Co-production Market to feature new projects from Kanu Behl, Aditya Vikram Sengupta and Nandita Das, along with Ritesh Batra’s first project as a producer.
Film Bazaar, hosted by India’s National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc), has unveiled the 19 South Asian projects selected for this year’s Co-production Market.
The line-up includes new projects from Kanu Behl, whose Titli premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard 2014; Aditya Vikram Sengupta, director of Venice 2014 title Labor Of Love; acclaimed Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage; and Fahad Mustafa, whose credits include award-winning documentary Katiyabaaz.
In addition, Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox) is stepping into producing with Raj Rish More’s Pirates, which Batra will produce through his new outfit Poetic License Motion Pictures.
Drishyam Films’ Manish Mundra is bringing a new project from Amit V Masurkar (Sulemani Keeda), while acclaimed filmmaker Nandita Das will present her new project Manto at Film Bazaar.
The market is introducing a new feature this year – Open...
Film Bazaar, hosted by India’s National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc), has unveiled the 19 South Asian projects selected for this year’s Co-production Market.
The line-up includes new projects from Kanu Behl, whose Titli premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard 2014; Aditya Vikram Sengupta, director of Venice 2014 title Labor Of Love; acclaimed Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage; and Fahad Mustafa, whose credits include award-winning documentary Katiyabaaz.
In addition, Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox) is stepping into producing with Raj Rish More’s Pirates, which Batra will produce through his new outfit Poetic License Motion Pictures.
Drishyam Films’ Manish Mundra is bringing a new project from Amit V Masurkar (Sulemani Keeda), while acclaimed filmmaker Nandita Das will present her new project Manto at Film Bazaar.
The market is introducing a new feature this year – Open...
- 10/12/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The biggest Austin Film Society event for this week (an advance screening of Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter) is already sold out, but It still has some gems on the calendar. The org is hosting a secret double feature at the Afs Screening Room on Sunday afternoon with Fred Frey, a film collector who specializes in European exploitation and crime films. He'll be screening two rare 16mm prints from his private collection.
On Wednesday night, Afs is teaming up with IndieMeme for Katiyabaaz (Powerless), a documentary about the Indian city of Kanpur and the limitations of their electrical grid to power over 3 million residents. Filmmaker Fahad Mustafa will be in attendance for a Q&A. Thursday night brings another installment of Essential Cinema. This month's theme "Children Of Abraham/Ibrahim 9: Films Of The Middle East Diaspora" and this week you'll get a 35mm print of the 1997 Miramax release My Son,...
- 2/27/2015
- by Matt Shiverdecker
- Slackerwood
Chaitanya Tamhane’s “Court”
Zurich Film Festival will showcase a package of 12 Indian features and six shorts under “New World View” section in its 10th edition that runs from September 25- October 5, 2014. The package includes latest Indian films like Chaitanya Tamhane’s Venice “Lion of the future” winner Court and recent festival favourites like Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus and Kanu Behl’s Titli.
Apart from features, a package of shorts curated by Swiss short film festival Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur will be on display as well. The package has six shorts made by: Anurag Goswami , Varun Chawla , Hossein Mozdgir Roozane , Rodd Rathjen , Payal Kapadia and Gitanjali Rao.
Here is the complete list of feature films to be screened at the festival:-
Court by Chaitanya Tamhane
Fandry by Nagraj Manjule
Gulabi Gang by Nishtha Jain
I.D by Kamal K.M.
Katiyabaaz by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa
Liar’s Dice...
Zurich Film Festival will showcase a package of 12 Indian features and six shorts under “New World View” section in its 10th edition that runs from September 25- October 5, 2014. The package includes latest Indian films like Chaitanya Tamhane’s Venice “Lion of the future” winner Court and recent festival favourites like Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus and Kanu Behl’s Titli.
Apart from features, a package of shorts curated by Swiss short film festival Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur will be on display as well. The package has six shorts made by: Anurag Goswami , Varun Chawla , Hossein Mozdgir Roozane , Rodd Rathjen , Payal Kapadia and Gitanjali Rao.
Here is the complete list of feature films to be screened at the festival:-
Court by Chaitanya Tamhane
Fandry by Nagraj Manjule
Gulabi Gang by Nishtha Jain
I.D by Kamal K.M.
Katiyabaaz by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa
Liar’s Dice...
- 9/12/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The Chicago South Asian Film Festival, to be held between September 18th and 21st, will open with Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice. The film has Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Geetanjali Thapa in lead roles and was screened at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout will be the centerpiece film of the festival. Agneya Singh’s M Cream will be screened as the Friday night feature. Rajat Kapoor’s Ankhon Dekhi will close the Festival on Sunday evening.
Here is the complete lineup of the festival:
A Boy Called Boris (Director: Ashok Vish): World Premiere; Short Film; United States; Max Kolby, Brian Gildea, Jose Amor
Algorithms (Director: Ian McDonald): U.S. Premiere; Documentary; India
Ankhon Dekhi (Director: Rajat Kapoor): Chicago Premiere; Feature; India; Sanjay Mishra, Rajat Kapoor, Seema Pahwa
Are You Listening! – Shunte Ki Pao! (Director: Kamar Ahmad Simon): U.S. Premiere...
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout will be the centerpiece film of the festival. Agneya Singh’s M Cream will be screened as the Friday night feature. Rajat Kapoor’s Ankhon Dekhi will close the Festival on Sunday evening.
Here is the complete lineup of the festival:
A Boy Called Boris (Director: Ashok Vish): World Premiere; Short Film; United States; Max Kolby, Brian Gildea, Jose Amor
Algorithms (Director: Ian McDonald): U.S. Premiere; Documentary; India
Ankhon Dekhi (Director: Rajat Kapoor): Chicago Premiere; Feature; India; Sanjay Mishra, Rajat Kapoor, Seema Pahwa
Are You Listening! – Shunte Ki Pao! (Director: Kamar Ahmad Simon): U.S. Premiere...
- 9/9/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Vikramaditya Motwane along with director duo Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa did a live video chat for the award winning documentary Katiyabaaz, presented by Phantom Films. Not only this, the lead actor Loha Singh and Ad Faizi Mustafa also joined in.
