On Friday evening, festival-goers  will have the opportunity to watch “Designed by Preeti” written and produced by Rashmi Rustagi. Inspired by true events, this romantic drama follows an Indian woman’s journey from spouse abuse to personal and professional empowerment as she experiences real love for the first time with someone outside her rigid community and race. 

Rustagi, who also stars in the film, has been in “The Avengers” and TV shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Atypical,” and “Never Have I Ever.” Rustagi and Director Gayatri Everitt Bajpai will be available after the film screening for a Q&A. 

Also, attending the festival on Friday is David Fortune, director of “Color Book.” Fortune is a writer/director based in Atlanta who was named Variety’s 2025 Directors to Watch and is a recipient of the AT&T Untold Stories Award, which provided a $1 million grant to direct his feature film, “Color Book.” Fortune also was nominated for the 2025 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative. 

“Color Book” is the story of single father Lucky who, after his wife’s passing, finds himself navigating the challenges of raising his son Mason, who has Down syndrome. Seeking solace, Lucky and Mason embark on a journey across Metro Atlanta to attend their first baseball game together.

Part of Friday’s lineup is “LARRY (they/them),” created by award-winning documentary filmmaker and editor Catherine Legault. Young non-binary trans photographer Laurence Philomène has emerged as one of the most original and inspiring voices of their generation and an LGBTQ+ community icon. “LARRY (they/them)” paints an engaging portrait of the complex, often misunderstood multiplicity of trans and non-binary identities and experiences.