Actress Tisca Chopra shared her key to staying fit, which includes eating on time and in small portions, along with working out like a devil. Tisca took to Instagram and shared a video montage.
In the clip, which was tagged “actors don’t eat the say,” the actress is seen gorging on croissants, avocado toasts, pastries, and eggs.
For the caption, Tisca wrote: “Forever been a fan of eating on time, eating well but in small portions and exercising like a devil…”
The 50-year-old actress made her acting debut with ’15th August’ in 1993. She gained the spotlight with the Aamir Khan-starrer 2007 film ‘Taare Zameen Par’, which was India’s official entry to the Academy Awards.
The actress was then seen in films including ‘Firaaq’, ‘Qissa’, ‘Rahasya’, ‘Ghayal Once Again’, ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’, ‘Good Newwz’, ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’ and ‘Murder Mubarak’. She was also seen in the short film ‘Chutney’, which...
In the clip, which was tagged “actors don’t eat the say,” the actress is seen gorging on croissants, avocado toasts, pastries, and eggs.
For the caption, Tisca wrote: “Forever been a fan of eating on time, eating well but in small portions and exercising like a devil…”
The 50-year-old actress made her acting debut with ’15th August’ in 1993. She gained the spotlight with the Aamir Khan-starrer 2007 film ‘Taare Zameen Par’, which was India’s official entry to the Academy Awards.
The actress was then seen in films including ‘Firaaq’, ‘Qissa’, ‘Rahasya’, ‘Ghayal Once Again’, ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’, ‘Good Newwz’, ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’ and ‘Murder Mubarak’. She was also seen in the short film ‘Chutney’, which...
- 4/10/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
She says he never left. That snatches of him keep coming back, reminding her that those we love leave a part of them with us. But writer Sutapa Sikdar, wife of late actor Irrfan also says that these days when she takes two steps forward, something pushes her back. That life’s chronology seems to have altered, and time moves with an erratic rhythm.
“He was not just my husband. Our relationship began with friendship and he stayed my best buddy. A partner of 30 years… how do you deal with that loss? It has been more than three years but… I was never prepared but then we never are,” she told Ians.
A National School of Drama (Nsd) graduate who began her career with Govind Nihlani, Sikdar who was at the recently concluded Jaipur Literature Festival (Jlf) to be part of the session “Irrfan: A Life in Movies” and has...
“He was not just my husband. Our relationship began with friendship and he stayed my best buddy. A partner of 30 years… how do you deal with that loss? It has been more than three years but… I was never prepared but then we never are,” she told Ians.
A National School of Drama (Nsd) graduate who began her career with Govind Nihlani, Sikdar who was at the recently concluded Jaipur Literature Festival (Jlf) to be part of the session “Irrfan: A Life in Movies” and has...
- 2/8/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
EntertainmentIrrfan essays the role of a camel trader in ‘The Song of Scorpions’, which is said to be a story of twisted love, revenge, and the redemptive power of a song.YouTube / Panorama StudiosThe Song of Scorpions, which marks the late actor Irrfan Khan's final performance, will be released in theatres on April 28 after doing rounds at multiple film festivals. Set in Jaisalmer's Thar desert, the film features Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani opposite Irrfan, with Waheeda Rehman, Shashank Arora, and Tillotama Shome in strong supporting roles. The trailer of the film was unveiled today on digital platforms. The film is written and directed by Anup Singh who made the critically acclaimed Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost with Irrfan earlier. Irrfan essays the role of a camel trader in The Song of Scorpions, which is said to be a story of twisted love, revenge, and the redemptive power of a song.
- 4/19/2023
- by AjayR
- The News Minute
Irrfan Khan’s swansong, ‘The Song of Scorpions’, will open on April 28 theatrically, as a salute to the great actor who passed away on April 29, 2020. Presented by Panorama Spotlight and 70mm Talkies, it’s A Feather Light Films and Knm Production. The film set in Jaisalmer’s Thar desert, features Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani opposite Irrfan Khan, with Waheeda Rehman, Shashank Arora and Tillotama Shome in strong supporting roles.
The film is written and directed by Anup Singh who made the critically acclaimed ‘Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost’ with Irrfan earlier. The trailer of the film was unveiled today on digital platforms.
The Swiss, French, Singaporean co-production premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival to rave reviews. After doing the rounds of several prestigious film festivals and winning numerous awards and applause, it brings Irrfan back to the screen next Friday.
The film is shot at breathtaking landscapes...
The film is written and directed by Anup Singh who made the critically acclaimed ‘Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost’ with Irrfan earlier. The trailer of the film was unveiled today on digital platforms.
The Swiss, French, Singaporean co-production premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival to rave reviews. After doing the rounds of several prestigious film festivals and winning numerous awards and applause, it brings Irrfan back to the screen next Friday.
The film is shot at breathtaking landscapes...
- 4/19/2023
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
Indian actor Rasika Dugal is on a roll, with season 2 of Emmy-winning Netflix series “Delhi Crime” streaming, season 3 of Amazon Prime Video series “Mirzapur” filming and several other series and films in the works.
Dugal describes season 2 of “Delhi Crime” as “very different from season 1, but still very sensitively and beautifully told,” adding that the series is minutely detailed.
While the first season revolved around an horrific 2012 rape case, which caught the attention of the world, the second season follows multiple murders, which are similarly done, and the police investigates.
“It is really about the vulnerability of senior citizens and also the very stark class divide, which is very apparent in a city like Delhi. Somehow, visually in Delhi, it’s much more around than anywhere else. And the season really talks about that very sensitively and carefully and also throws light on the way we treat marginalized communities,” Dugal told Variety.