The director duo revealed that they shot for two and a half years for the film and how they took the help of localites from Kanpur for the film. Loha Singh expressed his desire to work with Madhuri Dixit.
Katiyabaaz is the story of electricity theft in Kanpur told through the eyes of two protagonists: Loha Singh, a katiyabaaz and Ritu Maheshwari, an Ias officer. It tells the story of the electricity crisis in small town India. It premiered at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and has traveled to 50 festivals across all continents. It was awarded the National Film Award and Best Indian Film award at Mumbai Film Festival last year.
The director duo revealed that they shot for two and a half years for the film and how they took the help of localites from Kanpur for the film. Loha Singh expressed his desire to work with Madhuri Dixit.
Katiyabaaz is the story of electricity theft in Kanpur told through the eyes of two protagonists: Loha Singh, a katiyabaaz and Ritu Maheshwari, an Ias officer. It tells the story of the electricity crisis in small town India. It premiered at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and has traveled to 50 festivals across all continents. It was awarded the National Film Award and Best Indian Film award at Mumbai Film Festival last year.
- 8/21/2014
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
Catch Vikramaditya Motwane and director duo Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa in an exciting and unique live video chat for the award winning documentary Katiyabaaz, presented by Phantom Films.
The Google hangout is scheduled for August 20, 2014 at 2.00 pm and the audience can view it live on Glamsham’s Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/glamsham).
Katiyabaaz is the story of electricity theft in Kanpur told through the eyes of two protagonists – Loha Singh, a katiyabaaz and Ritu Maheshwari, an Ias officer. It tells the story of the electricity crisis in small town India. It premiered at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and has traveled to 50 festivals across all continents. It was awarded the National Film Award and Best Indian Film award at Mumbai Film Festival last year.
Katiyabaaz will release across India on 22nd August.
Check out the trailer of the documentary.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcUMZwCc38
Chat...
The Google hangout is scheduled for August 20, 2014 at 2.00 pm and the audience can view it live on Glamsham’s Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/glamsham).
Katiyabaaz is the story of electricity theft in Kanpur told through the eyes of two protagonists – Loha Singh, a katiyabaaz and Ritu Maheshwari, an Ias officer. It tells the story of the electricity crisis in small town India. It premiered at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and has traveled to 50 festivals across all continents. It was awarded the National Film Award and Best Indian Film award at Mumbai Film Festival last year.
Katiyabaaz will release across India on 22nd August.
Check out the trailer of the documentary.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcUMZwCc38
Chat...
- 8/20/2014
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
Indian producer-distributor Phantom Films has picked up local award-winning documentary Powerless (Katiyabaaz) and will release the film this weekend on 30 screens.
Directed by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa, the film explores issues such as power supply and bureaucracy through the story of a charismatic electricity thief who supplies his neighbours with illegal power lines. Over the course of a sweltering summer, he takes on local officials including the first female managing director of the Kanpur Electricity Supply Company.
After premiering at the Berlin film festival in 2013, the film travelled to more than 50 festivals and won an Indian National Award for best investigative film. It also won the top award in the India Gold competition at the Mumbai Film Festival last October.
Powerless opens on August 22 on 30 screens across India’s major cities. Several Indian documentaries have recently managed to secure a theatrical release, including The World Before Her, Gulabi Gang, Supermen Of Malegoan...
Directed by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa, the film explores issues such as power supply and bureaucracy through the story of a charismatic electricity thief who supplies his neighbours with illegal power lines. Over the course of a sweltering summer, he takes on local officials including the first female managing director of the Kanpur Electricity Supply Company.
After premiering at the Berlin film festival in 2013, the film travelled to more than 50 festivals and won an Indian National Award for best investigative film. It also won the top award in the India Gold competition at the Mumbai Film Festival last October.
Powerless opens on August 22 on 30 screens across India’s major cities. Several Indian documentaries have recently managed to secure a theatrical release, including The World Before Her, Gulabi Gang, Supermen Of Malegoan...
- 8/12/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s award winning documentary, Katiyabaaz,will release in 15 cities of India starting August 22.
The film is being presented by Phantom Films owned by Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena and Vikas Bahl.
In the first phase, the film will release in about 45 screens in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kanpur, Chandigarh and Jaipur.
“The release happened through Vikramaditya Motwane. He saw the film at a screening that we did for the film industry in Mumbai, and immediately offered to help us bring it to the theaters,” said Fahad Mustafa.
The film revolves around Loha Singh, a nimble young electrician who provides robin-hood style services to the poor in a city with 15-hour power cuts. Meanwhile, the first female chief of the electricity supply company is on a mission to dismantle the illegal connections, for good.
Katiyabaaz won the 61st National Award for Best Investigative Film.
The film is being presented by Phantom Films owned by Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena and Vikas Bahl.
In the first phase, the film will release in about 45 screens in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kanpur, Chandigarh and Jaipur.
“The release happened through Vikramaditya Motwane. He saw the film at a screening that we did for the film industry in Mumbai, and immediately offered to help us bring it to the theaters,” said Fahad Mustafa.
The film revolves around Loha Singh, a nimble young electrician who provides robin-hood style services to the poor in a city with 15-hour power cuts. Meanwhile, the first female chief of the electricity supply company is on a mission to dismantle the illegal connections, for good.
Katiyabaaz won the 61st National Award for Best Investigative Film.
- 7/23/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Known for some unconventional cinema, Phantom recently celebrated success with films like Queen and Hasee Toh Phasee. And now the production house will soon be presenting the documentary Katiyabaaz. Though in an individual capacity, Anurag Kashyap has been involved with acclaimed documentaries like The World Before Her and Superman of Malegaon, but, for the production house it's a maiden attempt. Vikramaditya Motwane will be spearheading the project. Katiyabaaz is the story of electricity theft in Kanpur. It has been showcased at various film festivals and has won a lot of awards. After garnering all the appreciation and critical acclaim overseas, the makers Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa will be releasing it in India on August 22. The trailer launch of Katiyabaaz will be held on July 22 in Mumbai.
