In a barren, arranged marriage to an amateur swami who seeks enlightenment through celibacy, Radha’s life takes an irresistible turn when her beautiful young sister-in-law seeks to free herself from the confines of her own loveless marriage.

30 years ago, the great Deepa Mehta ignited the hearts of so many when she gave us FIRE, the first film in what would become her iconic “elements trilogy.”

Loosely based on Ismat Chughtai’s 1942 story “Lihaaf” (The Quilt), the film marked a groundbreaking portrait of two Indian women (Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das) who fall fiercely in love with each other. Its release in India was met with extreme controversy, with right wing politicians calling it “immoral and pornographic” and even smashing glass planes and burning posters at screenings.

FIRE would set off a flurry of public dialogue around both gay rights and freedom of speech, and ultimately led to lesbian and gay rights activists in India to be a lot more vocal about both their existence and the erasure of queerness from India’s historical heritage. -PETER KNEGT

Doors Open 30 Minutes Before Showtime.