Dugal describes season 2 of “Delhi Crime” as “very different from season 1, but still very sensitively and beautifully told,” adding that the series is minutely detailed.
While the first season revolved around an horrific 2012 rape case, which caught the attention of the world, the second season follows multiple murders, which are similarly done, and the police investigates.
“It is really about the vulnerability of senior citizens and also the very stark class divide, which is very apparent in a city like Delhi. Somehow, visually in Delhi, it’s much more around than anywhere else. And the season really talks about that very sensitively and carefully and also throws light on the way we treat marginalized communities,” Dugal told Variety.
- 8/26/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced the merger of four of its film media units, Films Division, Directorate of Film Festivals, National Film Archives, and Children’s Film Society, with the National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc).
The Nfdc will now carry out all the functions that were being performed by the separate film units, as a single entity. “The merger of film media units under one corporation will lead to convergence of activities and resources and better coordination, thereby ensuring synergy and efficiency in achieving the mandate of each media unit,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Films Division was established in 1948, primarily to produce documentaries, shorts and news magazines recording government programs and keeping a cinematic record of Indian history.
The Children’s Film Society was formed in 1955 to provide children and young people value-based entertainment through the medium of films, while the National Film...
The Nfdc will now carry out all the functions that were being performed by the separate film units, as a single entity. “The merger of film media units under one corporation will lead to convergence of activities and resources and better coordination, thereby ensuring synergy and efficiency in achieving the mandate of each media unit,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Films Division was established in 1948, primarily to produce documentaries, shorts and news magazines recording government programs and keeping a cinematic record of Indian history.
The Children’s Film Society was formed in 1955 to provide children and young people value-based entertainment through the medium of films, while the National Film...
- 12/24/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
By Sugandha Rawal
New Delhi, Nov 11 (Ians) Tisca Chopra says the tendency to stereotype in Bollywood is not easy to duck, and going against the wave is a challenge.
"Ducking stereotypes is not easy, particularly in Bollywood, which is famous for stereotyping actors. In case you portray a role well, you'll be offered the same role further. The same character will be offered to you with a different name in film after film," Tisca told Ians.
"It hasn't been easy to duck the stereotypes, I've had to stay without work to not repeat the characters. It has required me to have fortitude and patience but I've been fortunate that sooner or later something interesting has come to me. It has also pushed me in the direction of creating my content," added the actress, who has produced the short film "Chutney".
Tisca entered Bollywood with the commercial potboiler "Platform" in 1993, and...
New Delhi, Nov 11 (Ians) Tisca Chopra says the tendency to stereotype in Bollywood is not easy to duck, and going against the wave is a challenge.
"Ducking stereotypes is not easy, particularly in Bollywood, which is famous for stereotyping actors. In case you portray a role well, you'll be offered the same role further. The same character will be offered to you with a different name in film after film," Tisca told Ians.
"It hasn't been easy to duck the stereotypes, I've had to stay without work to not repeat the characters. It has required me to have fortitude and patience but I've been fortunate that sooner or later something interesting has come to me. It has also pushed me in the direction of creating my content," added the actress, who has produced the short film "Chutney".
Tisca entered Bollywood with the commercial potboiler "Platform" in 1993, and...
- 11/11/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Hollywood agency ICM Partners has come on board Rohena Gera’s festival favorite “Sir” and will represent it for sales in Anglophone markets U.S., U.K. and Australia, among other territories. The Hollywood agency will also serve as the film’s awards season lobbyist.
A delicately observed study of class differences in Indian society, “Sir” stars Tillotama Shome as a domestic live-in help with Vivek Gomber, a man from a wealthy family who seems to have it all, but is somewhat lost. As their worlds collide and the two individuals connect, the barriers between them seem only more insurmountable.
The cast also includes Divya Seth Shah, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Bhagyashree Pandit, Anupriya Goenka and Bachan Pachera.
“We have a very intimate yet hierarchical relationship with the people who work in our homes,” Gera said. “I wanted to explore that without being preachy, and a love story allowed me to do that.
A delicately observed study of class differences in Indian society, “Sir” stars Tillotama Shome as a domestic live-in help with Vivek Gomber, a man from a wealthy family who seems to have it all, but is somewhat lost. As their worlds collide and the two individuals connect, the barriers between them seem only more insurmountable.
The cast also includes Divya Seth Shah, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Bhagyashree Pandit, Anupriya Goenka and Bachan Pachera.
“We have a very intimate yet hierarchical relationship with the people who work in our homes,” Gera said. “I wanted to explore that without being preachy, and a love story allowed me to do that.
- 11/10/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Just a few weeks, ago that filmmaker Shekhar Kapur shared that he was impressed with the amazing new acting talents that the Ott space has been introducing to the world. The audience is with him on this.
Ians takes a look at actors who have grabbed maximum eyeballs in the digital space, emerging as the new Ott stars:
Amit Sadh
The former "Bigg Boss" contestant began as a television actor in 2002 and later entered Bollywood with "Phoonk 2" in 2010. "Kai Po Che" brought him fame and he went on to feature in films like "Sultan" and "Gold". Now, he is one of the favourites in the digital space as he got a thumbs up for his role as Inspector Kabir Sawant over two seasons of the web series "Breathe". He was then seen as an army officer in the web series "Avrodh: The Siege Within". For him, it seems like the...
Ians takes a look at actors who have grabbed maximum eyeballs in the digital space, emerging as the new Ott stars:
Amit Sadh
The former "Bigg Boss" contestant began as a television actor in 2002 and later entered Bollywood with "Phoonk 2" in 2010. "Kai Po Che" brought him fame and he went on to feature in films like "Sultan" and "Gold". Now, he is one of the favourites in the digital space as he got a thumbs up for his role as Inspector Kabir Sawant over two seasons of the web series "Breathe". He was then seen as an army officer in the web series "Avrodh: The Siege Within". For him, it seems like the...