- 7/21/2014
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
What:
Screening of award-winning documentary Katiyabaaz (Powerless) with the directors, Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa
When:
July 4, 2014. 5 pm
Where:
At Godrej India Culture Lab.
Auditorium (Above canteen)
Gate 2, Godrej Industries
Vikhroli (E)
Entry:
Free for all. Please RSVP to indiaculturelab@godrejinds.com
About the film:
Katiyabaaz is a documentary about the electrical supply in Kanpur and its diabolical complexity. It won the National Award for Best Investigative Film this year.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers, Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa.
Screening of award-winning documentary Katiyabaaz (Powerless) with the directors, Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa
When:
July 4, 2014. 5 pm
Where:
At Godrej India Culture Lab.
Auditorium (Above canteen)
Gate 2, Godrej Industries
Vikhroli (E)
Entry:
Free for all. Please RSVP to indiaculturelab@godrejinds.com
About the film:
Katiyabaaz is a documentary about the electrical supply in Kanpur and its diabolical complexity. It won the National Award for Best Investigative Film this year.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers, Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa.
- 6/27/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Independent films swept the 61st National Film awards in all the major categories. Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus was named the Best Feature Film.
The award for Best Director went to Hansal Mehta for Shahid. Shahid also won Rajkummar Rao the award for Best Actor which he shares with Suraj Venjaramoodu for Malayalam-film Perariyathavar.
The National Award for Best Actress went to Geetanjali Thapa for Liar’s Dice. The film also won the Best Cinematography award for Rajeev Ravi.
Fandry won the award for Best Debut Film of a Director. The award for Best Child Actor went to Somnath Avghade for Fandry which he shares with Sadhana for Tamil film Thanga Meengal.
The National award for Best Production Design went to Ashim Ahluwalia, Tabsheer Zutshi and Parichit Paralkar for Miss Lovely. The film also won the Special Jury award.
Best Children’s Film went to Batul Mukhtiyar’s Kaphal.
The award for Best Director went to Hansal Mehta for Shahid. Shahid also won Rajkummar Rao the award for Best Actor which he shares with Suraj Venjaramoodu for Malayalam-film Perariyathavar.
The National Award for Best Actress went to Geetanjali Thapa for Liar’s Dice. The film also won the Best Cinematography award for Rajeev Ravi.
Fandry won the award for Best Debut Film of a Director. The award for Best Child Actor went to Somnath Avghade for Fandry which he shares with Sadhana for Tamil film Thanga Meengal.
The National award for Best Production Design went to Ashim Ahluwalia, Tabsheer Zutshi and Parichit Paralkar for Miss Lovely. The film also won the Special Jury award.
Best Children’s Film went to Batul Mukhtiyar’s Kaphal.
- 4/16/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
A still from Alchemy
Nagraj Manjule’s critically acclaimed film Fandry won the Jury Grand Prize for narrative feature film at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) 2014.
“It is an award for me that I am here in La, in the USA,” Manjule said in his acceptance speech.
Siddharth by Richie Mehta won the audience choice award in narrative feature category.
In the documentary category, Powerless (Katiyabaaz) by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa won the Jury award and Pan Nalin’s Faith Connections won the Audience Choice award.
Alchemy, directed by Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat and Janmeet Singh, won the Jury Prize in the short film category while Kush by Shubhashish Bhutiani won the Audience Choice award.
The 12th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles was held from April 8-13, 2014.
Nagraj Manjule’s critically acclaimed film Fandry won the Jury Grand Prize for narrative feature film at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) 2014.
“It is an award for me that I am here in La, in the USA,” Manjule said in his acceptance speech.
Siddharth by Richie Mehta won the audience choice award in narrative feature category.
In the documentary category, Powerless (Katiyabaaz) by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa won the Jury award and Pan Nalin’s Faith Connections won the Audience Choice award.
Alchemy, directed by Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat and Janmeet Singh, won the Jury Prize in the short film category while Kush by Shubhashish Bhutiani won the Audience Choice award.
The 12th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles was held from April 8-13, 2014.
- 4/14/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
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
Like Ants For Sugar, a documentary film project by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya, received a Development Grant under the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program. The documentary chronicles the travelling tent cinemas of India.
Like Ants for Sugar was also selected for the Viewfinder Asia Workshop organized by Al Jazeera and Asian Network of Documentary (And) of the Busan International Film Festival in 2013. It won the Best Project Award at Docedge Kolkata as well as the Jury Special Award at Asian Side of the Doc 2013 held in Malaysia.
Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program provides creative and financial support to cinematic feature documentaries from independent filmmakers globally. In addition to financing, the Program offers a year-round suite of creative support opportunities including Creative Labs, Fellowships, and editorial consultation. The Fall 2013 round of the program accepted nearly 750 applications worldwide from filmmakers working in 93 countries. Selected grantees include original voices from in-country artists from Bangladesh,...
Like Ants for Sugar was also selected for the Viewfinder Asia Workshop organized by Al Jazeera and Asian Network of Documentary (And) of the Busan International Film Festival in 2013. It won the Best Project Award at Docedge Kolkata as well as the Jury Special Award at Asian Side of the Doc 2013 held in Malaysia.
Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program provides creative and financial support to cinematic feature documentaries from independent filmmakers globally. In addition to financing, the Program offers a year-round suite of creative support opportunities including Creative Labs, Fellowships, and editorial consultation. The Fall 2013 round of the program accepted nearly 750 applications worldwide from filmmakers working in 93 countries. Selected grantees include original voices from in-country artists from Bangladesh,...
- 3/21/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
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
400 million people in India have no access to electricity. Screened at the Göteborg International Film Festival, Powerless (Katiyabaaz) is a highly charged documentary that tries to shed some light on India’s gigantic electric dilemma.
The film focuses on two inhabitants of the city of Kanpur, India, both representing different sides of the system. One is Loha, a man who is well known throughout the city, giving electricity to those who cannot afford it. The other is Rita, the woman in charge of the city’s power grid, Kesco, who must try to track down all of the illegal electricity usage in the city while listening to the citizen’s complaints. Soon sparks fly between the people and the electricity company when electricity demand exceeds supply and chaos ensues which results in the failure of the power grid and loss of power for a few days.
