims product offering
Product offeringCore offering
3rd i Films produces the San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (SFISAFF), an annual multi-day showcase of independent South Asian and diaspora cinema, complemented by year-round film screenings, co-presentations, filmmaker Q&As, narrative and documentary shorts programming, and educational workshops/master classes. Programming is presented at Bay Area theaters (e.g., Roxie Theater, Castro Theatre, New People Cinema) with tickets and free registrations sold through Eventbrite.
Product overview
3rd i Films operates as a nonprofit film festival organization presenting the San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (SFISAFF), an annual showcase of South Asian cinema now in its 23rd year. The organization complements its flagship festival with year-round screenings and events, educational programs including filmmaker master classes and nonfiction storytelling workshops, and a signature shorts program. These offerings collectively serve the Bay Area's South Asian and cinema-loving communities through film programming, educational workshops, and community engagement activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (SFISAFF) Annual multi-day film festival showcasing South Asian and diaspora cinema (India, Sri Lanka, France, UK, Canada, USA), featuring dark comedy, drama, and socially conscious narratives; the 23rd annual festival was held October 10–12, 2025 in San Francisco. Aimed at Bay Area cinephiles, South Asian community members, and independent filmmakers.
- Intro to Nonfiction Storytelling Workshop Free 2-hour introductory workshop teaching participants to transform personal experiences or passionate topics into structured cinematic narratives with story concepts, led by filmmaker Alka Raghuram; intended for aspiring storytellers and community members.
- Filmmaker Master Classes In-depth master classes with award-winning filmmakers (e.g., Nishtha Jain) featuring presentations on the filmmaking process, screenings of past and current work, and discussions of social and political issues; aimed at aspiring filmmakers, students, and engaged cinephiles.
- 3rd i Shorts Program Signature shorts program featuring narrative and documentary short films from South Asia to California and throughout the Diaspora, covering stories of immigration, relationships, identity, gender, sexuality, and social justice.
- Year-Round Screenings and Events Ongoing film screenings, co-presentations, and cultural events throughout the year beyond the annual festival, including special film premieres, co-presentations with partners like Oakland Asian Cultural Center, and filmmaker Q&As.
Quantifiable outcome
- 23rd annual festival in 2025
Companies that use 3rd i Flims
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
3rd i Flims technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
3rd i Flims partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- California Arts CouncilcoreState arts agency providing funding support to 3rd i programs, including the Artists' Round Table Covid discussion series.
- San Francisco Arts CommissioncoreCity arts agency supporting the festival as a sponsor.
- Greater Bay Area (GFTA)coreArts funding organization supporting the festival.
- Villa Albertine (French Institute for Culture and Education)minorDivision of the French Embassy in the United States sponsoring the Little Jaffna screening as part of the festival.
- Roxie TheatercorePrimary San Francisco venue hosting festival screenings; partner venue for year-round events.
- Castro TheatrecoreHistoric San Francisco cinema hosting major festival screenings and special presentations like Bombay Rose.
- Artists' Television AccessminorSan Francisco venue hosting documentary workshops and storytelling classes.
- Oakland Asian Cultural CenterminorCo-presentation partner for the Paramita screening in June 2026.
- San Francisco State University (SFSU)minorUniversity partner hosting co-presentations at McKenna Theater.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
3rd i Flims competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tribeca Film Festival: Major New York-based film festival with similar independent and diverse programming mission. Comparable as an established film exhibition platform, though broader in scope and substantially larger in scale.
- Sundance Film Festival: Pre-eminent US independent film festival frequently referenced as the standard-bearer for niche film exhibition. 3rd i's tagline explicitly invokes Sundance positioning ("Like Sundance, but with a South Asian flavor"). Comparable in festival-based exhibition model, though vastly larger in scale and scope.
Others
- Oakland Asian Cultural Center: Bay Area cultural organization co-presenting film screenings with 3rd i. Comparable as a community-based cultural nonprofit serving the Asian diaspora, though focused on multi-disciplinary programming rather than film festival specialization.
- Roxie Theater: San Francisco nonprofit art-house cinema that serves as a primary venue partner for 3rd i's festival. Comparable as a community-focused film exhibition nonprofit, though operating as a year-round cinema rather than a festival organizer.
- India Currents: South Asian media publication serving as both sponsor and media partner of 3rd i's festival. Comparable as a diaspora-focused cultural media organization serving the same South Asian Bay Area audience, though focused on journalism rather than film exhibition.
- Castro Theatre: Historic San Francisco cinema hosting major festival screenings. Comparable as an exhibition venue serving the Bay Area independent and repertory film community, though as a venue rather than festival organizer.
Regional players
- DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF): Washington DC-based South Asian film festival with comparable programming mission and event-driven model. Directly comparable in cultural focus and festival structure, though serving the East Coast diaspora market rather than Bay Area.
- CAAMFest (Center for Asian American Media Film Festival): San Francisco-based Asian American film festival with overlapping programming and venue partners. Comparable as a Bay Area cultural film festival serving diaspora audiences, though broader in scope beyond South Asian cinema. 3rd i co-presents films with CAAMFest.
Direct peers
- South Asian Film Festival of America (SAFFA): Another North American festival dedicated to South Asian cinema with a similar mission of showcasing independent and diaspora films. Directly comparable in programming focus and audience demographic, providing a benchmark for 3rd i's relative market position.
- New York South Asian Film Festival: Competitor organization presenting an annual South Asian film festival, with a similar mission of showcasing independent and diaspora cinema. Directly comparable in programming focus, audience demographic, and event-driven revenue model, though based in New York rather than the Bay Area.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
3rd i Flims social profiles
Digital presence3rd i Flims financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
3rd i Flims leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
3rd i Flims funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
3rd i Flims M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 3rd i Flims
What does 3rd i Flims do?
3rd i Films produces the San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (SFISAFF), an annual multi-day showcase of independent South Asian and diaspora cinema, complemented by year-round film screenings, co-presentations, filmmaker Q&As, narrative and documentary shorts programming, and educational workshops/master classes. Programming is presented at Bay Area theaters (e.g., Roxie Theater, Castro Theatre, New People Cinema) with tickets and free registrations sold through Eventbrite.
Is 3rd i Flims a public or private company?
3rd i Flims is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was 3rd i Flims founded?
3rd i Flims was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is 3rd i Flims based?
3rd i Flims is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does 3rd i Flims make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are sponsorships and donations.
Who are 3rd i Flims's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tribeca Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival. Others are Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Roxie Theater, India Currents and Castro Theatre. Regional players are DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) and CAAMFest (Center for Asian American Media Film Festival). Direct peers are South Asian Film Festival of America (SAFFA) and New York South Asian Film Festival.
Does 3rd i Flims have an API?
No public API is recorded for 3rd i Flims.
What industry is 3rd i Flims in?
3rd i Flims's product category is Film Festival & Cultural Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAKAD, Film Festivals & Festival Organizers, with a secondary code of MPADAKAH, Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers). Its NAICS code is 51213 and its SIC code is 7830.