- 9/25/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Sky has acquired “The Secret Garden” from Studiocanal and will release the film in U.K. and Ireland cinemas and Sky Cinema channels on Oct. 23.
Directed by three-time BAFTA winner Marc Munden (“National Treasure”) and produced by David Heyman (“Harry Potter” franchise) and Rosie Alison (“Paddington”), “The Secret Garden” is an adaptation of the classic children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It stars Dixie Egerickx (“Summerland”), Oscar and BAFTA winner Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) and BAFTA winner Julie Walters (“Mamma Mia”).
Set in 1940s England, “The Secret Garden” tells the story of a 10-year-old girl, sent to live with her uncle at a remote country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors, who begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly a wondrous garden with healing powers.
The film was originally due to release in April and then moved to August.
Distribution
Picturehouse Entertainment and Element Distribution will distribute “The Iron Lady...
Directed by three-time BAFTA winner Marc Munden (“National Treasure”) and produced by David Heyman (“Harry Potter” franchise) and Rosie Alison (“Paddington”), “The Secret Garden” is an adaptation of the classic children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It stars Dixie Egerickx (“Summerland”), Oscar and BAFTA winner Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) and BAFTA winner Julie Walters (“Mamma Mia”).
Set in 1940s England, “The Secret Garden” tells the story of a 10-year-old girl, sent to live with her uncle at a remote country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors, who begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly a wondrous garden with healing powers.
The film was originally due to release in April and then moved to August.
Distribution
Picturehouse Entertainment and Element Distribution will distribute “The Iron Lady...
- 8/4/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Award-winning actor announced a cancer diagnosis in 2018.
Indian actor Irrfan Khan has died aged 53 following a two-year battle with cancer.
Khan starred in The Lunchbox, which won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award at Cannes in 2013, and was also known for his work in international films including Mira Nair’s The Namesake (2006), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Life Of Pi (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Jurassic World (2015) and Inferno (2016).
The actor announced in 2018 that he’d been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour, but made a partial recovery following treatment in London and continued to act in Indian productions such as Angrezi Medium (2020).
He was admitted...
Indian actor Irrfan Khan has died aged 53 following a two-year battle with cancer.
Khan starred in The Lunchbox, which won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award at Cannes in 2013, and was also known for his work in international films including Mira Nair’s The Namesake (2006), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Life Of Pi (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Jurassic World (2015) and Inferno (2016).
The actor announced in 2018 that he’d been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour, but made a partial recovery following treatment in London and continued to act in Indian productions such as Angrezi Medium (2020).
He was admitted...
- 4/29/2020
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Gupta asked to leave “with immediate effect”.
India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has removed Nina Lath Gupta from her role as managing director of the National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc) of India.
According to local press, Gupta has been asked to leave “with immediate effect” for allegedly not following government protocol.
I&B officials said the lapses included releasing advertisement spots to select private channels in excess of the 5% prescribed limit, non refund of 15% commission to ministries that issued ads through the Nfdc, and charging commission for organising government events.
Gupta declined to comment when contacted by Screen.
Formerly...
India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has removed Nina Lath Gupta from her role as managing director of the National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc) of India.
According to local press, Gupta has been asked to leave “with immediate effect” for allegedly not following government protocol.
I&B officials said the lapses included releasing advertisement spots to select private channels in excess of the 5% prescribed limit, non refund of 15% commission to ministries that issued ads through the Nfdc, and charging commission for organising government events.
Gupta declined to comment when contacted by Screen.
Formerly...
- 3/1/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
A "scorpion singer" from the Rajasthan desert is pursued by a particularly tenacious camel trader in The Song of Scorpions, the third feature from Switzerland-based British filmmaker Anup Singh (Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost). After making films in Bengali and Punjabi, this myth-like fairy tale — albeit one with some incongruous-feeling modern touches — was filmed in Hindi, though Singh has again cast his Qissa star, Rajasthan-born Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, The Lunchbox), as the male lead.
France-based Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani (About Elly, Paterson) plays the equally determined female protagonist, which should help to slightly broaden its...
France-based Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani (About Elly, Paterson) plays the equally determined female protagonist, which should help to slightly broaden its...
- 8/9/2017
- by Boyd van Hoeij
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Amazon Prime Video secures 97 titles from Indian company.
India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc) has sealed catalogue deals with three of the biggest streaming platforms in India: Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema and Hotstar.
The three deals include classics such as Gandhi [pictured], Salaam Bombay! and Mirch Masala, as well as recent titles Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost, directed by Anup Singh, and Gyan Correa’s The Good Road.
Amazon Prime Video, which launched in India in late 2016, has acquired non-exclusive worldwide rights to 97 Nfdc titles, while JioCinema and Hotstar have India rights to 94 and 80 titles respectively.
All three platforms have already started onboarding the films.
“Our aim is to work with as many premium platforms as possible to help these classics from revered Indian directors reach a global audience,” said Nfdc head of distribution & syndication Awadhesh Kumar.
India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc) has sealed catalogue deals with three of the biggest streaming platforms in India: Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema and Hotstar.
The three deals include classics such as Gandhi [pictured], Salaam Bombay! and Mirch Masala, as well as recent titles Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost, directed by Anup Singh, and Gyan Correa’s The Good Road.
Amazon Prime Video, which launched in India in late 2016, has acquired non-exclusive worldwide rights to 97 Nfdc titles, while JioCinema and Hotstar have India rights to 94 and 80 titles respectively.
All three platforms have already started onboarding the films.