Although the film follows the story of one man,...
The film focuses on two inhabitants of the city of Kanpur, India, both representing different sides of the system. One is Loha, a man who is well known throughout the city, giving electricity to those who cannot afford it. The other is Rita, the woman in charge of the city’s power grid, Kesco, who must try to track down all of the illegal electricity usage in the city while listening to the citizen’s complaints. Soon sparks fly between the people and the electricity company when electricity demand exceeds supply and chaos ensues which results in the failure of the power grid and loss of power for a few days.
Although the film follows the story of one man,...
- 3/17/2014
- by Marie Ferrer
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox will open the 20th edition of the Bradford International Film Festival in the UK. Deepti Kakkar & Fahad Mustafa’s acclaimed documentary Katiyabaaz (Powerless) will also have a screening at the festival, scheduled to take place from 27 March- 6 April.
Currently running successfully in the United States, Irrfan-Nimrat Kaur starrer The Lunchbox is the story of a housewife, Ila and Saajan Fernandes, who correspond to each other in letters sent inside a lunchbox. Distributed by Sony Classics in the Us, The Lunchbox is one of the most successful Indian films in the festival circuit. It opened to critical acclaim in India last year.
Katiyabaaz (Powerless) traces the city of Kanpur that has 15-hour power cuts and hundreds of people stealing electricity, amidst high risks, to meet their needs. The real trouble starts with the entry of the first female chief of the electricity company who...
Currently running successfully in the United States, Irrfan-Nimrat Kaur starrer The Lunchbox is the story of a housewife, Ila and Saajan Fernandes, who correspond to each other in letters sent inside a lunchbox. Distributed by Sony Classics in the Us, The Lunchbox is one of the most successful Indian films in the festival circuit. It opened to critical acclaim in India last year.
Katiyabaaz (Powerless) traces the city of Kanpur that has 15-hour power cuts and hundreds of people stealing electricity, amidst high risks, to meet their needs. The real trouble starts with the entry of the first female chief of the electricity company who...
- 3/6/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The 37th edition of the Göteborg International Film Festival (Giff) will screen seven Indian films, the highest ever in the history of the festival.
Nagraj Manjule’s Marathi-language film Fandry and Janaki Vishwanathan’s political satire Yeh Hai Bakrapur will be screened at the festival. Both these films were screened at the Mumbai Film Festival last year.
The festival will also screen Anup Singh’s Qissa and Batul Mukhtiar’s Kaphal along with Prakash Jha’s political drama Satyagraha.
Two Indian documentaries will be screened at the festival: Katiyabaaz (Powerless) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar and Quarter No. 4/11 by Ranu Ghosh. While Katiyabaaz traces Kanpur, a city with 15-hour power cuts and hundreds of people stealing electricity amidst high risks, to meet their needs; Quarter No. 4/11 deals with the people who were forced out of their homes in Kolkata to make way for the South City project.
The 37th...
Nagraj Manjule’s Marathi-language film Fandry and Janaki Vishwanathan’s political satire Yeh Hai Bakrapur will be screened at the festival. Both these films were screened at the Mumbai Film Festival last year.
The festival will also screen Anup Singh’s Qissa and Batul Mukhtiar’s Kaphal along with Prakash Jha’s political drama Satyagraha.
Two Indian documentaries will be screened at the festival: Katiyabaaz (Powerless) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar and Quarter No. 4/11 by Ranu Ghosh. While Katiyabaaz traces Kanpur, a city with 15-hour power cuts and hundreds of people stealing electricity amidst high risks, to meet their needs; Quarter No. 4/11 deals with the people who were forced out of their homes in Kolkata to make way for the South City project.
The 37th...
- 1/20/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
A still from “My Name is Salt”
My Name is Salt, a documentary by Farida Pacha, has been nominated for First Appearance Competition at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa). The other two nominees in this category are Ariel by Laura Bari (Canada) and Judgment in Hungary by Eszter Hajdú (Hungary / Germany).
The winner of the competition will be announced on Friday in Amsterdam. The award consists of a cash component of €5,000. Besides, the Jury will present the Peter Wintonick Special Jury Award for First Appearance (€2,500) named after the Canadian filmmaker who passed away earlier this month.
My Name is Salt (India/Switzerland) revolves around the families that move to a barren desert in India year after year. They work for eight months straight to produce the “whitest salt in the world”, until monsoon season is upon them. The documentary patiently observes the intense work done by a family of salt pan workers.
My Name is Salt, a documentary by Farida Pacha, has been nominated for First Appearance Competition at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa). The other two nominees in this category are Ariel by Laura Bari (Canada) and Judgment in Hungary by Eszter Hajdú (Hungary / Germany).
The winner of the competition will be announced on Friday in Amsterdam. The award consists of a cash component of €5,000. Besides, the Jury will present the Peter Wintonick Special Jury Award for First Appearance (€2,500) named after the Canadian filmmaker who passed away earlier this month.
My Name is Salt (India/Switzerland) revolves around the families that move to a barren desert in India year after year. They work for eight months straight to produce the “whitest salt in the world”, until monsoon season is upon them. The documentary patiently observes the intense work done by a family of salt pan workers.
- 11/28/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Eight Indian films will be part of a Retrospective on Indian documentaries at the Cinema Verite Iran International Documentary Film Festival.
The films are Bahadur The Accidental Brave by Aditya Seth, There Is Something In The Air by Iram Ghufran, The Women In Blue Berets by Farida Pacha, Mayong: Myth/Reality by Utpal Borpujari, Director, Painter Shri Babura Laad Saheb by Richa Hushing, Dhananjay Kulkarni “Chandragupta” by Rirvu Laha, The Sound Of Old Rooms by Sandeep Ray and Powerless (Katiyabaaz) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar.
Organised by the Documentary & Experimental Film Center (Defc), the 7th edition of the annual documentary festival will be held from December 10-17, 2013 in Tehran.
Bahadur The Accidental Brave traces the Nepalese labour migration to India. Their high risk sexual behaviour makes them susceptible to HIV. The documentary is an in-depth look into the social, economic and political life of the Nepalese migrants.
