WITH Festival 2025
AHMEDABAD | MIAMI | QUITO | SÃO PAULO
BORDERLESS
Global Indigenous Futures
A hybrid in-person & virtual gathering to connect with global Indigenous action
In this edition of WITH, Borderless, we will focus on Indigenous stories and voices through a contemporary-transmedia lens – told by artists from the communities and contemporary media practitioners. From seed-saving to indigenous futurism – we shall experience, discuss, and debate all the possibilities of a future that learns from the past. We will focus on transmedia expressions and experimental media work while ensuring real-world impact remains central to storytelling.
2025 will see a global hybrid event connecting Ahmedabad, Quito, São Paulo, and Miami, on 21st February, for 24 hours of continuous live performances, film screenings, interactive media, and digital experiences.
We invite participants worldwide to watch and engage – whether attending in person or online.
Format
Performances will be hosted live at the four key portals: Ahmedabad (India), Quito (Ecuador), Sao Paolo (Brazil) and Miami (USA).
It will be a 24-hour-long marathon on 21 February.
Global audiences can engage through live streaming and interactive platforms, with options to join discussions, network, and participate in activities.
Why Attend?
A chance to experience global performances, interact with a media community, network with fellow participants, and engage in conversations with keynote speakers and panelists.
An opportunity to form strategic partnerships, increase visibility, and attract well-known figures from the fields of media, design, and technology.
Key Components
Keynote Speakers
Live Performances
Film Festival
Panel Discussions
Online Q&A sessions
Online Games
Workshops
Competitions
Mission
We – Immersive – Transmedia – Human
WITH Festival exists to celebrate and connect a global community of media makers, technologists, and designers who use their talents to create social change. By showcasing purposeful storytelling, the festival bridges social change organizations with digital storytellers who can help amplify their work.
Theme
Storytelling has always been a mode of communicating, recording, and imagining the human world. As the soul evolved so did the body and we moved from cave painting to sand art to tapestry to theatre to cinema to artificial intelligence. This edition will connect storytellers across medium working with indigenous traditions, expressions and knowledge.
How to attend?
Have a question about the festival?
Want to get involved?
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Four locations for WITH 2025 – Miami, Quito, Sao Paolo and India
HOME
Subhadra Khaparde | India
Mahila Jagat Lihaaz Samiti
A Dalit feminist activist from Madhya Pradesh, Subhadra is the Chairperson of Mahila Jagat Lihaaz Samiti. Featured in Netflix’s Love Storiyaan, which documents her life and struggles alongside her partner, Subhadra advocates for sustainable agriculture, reproductive health, girls’ education, and Bhil cultural preservation. She empowers marginalized communities, especially Adivasi women, by integrating traditional knowledge with modern community initiatives.
Amelia Winger-Bearskin | USA
University of Florida
A Haudenosaunee artist from the Seneca-Cayuga Nation, Amelia bridges Indigenous traditions and advanced technologies like VR/AR and AI, through projects such as Wampum.Code highlights accountability and ethical tech practices rooted in Haudenosaunee values. A Sundance creative advisor and award-winning innovator, Amelia reimagines storytelling to amplify Indigenous narratives and resilience.
Since 2022, Media for Change, a U.S. based non-profit organization has organized WITH Festivals to build a global community of purposeful storytellers.
Our 2025 festival tries to tie together these diverse events by holding themon the same date and connecting them virtually. This approach allows us to explore the interconnectedness of indigenous movements and stories globally.
LOCALLY
EMBEDDED
The festival shall showcase performances, films, exhibits, and keynote speakers from all four locations across the world – focusing on media-makers and scholars working with indigenous stories, traditions and knowledge
GLOBALLY
DISTRIBUTED
The festival will take place on February 21, 2025, in a hybrid format with live performances and digital events across four key locations:
AHMEDABAD | QUITO | MIAMI | SAO PAOLO
HYBRID
FESTIVAL
Performances will be staggered, allowing for a 24-hour continuous cycle of onsite events, including music, dance, theatre, panel discussions, and film screenings. An online platform will stream live events and host interactive elements with automatic translation tools.