“Our aim is to work with as many premium platforms as possible to help these classics from revered Indian directors reach a global audience,” said Nfdc head of distribution & syndication Awadhesh Kumar.
- 3/14/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Naseeruddin Shah and Tisca Chopra head the cast of UK-India co-production, which is a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus.
Production has started on Cinestaan Film Company and Film London’s Shakespeare adaptation The Hungry, with a cast including Naseeruddin Shah and Tisca Chopra.
Written and directed by Bornila Chatterjee, the UK-India co-production is a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, with the play’s themes of corruption, greed and revenge updated for a global audience.
Shah is known to international audiences for his roles in Monsoon Wedding and The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, while Chopra previously starred in Toronto title Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost.
The cast also includes Arjun Gupta (Nurse Jackie), Neeraj Kabi (Viceroy’s House), Sayani Gupta (Margarita With A Straw) and Antonio Aakeel (City Of Tiny Lights).
Co-written and produced by Tanaji Dasgupta and Kurban Kassam, the revenge thriller was developed using Film London’s Microwave scheme...
Production has started on Cinestaan Film Company and Film London’s Shakespeare adaptation The Hungry, with a cast including Naseeruddin Shah and Tisca Chopra.
Written and directed by Bornila Chatterjee, the UK-India co-production is a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, with the play’s themes of corruption, greed and revenge updated for a global audience.
Shah is known to international audiences for his roles in Monsoon Wedding and The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, while Chopra previously starred in Toronto title Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost.
The cast also includes Arjun Gupta (Nurse Jackie), Neeraj Kabi (Viceroy’s House), Sayani Gupta (Margarita With A Straw) and Antonio Aakeel (City Of Tiny Lights).
Co-written and produced by Tanaji Dasgupta and Kurban Kassam, the revenge thriller was developed using Film London’s Microwave scheme...
- 12/15/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Waheeda Rehman, Shashank Arora (Titli, pictured) and Tillotama Shome (Qissa) have joined the cast of Anup Singh’s third feature The Song of Scorpions, which was first pitched at Film Bazaar 2013.
As previously reported, French-Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani and Irrfan Khan lead the cast. Rehman, an Indian acting legend who has appeared in more than 85 films since the 1950s, plays Farahani’s grandmother, a singing healer.
Qissa director Singh will start the 7-week shoot for the new film on Nov 26 in Rajasthan.
Saskia Vischer, Shahaf Peled, Michel Merkt and Thierry Lenouvel are producing the Swiss-French co-production. Rakesh Mehra’s Kriti Productions is serving as the Indian co-producer.
The film has backing from Swiss federal fund Bak, regional fund Cinéforom, and the Cnc’s Aide aux cinemas du monde.
Set in the mystical Thar Desert of Rajasthan, Singh’s original story is about a shaman woman who travels the desert and heals scorpion poisoning with a song. When...
As previously reported, French-Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani and Irrfan Khan lead the cast. Rehman, an Indian acting legend who has appeared in more than 85 films since the 1950s, plays Farahani’s grandmother, a singing healer.
Qissa director Singh will start the 7-week shoot for the new film on Nov 26 in Rajasthan.
Saskia Vischer, Shahaf Peled, Michel Merkt and Thierry Lenouvel are producing the Swiss-French co-production. Rakesh Mehra’s Kriti Productions is serving as the Indian co-producer.
The film has backing from Swiss federal fund Bak, regional fund Cinéforom, and the Cnc’s Aide aux cinemas du monde.
Set in the mystical Thar Desert of Rajasthan, Singh’s original story is about a shaman woman who travels the desert and heals scorpion poisoning with a song. When...
- 11/23/2015
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
The London Indian Film Festival (Liff, July 10-17) will host a Screen Talk with the multifaceted Farhan Akhtar and a Masterclass with the award-winning Santosh Sivan at the British Film Institute (BFI) Southbank.
Akhtar has come to the world’s attention over the last decade, as multiple award winning director, producer, and actor, straddling an impressive range of roles, from long distance runners to rockstars. He also commands audiences of thousands, at his live music shows, as he continues to juggle a career as a musician and songwriter, with his incredibly successful film industry career. He started his career as director. His directorial debut, Dil Chahta Hai was a runaway hit. He went on to direct the remake of Don and its sequel, Don 2. Besides that he has produced many successful films. As an actor he has won critical acclaim for his performances in Rock On, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
Akhtar has come to the world’s attention over the last decade, as multiple award winning director, producer, and actor, straddling an impressive range of roles, from long distance runners to rockstars. He also commands audiences of thousands, at his live music shows, as he continues to juggle a career as a musician and songwriter, with his incredibly successful film industry career. He started his career as director. His directorial debut, Dil Chahta Hai was a runaway hit. He went on to direct the remake of Don and its sequel, Don 2. Besides that he has produced many successful films. As an actor he has won critical acclaim for his performances in Rock On, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
- 7/6/2014
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
Get ready London film fans! The fabulous London Indian Film Festival, running July 10th – 17th, will bring you an eclectic and cool mix of films! Now Europe’s largest platform for Indian cinema, the London Indian Film Festival returns to the Capital, in association with Pure Heaven, the British Film Institute, and official Hotel Partner Grange Hotels, celebrating the exploding movement of Indian Independent cinema and bringing to UK audiences a rare selection of cutting-edge films from some of the Indian subcontinent’s hottest independent talents. Going way beyond Bollywood, the festival presents a kaleidoscope of new films that challenge, shock, generate debate and present a more realistic view of India and the subcontinent today, in all its diversity.
The festival has many highlights and will showcase Emma Thompson’s Sold and Million Dollar Arm, which stars Jon Hamm and also boasts a bevy of Bollywood stars! The festival will stretch citywide,...