There Is...
The films are Bahadur The Accidental Brave by Aditya Seth, There Is Something In The Air by Iram Ghufran, The Women In Blue Berets by Farida Pacha, Mayong: Myth/Reality by Utpal Borpujari, Director, Painter Shri Babura Laad Saheb by Richa Hushing, Dhananjay Kulkarni “Chandragupta” by Rirvu Laha, The Sound Of Old Rooms by Sandeep Ray and Powerless (Katiyabaaz) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar.
Organised by the Documentary & Experimental Film Center (Defc), the 7th edition of the annual documentary festival will be held from December 10-17, 2013 in Tehran.
Bahadur The Accidental Brave traces the Nepalese labour migration to India. Their high risk sexual behaviour makes them susceptible to HIV. The documentary is an in-depth look into the social, economic and political life of the Nepalese migrants.
There Is...
- 11/7/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Mumbai, Oct 26: From the French lesbian coming-of-age story to the power crisis in Kanpur, this year's Mumbai Film Festival, which concluded Thursday, presented a bouquet of films from different parts of the world that managed to entertain as well inspire audiences.
Ians lists top ten films of the fest:
- "Katiyabaaz": One of the funniest as well stimulating films of the fest was "Katiyabaaz", which revolves around the power crisis in Kanpur, where most underprivileged people steal electricity for a living. Directed by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa, the documentary features real-life actors and boasts a very quirky narrative..
Ians lists top ten films of the fest:
- "Katiyabaaz": One of the funniest as well stimulating films of the fest was "Katiyabaaz", which revolves around the power crisis in Kanpur, where most underprivileged people steal electricity for a living. Directed by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa, the documentary features real-life actors and boasts a very quirky narrative..
- 10/26/2013
- by Leon David
- RealBollywood.com
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
Diego Quemada-Diez scoops top prize; Nagraj Manjule wins jury award.Scroll down for full list of winners
Mexican film A Golden Dream (La Jaula De Oro) scooped the top prize, the Golden Gateway Of India award, in the Mumbai Film Festival’s international competition for first features, while Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry was awarded the Jury Grand Prize.
Directed by Diego Quemada-Diez, who started his career as an assistant to Ken Loach, A Golden Dream (fka The Golden Cage)follows the journey of three young Guatemalans attempting to emigrate to the Us.
The film debuted at Cannes in May where it won the Talent award in the Un Certain Regard section. It recently won the Best International Feature Film at the Zurich Film Festival.
The only Indian film in competition, the Marathi-language Fandry revolves around an “untouchable” or Dalit boy and his love for a girl from a higher caste.
Anthony Chen’s [link...
Mexican film A Golden Dream (La Jaula De Oro) scooped the top prize, the Golden Gateway Of India award, in the Mumbai Film Festival’s international competition for first features, while Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry was awarded the Jury Grand Prize.
Directed by Diego Quemada-Diez, who started his career as an assistant to Ken Loach, A Golden Dream (fka The Golden Cage)follows the journey of three young Guatemalans attempting to emigrate to the Us.
The film debuted at Cannes in May where it won the Talent award in the Un Certain Regard section. It recently won the Best International Feature Film at the Zurich Film Festival.
The only Indian film in competition, the Marathi-language Fandry revolves around an “untouchable” or Dalit boy and his love for a girl from a higher caste.
Anthony Chen’s [link...
- 10/25/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Diego Quemada-Diez scoops top prize; Nagraj Manjule wins jury award.Scroll down for full list of winners
Mexican film The Golden Cage (La Jaula De Oro) scooped the top prize, the Golden Gateway Of India award, in the Mumbai Film Festival’s international competition for first features, while Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry was awarded the Jury Grand Prize.
Directed by Diego Quemada-Diez, who started his career as an assistant to Ken Loach, The Golden Cage follows the journey of three young Guatemalans attempting to emigrate to the Us.
The film debuted at Cannes in May where it won the Talent award in the Un Certain Regard section. It recently won the Best International Feature Film at the Zurich Film Festival.
The only Indian film in competition, the Marathi-language Fandry revolves around an “untouchable” or Dalit boy and his love for a girl from a higher caste.
Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo continued its successful festival...
Mexican film The Golden Cage (La Jaula De Oro) scooped the top prize, the Golden Gateway Of India award, in the Mumbai Film Festival’s international competition for first features, while Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry was awarded the Jury Grand Prize.
Directed by Diego Quemada-Diez, who started his career as an assistant to Ken Loach, The Golden Cage follows the journey of three young Guatemalans attempting to emigrate to the Us.
The film debuted at Cannes in May where it won the Talent award in the Un Certain Regard section. It recently won the Best International Feature Film at the Zurich Film Festival.
The only Indian film in competition, the Marathi-language Fandry revolves around an “untouchable” or Dalit boy and his love for a girl from a higher caste.
Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo continued its successful festival...
- 10/25/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Marathi-language film Fandry directed by Nagraj Manjule won the Jury Grand Prize for the Second best film in International Competition at the 15th Mumbai Film Festival which concluded on Thursday. The film won a Silver Gateway trophy and a cash prize of ₹25 lakhs. [Read Nagraj Manjule's interview]
La Jaula de Oro (The Golden Cage) won the Best Film (Golden Gateway award) in International section.
Katiyabaaz (Powerless) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar won the Best Film (Golden Gateway award) in the India Gold Category while Qissa directed by Anup Singh won the Silver Gateway Award for Second Best film. Ko:Yad (A silent way) won the Silver Gateway Special Jury Award in the India Gold category.
Anthony Chen won the Best Director award for Ilo Ilo. Yan Yann Yeo won the Best Actor (Female) award for the same film.
Vincent Macaigne won the Best Actor award for his performance in the French film Tonnerre.
Cinematographer of The Rocket,...
La Jaula de Oro (The Golden Cage) won the Best Film (Golden Gateway award) in International section.
Katiyabaaz (Powerless) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar won the Best Film (Golden Gateway award) in the India Gold Category while Qissa directed by Anup Singh won the Silver Gateway Award for Second Best film. Ko:Yad (A silent way) won the Silver Gateway Special Jury Award in the India Gold category.
