Several countries the US at least used to be friends with friends with are well-represented in the latest edition of 3rd i’s San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival (Fri/10-Sun/12, Roxie, SF). Subtitled “Beyond Bollywood,” it’s a celebration of independent cinema from around the world, including the immigrant diaspora.

Thus opening night’s Little Jaffna is actually a French movie, albeit one set amidst the Sri Lankan emigre community of Paris. That demographic consists largely of refugees from the long-running civil war back home, but they haven’t necessarily escaped the bitter ethnic, political and religious divisions that fueled it. Here, Michael (director/cowriter Lawrence Valin) insinuates his way into one of the rival gangs participating in turf wars, smuggling, protect

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