The festival has many highlights and will showcase Emma Thompson’s Sold and Million Dollar Arm, which stars Jon Hamm and also boasts a bevy of Bollywood stars! The festival will stretch citywide,...
- 6/12/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Fifth edition runs July 10-17 and will also feature the UK premiere of Million Dollar Arm.
Sold will receive its European premiere as the opening film of this year’s London Indian Film Festival.
Executive produced by Emma Thompson and starring Gillian Anderson, Jeffrey D. Brown’s film tells the story of a young Nepali girl who is trafficked to Kolkata, India.
Thompson commented: “It is wonderful to have our film premiered at London Indian Film Festival, to raise awareness of child-trafficking, which is an issue close to my heart and is shockingly on the increase world-wide. We hope that this film willmake people think and highlight the support for key charities such as The Helen Bamber Foundation and others working in this difficult area in India, Nepal and elsewhere.”
Other highlights of the festival include the UK premieres of Craig Gillespie’s Million Dollar Arm, starring Jon Hamm and Suraj Sharma, and [link=nm...
Sold will receive its European premiere as the opening film of this year’s London Indian Film Festival.
Executive produced by Emma Thompson and starring Gillian Anderson, Jeffrey D. Brown’s film tells the story of a young Nepali girl who is trafficked to Kolkata, India.
Thompson commented: “It is wonderful to have our film premiered at London Indian Film Festival, to raise awareness of child-trafficking, which is an issue close to my heart and is shockingly on the increase world-wide. We hope that this film willmake people think and highlight the support for key charities such as The Helen Bamber Foundation and others working in this difficult area in India, Nepal and elsewhere.”
Other highlights of the festival include the UK premieres of Craig Gillespie’s Million Dollar Arm, starring Jon Hamm and Suraj Sharma, and [link=nm...
- 6/11/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
This year the 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) includes a lineup of narrative and documentary features and short films. The impressive program reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema, as well as the future of Indian filmmaking, with cutting-edge filmmakers and emerging voices bringing their acclaimed films to Los Angeles.
The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Iffla will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception. Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. The film is written and directed by Iffla alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.
Iffla 2014 wil l present more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
“I'm thrilled and proud that Iffla's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. "We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films."
Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, Ugly an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of Netpac Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha , an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; Brahmin Bulls starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and Siddharth, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and Iffla alum Richie Mehta (Amal).
The festival's feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India's unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of
The Auction House , an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite Powerless, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; Faith Connections, Iffla alum Pan Nalin's beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning Shepherds of Paradise, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.
The Bollywood by Night series returns this year with Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bombay Talkies is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. Monsoon Shoutout is a thrilling debut by Iffla alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.
The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted Kush; Sundance award winner Love.Love.Love.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s The Fly.
Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website.
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com /iffla
Tumblr: http://indianfilmfestival.tumblr.com/
About Iffla
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
Opening Night Gala
Sold
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2014/97min
Director: Jeffrey D. Brown
Producer: Jane Charles
Executive Producer: Emma Thompson
Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown
Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant
Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.
Closing Night
Jadoo
Los Angeles Premiere
UK/2013/84 mins
Director: Amit Gupta
Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott
Screenwriter: Amit Gupta
Composer: Stephen Warbeck
Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey
Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.
Feature Films
Before My Eyes (Ankhon Dekhi)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/107min
Director: Rajat Kapoor Producer: Manish Mundra
Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao
Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’
Brahmin Bulls
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/96min/2013
Director: Mahesh Pailoor
Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji
Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner
Mahesh Pailoor's tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid's Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.
Fandry
North American Premiere
India/2013/103min
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha
Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule
Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule
Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule's impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family's struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya's carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family's "untouchable" status, and the film's gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film's explosive conclusion - Manjule's socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.
Hank and Asha
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/73min
Director: James E. Duff
Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides
James E. Duff's feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world's gotten smaller.
Liar's Dice
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/104min
Director: Geetu Mohandas
Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai
Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta
Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala's missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas' film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.
Phoring
North American Premiere
India/2013/128min
Director: Indranil Roychowdhury
Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal
Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha
Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee
Indranil Roychowdhury's stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel's presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.
Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013)
Los Angeles Premiere Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min
Director: Anup Singh
Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel
Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal
Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.
Siddharth
Los Angeles Premiere
Canada-India/2013/96min
Director: Richie Mehta
Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray
Screenwriter: Richie Mehta
Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee
A celebrated Iffla alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta's chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.
Ugly
North American Premiere
India/2013/128mins/Dcp
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Writer: Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari, Arun Rangachari
Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava
When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul's car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali's mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, Iffla alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that's sure to keep the heart racing.
Writers (Sulemani Keeda)
North American Premiere
India/2013/90min
Director: Amit V Masurkar
Writer: Amit V Masurkar
Producer: Datta Dave
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani
Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar's slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they're on the path to selling out. Masurkar's film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new "hindie" cinema.
Documentary Features
The Auction House: A Tale of Two Brothers
World Premiere
UK/2014/85min
Director: Ed Owles
Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi
The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.
Faith Connections
Los Angeles Premiere
France-India/2013/115min/Dcp
Director: Pan Nalin
Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe
Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. Iffla alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.
Powerless (Katiyabaaz)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/82min
Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler
Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa
In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.
Shepherds of Paradise
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/50min
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan
Composer: Bilal Iran
Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, Shepherds of Paradise is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.
Bollywood By Night
Bombay Talkies
North American Premiere
India/117min/2013
Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga
Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?
Monsoon Shootout
Los Angeles Premiere
India-uk-Netherlands/2013/88min
Director: Amit Kumar
Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt
Screenwriter: Amit Kumar
Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa
A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.