Anthony Chen won the Best Director award for Ilo Ilo. Yan Yann Yeo won the Best Actor (Female) award for the same film.
Vincent Macaigne won the Best Actor award for his performance in the French film Tonnerre.
Cinematographer of The Rocket,...
- 10/24/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
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Mexican film The Golden Cage (La Jaula De Oro) scooped the top prize, the Golden Gateway Of India award, in the Mumbai Film Festival’s international competition for first features, while Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry was awarded the Jury Grand Prize.
Directed by Diego Quemada-Diez, who started his career as an assistant to Ken Loach, The Golden Cage follows the journey of three young Guatemalans attempting to emigrate to the Us. The only Indian film in competition, the Marathi-language Fandry revolves around an “untouchable” or Dalit boy and his love for a girl from a higher caste.
Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo continued its successful festival sweep by winning best director and best actress for Yann Yann Yeo. Best actor went to Vincent Macaigne for his role in Tonnerre, directed by France’s Guillaume Brac.
The jury also gave a special prize for “Best Work in Cinematography” to Australia-Laos-Thailand co-production The Rocket, directed by [link...
Mexican film The Golden Cage (La Jaula De Oro) scooped the top prize, the Golden Gateway Of India award, in the Mumbai Film Festival’s international competition for first features, while Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry was awarded the Jury Grand Prize.
Directed by Diego Quemada-Diez, who started his career as an assistant to Ken Loach, The Golden Cage follows the journey of three young Guatemalans attempting to emigrate to the Us. The only Indian film in competition, the Marathi-language Fandry revolves around an “untouchable” or Dalit boy and his love for a girl from a higher caste.
Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo continued its successful festival sweep by winning best director and best actress for Yann Yann Yeo. Best actor went to Vincent Macaigne for his role in Tonnerre, directed by France’s Guillaume Brac.
The jury also gave a special prize for “Best Work in Cinematography” to Australia-Laos-Thailand co-production The Rocket, directed by [link...
- 10/24/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Still from Faith Connections
Faith Connections by Pan Nalin and Powerless (Katiyabaaz) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar will screen at Cph:dox, Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival to be held from November 7-17, 2013.
Both documentaries will screen in Top Dox, a section for festival hits and ‘front page stories from the world of documentaries’.
Faith Connections directed by Pan Nalin (India, France) premiered at Toronto International Film Festival. The film is set during the Hindu religious ritual Kumbh Mela, which takes place every three years at selected places along India’s river banks and is attended by about one hundred million people.
Powerless revolves around the Indian ‘Katiyabaaz’, a kind of modern Robin Hoods, who have made it their mission to steal power at night and give it to the poor. For there are three million people in Kanpur, but only half a million of them pay their electricity bill,...
Faith Connections by Pan Nalin and Powerless (Katiyabaaz) by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar will screen at Cph:dox, Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival to be held from November 7-17, 2013.
Both documentaries will screen in Top Dox, a section for festival hits and ‘front page stories from the world of documentaries’.
Faith Connections directed by Pan Nalin (India, France) premiered at Toronto International Film Festival. The film is set during the Hindu religious ritual Kumbh Mela, which takes place every three years at selected places along India’s river banks and is attended by about one hundred million people.
Powerless revolves around the Indian ‘Katiyabaaz’, a kind of modern Robin Hoods, who have made it their mission to steal power at night and give it to the poor. For there are three million people in Kanpur, but only half a million of them pay their electricity bill,...
- 10/23/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Mumbai, Oct 22: Indie documentary "Katiyabaaz", about Kanpur's battle for electricity, gave the Mumbai Film Festival audiences a slice of modern-day life in the city now plagued by the worst power crisis. The movie not just entertained, but also left viewers inspired.
Directed by Deepti Kakkar and Farhad Mustafa, "Katiyabaaz" played to a houseful screen of 293 seats in Metro cinema Monday.
A satirical yet inspiring take on the electricity scenario in Kanpur, "Katiyabaaz" impressed audiences with its documentary style narrative laced with a quirky presentation.
The film highlights the lack of electricity in Kanpur,.
Directed by Deepti Kakkar and Farhad Mustafa, "Katiyabaaz" played to a houseful screen of 293 seats in Metro cinema Monday.
A satirical yet inspiring take on the electricity scenario in Kanpur, "Katiyabaaz" impressed audiences with its documentary style narrative laced with a quirky presentation.
The film highlights the lack of electricity in Kanpur,.
- 10/22/2013
- by Smith Cox
- RealBollywood.com
Menstual Man by Amit Virmani and Powerless or Katiyabaaz by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar will screen under the Relecting Images: Best of Fests section while My Name is Salt by Farida Pacha will compete in the Idfa Competition for First Appearance section at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. The festival will be held from November 20 – December 1, 2013.
Amit Virmani’s Menstrual Man is a Singapore – India production. Arunachalam Muruganantham is considered a madman in his village for he has achieved a feat that is considered to be pervert by his community. He has devised a manually operated machine to make low-cost sanitary pads. The napkins are made by and for rural Indian women. The film made its Canadian Premiere at the HotDocs, the Canadian International Documentary Film Festival in Toronto this year.
Powerless or Katiyabaaz traces the city of Kanpur that has 15-hour power cuts. Hundreds of people steal electricity,...
Amit Virmani’s Menstrual Man is a Singapore – India production. Arunachalam Muruganantham is considered a madman in his village for he has achieved a feat that is considered to be pervert by his community. He has devised a manually operated machine to make low-cost sanitary pads. The napkins are made by and for rural Indian women. The film made its Canadian Premiere at the HotDocs, the Canadian International Documentary Film Festival in Toronto this year.
Powerless or Katiyabaaz traces the city of Kanpur that has 15-hour power cuts. Hundreds of people steal electricity,...
- 10/12/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
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
The 15th Mumbai Film Festival boasts of a strong lineup of films including Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue is the Warmest Colour and Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo, winners of the Palme d’Or and Camera d’Or respectively at Cannes Film Festival 2013.