Shorts
Aarti
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
USA/2013/4min
Director: David Walter Lech
Producer: Terrie Samundra
A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.
Alchemy
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/5min
Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh
Producer: Pritesh Varia
A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.
Bhiwani Junction
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/18min
Director: Abhi Singh
Producer: Abhi Singh
A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.
Black Rock (Kaatal)
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/22min
Director: Vikrant Pawar
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.
The Fly (Makhi)
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
India/2013/31min
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.
Beloved (Humsafar)
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher
Producer: Dsk Supinfocom
A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.
Jaya
Shorts Program 2
USA/2013/19min
Director: Puja Maewal
Producer: Puja Maewal
Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.
Kush
Shorts Program 1
India/2013/25min
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani
A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.
Little Gypsy (Kachho Gadulo)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat
Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom
Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.
Love.Love.Love.
Shorts Program 2
Los Angeles Premiere
Russian Federation/2013/12min
Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram
Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko
An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. Love. Love.Love. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Outpost
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India-usa/2013/17min
Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai
Producer: Aditi Anand
In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.
Presence
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/17min
Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.
Skin Deep
Screens with Writers
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/20min
Director: Hardik Mehta
Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari
Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility--that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.
Small Yellow Field (Tau Seru)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
Australia-India/2013/8min
Director: Rodd Rathjen
Producer: Rodd Rathjen
In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad's curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.
The Puppet (Tamaash)
Screens with Shepherds Of Paradise
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/32min
Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control...
The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Iffla will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception. Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. The film is written and directed by Iffla alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.
Iffla 2014 wil l present more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
“I'm thrilled and proud that Iffla's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. "We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films."
Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, Ugly an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of Netpac Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha , an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; Brahmin Bulls starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and Siddharth, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and Iffla alum Richie Mehta (Amal).
The festival's feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India's unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of
The Auction House , an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite Powerless, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; Faith Connections, Iffla alum Pan Nalin's beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning Shepherds of Paradise, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.
The Bollywood by Night series returns this year with Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bombay Talkies is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. Monsoon Shoutout is a thrilling debut by Iffla alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.
The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted Kush; Sundance award winner Love.Love.Love.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s The Fly.
Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website.
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com /iffla
Tumblr: http://indianfilmfestival.tumblr.com/
About Iffla
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
Opening Night Gala
Sold
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2014/97min
Director: Jeffrey D. Brown
Producer: Jane Charles
Executive Producer: Emma Thompson
Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown
Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant
Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.
Closing Night
Jadoo
Los Angeles Premiere
UK/2013/84 mins
Director: Amit Gupta
Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott
Screenwriter: Amit Gupta
Composer: Stephen Warbeck
Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey
Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.
Feature Films
Before My Eyes (Ankhon Dekhi)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/107min
Director: Rajat Kapoor Producer: Manish Mundra
Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao
Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’
Brahmin Bulls
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/96min/2013
Director: Mahesh Pailoor
Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji
Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner
Mahesh Pailoor's tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid's Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.
Fandry
North American Premiere
India/2013/103min
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha
Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule
Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule
Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule's impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family's struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya's carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family's "untouchable" status, and the film's gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film's explosive conclusion - Manjule's socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.
Hank and Asha
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/73min
Director: James E. Duff
Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides
James E. Duff's feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world's gotten smaller.
Liar's Dice
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/104min
Director: Geetu Mohandas
Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai
Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta
Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala's missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas' film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.
Phoring
North American Premiere
India/2013/128min
Director: Indranil Roychowdhury
Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal
Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha
Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee
Indranil Roychowdhury's stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel's presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.
Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013)
Los Angeles Premiere Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min
Director: Anup Singh
Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel
Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal
Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.
Siddharth
Los Angeles Premiere
Canada-India/2013/96min
Director: Richie Mehta
Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray
Screenwriter: Richie Mehta
Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee
A celebrated Iffla alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta's chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.
Ugly
North American Premiere
India/2013/128mins/Dcp
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Writer: Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari, Arun Rangachari
Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava
When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul's car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali's mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, Iffla alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that's sure to keep the heart racing.
Writers (Sulemani Keeda)
North American Premiere
India/2013/90min
Director: Amit V Masurkar
Writer: Amit V Masurkar
Producer: Datta Dave
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani
Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar's slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they're on the path to selling out. Masurkar's film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new "hindie" cinema.
Documentary Features
The Auction House: A Tale of Two Brothers
World Premiere
UK/2014/85min
Director: Ed Owles
Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi
The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.
Faith Connections
Los Angeles Premiere
France-India/2013/115min/Dcp
Director: Pan Nalin
Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe
Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. Iffla alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.
Powerless (Katiyabaaz)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/82min
Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler
Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa
In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.
Shepherds of Paradise
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/50min
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan
Composer: Bilal Iran
Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, Shepherds of Paradise is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.
Bollywood By Night
Bombay Talkies
North American Premiere
India/117min/2013
Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga
Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?
Monsoon Shootout
Los Angeles Premiere
India-uk-Netherlands/2013/88min
Director: Amit Kumar
Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt
Screenwriter: Amit Kumar
Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa
A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.
Shorts
Aarti
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
USA/2013/4min
Director: David Walter Lech
Producer: Terrie Samundra
A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.
Alchemy
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/5min
Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh
Producer: Pritesh Varia
A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.
Bhiwani Junction
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/18min
Director: Abhi Singh
Producer: Abhi Singh
A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.
Black Rock (Kaatal)
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/22min
Director: Vikrant Pawar
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.
The Fly (Makhi)
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
India/2013/31min
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.
Beloved (Humsafar)
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher
Producer: Dsk Supinfocom
A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.
Jaya
Shorts Program 2
USA/2013/19min
Director: Puja Maewal
Producer: Puja Maewal
Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.