Other highlights of the festival include Asghar Farhadi’s Le Passe (The Past), Kim Mordaunt’s The Rocket, Michel Gondry’s Mood Indigo, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives , Anup Singh’s Qissa, Richie Mehta’s Siddharth, Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s Powerless and Pan Nalin’s Faith Connections.
The only Indian film competing in the International Competition for First Features is Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry.
The 15th Mumbai film festival’s line up of 200 movies and other highlights were revealed today at the curtain raiser press conference held at the Taj Mahal hotel, Mumbai in the presence of Shyam Benegal, Filmmaker and Chairman, Mami, Amit Khanna,...
Other highlights of the festival include Asghar Farhadi’s Le Passe (The Past), Kim Mordaunt’s The Rocket, Michel Gondry’s Mood Indigo, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives , Anup Singh’s Qissa, Richie Mehta’s Siddharth, Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s Powerless and Pan Nalin’s Faith Connections.
The only Indian film competing in the International Competition for First Features is Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry.
The 15th Mumbai film festival’s line up of 200 movies and other highlights were revealed today at the curtain raiser press conference held at the Taj Mahal hotel, Mumbai in the presence of Shyam Benegal, Filmmaker and Chairman, Mami, Amit Khanna,...
- 9/25/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
WikiLeaks founder to judge films at the 21st Raindance Film Festival; 2013 line-up unveiled.Scroll down for full line-up of films
Julian Assange has joined the jury of the 21st Raindance Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 6), a London-based event that celebrates independent film in the UK and around the world.
The appointment is a controversial one. The Australian editor-in-chief and founder of WikiLeaks took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning about sexual assault allegations.
It is understood that he fears Sweden would extradite him to the Us, where he believes he is wanted in relation to WikiLeaks’ disclosure of a significant amount of classified Us military and diplomatic documents.
Commenting on Assange’s appointment, Raindance founder Elliot Grove said: “Every year Raindance invites interesting people to join our jury. In the past we have had musicians like Mick Jones, Marky Ramone and [link...
Julian Assange has joined the jury of the 21st Raindance Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 6), a London-based event that celebrates independent film in the UK and around the world.
The appointment is a controversial one. The Australian editor-in-chief and founder of WikiLeaks took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning about sexual assault allegations.
It is understood that he fears Sweden would extradite him to the Us, where he believes he is wanted in relation to WikiLeaks’ disclosure of a significant amount of classified Us military and diplomatic documents.
Commenting on Assange’s appointment, Raindance founder Elliot Grove said: “Every year Raindance invites interesting people to join our jury. In the past we have had musicians like Mick Jones, Marky Ramone and [link...
- 9/3/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Punarvasu Naik’s “Vakratunda Mahakaaya” will have its world premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival 2013
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout and Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly will screen at Melbourne International Film Festival (July 25-August 11) along with three other Indian films.
Both films were in Cannes this year. Ugly was screened at the Directors’ Fortnight while Monsoon Shootout had a midnight screening in the official selection.
Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s documentary Powerless will screen in the “Defying the times: Activism in films” section. [Read interview here]
“Accent on Asia” will screen three Indian films- Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout, Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly and Punarvasu Naik’s Vakratunda Mahakaaya (Twisted Trunk, Big Fat Body).
It will be the world premiere of Naik’s debut Vakratunda Mahakaaya. The film is set in the backdrop of the Ganapati festival of Mumbai that terrorists believe will be the best time for a bomb blast.
The...
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout and Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly will screen at Melbourne International Film Festival (July 25-August 11) along with three other Indian films.
Both films were in Cannes this year. Ugly was screened at the Directors’ Fortnight while Monsoon Shootout had a midnight screening in the official selection.
Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s documentary Powerless will screen in the “Defying the times: Activism in films” section. [Read interview here]
“Accent on Asia” will screen three Indian films- Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout, Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly and Punarvasu Naik’s Vakratunda Mahakaaya (Twisted Trunk, Big Fat Body).
It will be the world premiere of Naik’s debut Vakratunda Mahakaaya. The film is set in the backdrop of the Ganapati festival of Mumbai that terrorists believe will be the best time for a bomb blast.
The...
- 7/5/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
10th Indian film festival Stuttgart has announced its selection. The festival will take place from July 17 to 21 in the German city of Stuttgart.
Here is the complete list of films to be screened at the festival:-
Ashok Rane’s doucmentay Being with Apu
Blood Brothers by Steve Hoover
Dancing Colours by Stuttgart Media University students
Liv & Ingmar by Dheeraj Akolkar
Much Ado about Knotting by Geetika Narang Abbasi and Anandana Kapur
No Problem! 6 Months with the Barefoot Grandmamas by Yasmin Kidwai
Powerless by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Resonance of Mother’s Melody by Dip Bhuyan
Salma by Kim Longinotto
The Human Factor by Rudradeep Bhattacharjee
The World Before her by Nisha Pahuja
Bombay Talkies by Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar
Shahid by Hansal Mehta
Chokher Bali by Rituparno Ghosh
Bawdi – The Well by Viver Soni
Paroksh by Kuldip Patel
Thaambadhyam by Yugandhara Muthukrishnan
Umbartha by...
Here is the complete list of films to be screened at the festival:-
Ashok Rane’s doucmentay Being with Apu
Blood Brothers by Steve Hoover
Dancing Colours by Stuttgart Media University students
Liv & Ingmar by Dheeraj Akolkar
Much Ado about Knotting by Geetika Narang Abbasi and Anandana Kapur
No Problem! 6 Months with the Barefoot Grandmamas by Yasmin Kidwai
Powerless by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Resonance of Mother’s Melody by Dip Bhuyan
Salma by Kim Longinotto
The Human Factor by Rudradeep Bhattacharjee
The World Before her by Nisha Pahuja
Bombay Talkies by Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar
Shahid by Hansal Mehta
Chokher Bali by Rituparno Ghosh
Bawdi – The Well by Viver Soni
Paroksh by Kuldip Patel
Thaambadhyam by Yugandhara Muthukrishnan
Umbartha by...