Kush
Shorts Program 1
India/2013/25min
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani
A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.
Little Gypsy (Kachho Gadulo)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat
Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom
Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.
Love.Love.Love.
Shorts Program 2
Los Angeles Premiere
Russian Federation/2013/12min
Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram
Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko
An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. Love. Love.Love. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Outpost
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India-usa/2013/17min
Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai
Producer: Aditi Anand
In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.
Presence
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/17min
Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.
Skin Deep
Screens with Writers
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/20min
Director: Hardik Mehta
Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari
Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility--that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.
Small Yellow Field (Tau Seru)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
Australia-India/2013/8min
Director: Rodd Rathjen
Producer: Rodd Rathjen
In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad's curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.
The Puppet (Tamaash)
Screens with Shepherds Of Paradise
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/32min
Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control...
- 4/8/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
From April 8th to the 11th, Indian films will once again be showcased in the Us at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). In its 12th year, Iffla boasts an incredible lineup of fabulous films that reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema. Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani says, “I’m thrilled and proud that Iffla’s line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora.”
Iffla 2014 presents 33 films that include feature films, documentaries and shorts. The festival will have three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
Bollywood will be well represented with three outstanding films all showing during the festival’s run.
Iffla 2014 presents 33 films that include feature films, documentaries and shorts. The festival will have three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
Bollywood will be well represented with three outstanding films all showing during the festival’s run.
- 3/21/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
A still from Jadoo
The 12th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla), to be held from April 8-13, announced its 2014 line-up of feature films and short films.
Amit Gupta’s Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s closing night gala. The film premiered at the 2013 Berlinale.
As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold. The 2014 edition of the festival will present more than 33 films.
Program highlights include the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly, Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, Anup Singh’s Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost and the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha by James E. Duff.
Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, Mahesh Pailoor’s Brahmin Bulls and Richie Mehta’s Siddharth will also be screened at the festival.
The festival’s feature...
The 12th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla), to be held from April 8-13, announced its 2014 line-up of feature films and short films.
Amit Gupta’s Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s closing night gala. The film premiered at the 2013 Berlinale.
As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold. The 2014 edition of the festival will present more than 33 films.
Program highlights include the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly, Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, Anup Singh’s Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost and the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha by James E. Duff.
Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, Mahesh Pailoor’s Brahmin Bulls and Richie Mehta’s Siddharth will also be screened at the festival.
The festival’s feature...
- 3/19/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Iffla alum Amit Gupta’s film will close the 12th Indian Film Festival Of Los Angeles (Iffla) set to run in Hollywood from April 8-13.
Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison and Madhur Jaffrey star in Jadoo, which premiered in Berlin.
As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D Brown’s Sold, on which Emma Thompson serves as executive producer.
All in all Iffla 2014 will screen 33 films including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six Us premieres and 16 Los Angeles premieres.
“I’m thrilled and proud that Iffla’s line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla artistic director Jasmine Jaisinghani.
“We would like to thank our programming advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films.”
Programme highlights include the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s psychothriller Ugly, Sundance premiere...
Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison and Madhur Jaffrey star in Jadoo, which premiered in Berlin.
As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D Brown’s Sold, on which Emma Thompson serves as executive producer.
All in all Iffla 2014 will screen 33 films including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six Us premieres and 16 Los Angeles premieres.
“I’m thrilled and proud that Iffla’s line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla artistic director Jasmine Jaisinghani.
“We would like to thank our programming advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films.”
Programme highlights include the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s psychothriller Ugly, Sundance premiere...
- 3/18/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
With a promise to be back next year, bigger and better, the final day of the 15th Mumbai Film Festival presented by Reliance Entertainment and organized by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (Mami) unfolded.
After a week of celebrating cinema, the final few films screened today included Red Wedding directed by Guillaume Suon and Lida Chan, Short Term 12 by Destin Cretton, Saving General Yang directed by Ronny Yu, Hiroshi Toda’s Seventh Cat, Five Years by Stefan Schaller, Costa Gavras’s Amen and the much acclaimed Z, A Few Days More by Om Prakash Srivastava among others.
The last of the 15th Mumbai Film Festival’s master classes was conducted by the legendary director Bruce Beresford, on Preparation by the Director. “I thought I would talk about the necessity of story boarding. These days, with tight budgets and short schedules, if you don’t plan them, you’ll...
After a week of celebrating cinema, the final few films screened today included Red Wedding directed by Guillaume Suon and Lida Chan, Short Term 12 by Destin Cretton, Saving General Yang directed by Ronny Yu, Hiroshi Toda’s Seventh Cat, Five Years by Stefan Schaller, Costa Gavras’s Amen and the much acclaimed Z, A Few Days More by Om Prakash Srivastava among others.
The last of the 15th Mumbai Film Festival’s master classes was conducted by the legendary director Bruce Beresford, on Preparation by the Director. “I thought I would talk about the necessity of story boarding. These days, with tight budgets and short schedules, if you don’t plan them, you’ll...
- 10/26/2013
- by Pooja Rao
- Bollyspice
Veteran Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal and Qissa director Anup Singh are among the filmmakers who have had projects selected for the Co-production Market at this year’s Film Bazaar in Goa, India.Scroll down for full list of projects
Benegal has been making award-winning films since the 1970s – most recently satires Welcome To Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba. Singh’s Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost is currently having a successful run on the festival circuit.
International projects at Film Bazaar include Amok, from Chilean director Valeria Sarmiento and produced by the UK’s Anna Holburn; UK filmmaker Robert Mullan’s Son Of India; Malabar Court, directed by Niara Modi and produced by Canada’s Paul Scherzer; and Polish director Piotr Trzaskalski’s Incredible.
The line-up also include one project in partnership with the Netherlands’ Boost programme, Bikas Mishra’s Wild Fire, and one project with Ifp, Varenya directed by Shripriya Mahesh.
Organised by the...
Benegal has been making award-winning films since the 1970s – most recently satires Welcome To Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba. Singh’s Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost is currently having a successful run on the festival circuit.
International projects at Film Bazaar include Amok, from Chilean director Valeria Sarmiento and produced by the UK’s Anna Holburn; UK filmmaker Robert Mullan’s Son Of India; Malabar Court, directed by Niara Modi and produced by Canada’s Paul Scherzer; and Polish director Piotr Trzaskalski’s Incredible.
The line-up also include one project in partnership with the Netherlands’ Boost programme, Bikas Mishra’s Wild Fire, and one project with Ifp, Varenya directed by Shripriya Mahesh.
Organised by the...
- 10/22/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
F rom the works of masters like Costa-Gavras and Asghar Farhadi to newcomers like Nagraj Manjule and Kim Mordaunt, the Mumbai Film Festival 2013 offers above 200 films to choose from for an entire week!
Anu Rangachar, the Program Director of Mumbai Film Festival, lists her 20 favourite films in the lineup.
1. The Act of Killing
Dir.: Joshua Oppenheimer (2012 / Col. / 115′)
Section: The Real Reel
The film won the Panorama Audience Award and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival 2013 and the Cph:dox Award at the Cph:dox Film Festival 2012. It has bagged several other awards in film festivals at Istanbul, Prague, Geneva, Warsaw, Barcelona, Zagreb, Mexico, etc.
An Indonesian documentary, The Act of Killing challenges the total impunity on genocide by the death squad leaders. In 1965, Anwar Congo and his friends were promoted to the ranks of Death Squad Leaders to help the army obliterate more than one million alleged communists,...
Anu Rangachar, the Program Director of Mumbai Film Festival, lists her 20 favourite films in the lineup.
1. The Act of Killing
Dir.: Joshua Oppenheimer (2012 / Col. / 115′)
Section: The Real Reel
The film won the Panorama Audience Award and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival 2013 and the Cph:dox Award at the Cph:dox Film Festival 2012. It has bagged several other awards in film festivals at Istanbul, Prague, Geneva, Warsaw, Barcelona, Zagreb, Mexico, etc.
An Indonesian documentary, The Act of Killing challenges the total impunity on genocide by the death squad leaders. In 1965, Anwar Congo and his friends were promoted to the ranks of Death Squad Leaders to help the army obliterate more than one million alleged communists,...
- 10/10/2013
- by Editorial Team
- DearCinema.com
Lee Daniels’ The Butler will open the 15th Mumbai Film Festival (October 17-24), which will screen more than 200 films from 65 countries and award $220,000 in cash prizes.
Presented by Reliance Entertainment and organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (Mami), the festival features four competitions sections, including the India Gold competition for Indian features (see full line-up below).
The International Competition for First Features has selected 13 films including Kim Morduant’s The Rocket; Singapore’s Oscar submission Ilo Ilo, directed by Anthony Chen; UK director Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon.
The International Competition jury is headed by Bruce Beresford, while Asghar Farhadi is presiding over the India Gold jury; Indian director Hansal Mehta (Shahid) is heading the Celebrate Age jury, and Shoojit Sircar (Vicky Donor) is heading the Dimensions Mumbai jury.
The World Cinema section includes festival hits such as Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue Is The Warmest Color, [link...
Presented by Reliance Entertainment and organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (Mami), the festival features four competitions sections, including the India Gold competition for Indian features (see full line-up below).
The International Competition for First Features has selected 13 films including Kim Morduant’s The Rocket; Singapore’s Oscar submission Ilo Ilo, directed by Anthony Chen; UK director Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon.
The International Competition jury is headed by Bruce Beresford, while Asghar Farhadi is presiding over the India Gold jury; Indian director Hansal Mehta (Shahid) is heading the Celebrate Age jury, and Shoojit Sircar (Vicky Donor) is heading the Dimensions Mumbai jury.
The World Cinema section includes festival hits such as Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue Is The Warmest Color, [link...
- 9/26/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Lee Daniels’ The Butler will open the 15th Mumbai Film Festival (October 17-24), which will screen more than 200 films from 65 countries and award $220,000 in cash prizes.
Presented by Reliance Entertainment and organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (Mami), the festival features four competitions sections, including the India Gold competition for Indian features (see full line-up below).
The International Competition for First Features has selected 13 films including Kim Morduant’s The Rocket; Singapore’s Oscar submission Ilo Ilo, directed by Anthony Chen; UK director Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon.
The International Competition jury is headed by Bruce Beresford, while Asghar Farhadi is presiding over the India Gold jury; Indian director Hansal Mehta (Shahid) is heading the Celebrate Age jury, and Shoojit Sircar (Vicky Donor) is heading the Dimensions Mumbai jury.
The World Cinema section includes festival hits such as Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue Is The Warmest Color, [link...
Presented by Reliance Entertainment and organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (Mami), the festival features four competitions sections, including the India Gold competition for Indian features (see full line-up below).
The International Competition for First Features has selected 13 films including Kim Morduant’s The Rocket; Singapore’s Oscar submission Ilo Ilo, directed by Anthony Chen; UK director Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon.
The International Competition jury is headed by Bruce Beresford, while Asghar Farhadi is presiding over the India Gold jury; Indian director Hansal Mehta (Shahid) is heading the Celebrate Age jury, and Shoojit Sircar (Vicky Donor) is heading the Dimensions Mumbai jury.
The World Cinema section includes festival hits such as Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue Is The Warmest Color, [link...
- 9/26/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
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