- 6/19/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Still from Powerless
D eepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa’s documentary “Powerless” has been quietly impressing the festival circuit and winning accolades one after another. Followed by a post-production grant from Sundance and selection for the Sundance Institute Composers + Documentary Lab in 2012, the documentary premiered at the Berlinale Forum and is now set to compete in Tribeca film festival that opens on April 17.
The film traces the city of Kanpur, with 15-hour long power cuts and the tussle for electricity. Kakkar and Mustafa talk about their film here:
How did you come across the subject for this documentary?
Dk: Fahad came up with the story and concept of the film. He was born in Chamanganj, Kanpur, but left the city when he has seven years old.
FM: Old ties kept bringing the family back and with each visit, the tumultuous existence of the people got more precarious. …. One can’t...
D eepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa’s documentary “Powerless” has been quietly impressing the festival circuit and winning accolades one after another. Followed by a post-production grant from Sundance and selection for the Sundance Institute Composers + Documentary Lab in 2012, the documentary premiered at the Berlinale Forum and is now set to compete in Tribeca film festival that opens on April 17.
The film traces the city of Kanpur, with 15-hour long power cuts and the tussle for electricity. Kakkar and Mustafa talk about their film here:
How did you come across the subject for this documentary?
Dk: Fahad came up with the story and concept of the film. He was born in Chamanganj, Kanpur, but left the city when he has seven years old.
FM: Old ties kept bringing the family back and with each visit, the tumultuous existence of the people got more precarious. …. One can’t...
- 4/15/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Still from Powerless
Powerless directed by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar will compete in the World Documentary Competition at Tribeca Film Festival 2013. The festival will run from April 17 – 28, 2013.
The 12 competing films will vie for the Heineken Audience Award, Best New Director, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short and the Best Editing awards in ‘World Documentary Competition’ section.
Powerless traces the city of Kanpur that has 15-hour power cuts. Hundreds of people steal electricity, amidst high risks, to meet their needs. The real trouble starts with the entry of the first female chief of the electricity company who vows to wipe out all illegal connections. The film received a grant from Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund in 2012 and was screened in Berlinale Forum 2013.
Last year, Nisha Pahuja’s The World Before Her won the Best Documentary Feature at Tribeca.
Besides, Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist (India, Pakistan,...
Powerless directed by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar will compete in the World Documentary Competition at Tribeca Film Festival 2013. The festival will run from April 17 – 28, 2013.
The 12 competing films will vie for the Heineken Audience Award, Best New Director, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short and the Best Editing awards in ‘World Documentary Competition’ section.
Powerless traces the city of Kanpur that has 15-hour power cuts. Hundreds of people steal electricity, amidst high risks, to meet their needs. The real trouble starts with the entry of the first female chief of the electricity company who vows to wipe out all illegal connections. The film received a grant from Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund in 2012 and was screened in Berlinale Forum 2013.
Last year, Nisha Pahuja’s The World Before Her won the Best Documentary Feature at Tribeca.
Besides, Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist (India, Pakistan,...
- 3/7/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Tribeca Film Festival organizers on Wednesday announced 46 of the 89 feature films screening at the New York-set festival starting next month, including selections in the World Narrative and Documentary Competition film sections, as well as out-of-competition Viewpoints screenings.
"Big Men," a documentary about American corporations pursuing oil reserves in Africa, will serve as the opening night film for the World Documentary portion; "Bluebird," a small-town drama featuring "Girls" star Adam Driver, will kick-off the World Narrative slate. "Flex Is Kings," a documentary about Brooklyn street performers, is the Viewpoints opener. All three films premiere on April 18. The Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 17 through April 28, with "Mistaken For Strangers," a documentary about The National, serving as the fest's opening night film.
"Our competition selections embody the quality and diversity of contemporary cinema from across the globe,” Tribeca Film Festival Artistic Director Frederic Boyer said in a release. “The cinematic proficiency that...
"Big Men," a documentary about American corporations pursuing oil reserves in Africa, will serve as the opening night film for the World Documentary portion; "Bluebird," a small-town drama featuring "Girls" star Adam Driver, will kick-off the World Narrative slate. "Flex Is Kings," a documentary about Brooklyn street performers, is the Viewpoints opener. All three films premiere on April 18. The Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 17 through April 28, with "Mistaken For Strangers," a documentary about The National, serving as the fest's opening night film.
"Our competition selections embody the quality and diversity of contemporary cinema from across the globe,” Tribeca Film Festival Artistic Director Frederic Boyer said in a release. “The cinematic proficiency that...
- 3/5/2013
- by Christopher Rosen
- Huffington Post
The Tribeca Film Festival announced the first half of its 2013 movie slate today, including its World Narrative and Documentary Competition film categories, along with selections from the out-of-competition Viewpoints section, which highlights international and independent cinema. Festival organizers reviewed more than 6,000 submissions to select 89 feature-length films from 30 different countries for this year’s festival, which boasts 53 world premieres. “Our competition selections embody the quality and diversity of contemporary cinema from across the globe,” said Frederic Boyer, Tribeca’s artistic director. “The cinematic proficiency that harnesses this lineup is remarkable and we’re looking forward to sharing these new perspectives, powerful performances,...
- 3/5/2013
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
The 63rd Berlin International Film Festival or Berlinale begins on February 7 at the Berlin Palast with Wong Kar Wai’s martial-arts drama The Grandmaster.
The ten day festival will be inaugurated by Wong Kar Wai, who heads the international jury and Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick.
This year 19 films will compete for the Golden Bear Award while the Honorary Golden Bear will be presented to French documentary filmmaker and producer Claude Lanzmann.
Five Indian films will be screened at the festival: Abhishek Kapoor’s Kai Po Che in Panorama Special, Deepa Dhanraj’s Kya hua is shahar ko? in the Forum Expanded section, Sourav Sarangi’s Char… the No Man’s Island and Powerless by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar in Berlinale Forum and Govinda Raju’s Sonyacha Aamba in Generation Kplus Short Film section. See here for India at Berlinale 2013.
The award ceremony will be held on February 16, 2013...
The ten day festival will be inaugurated by Wong Kar Wai, who heads the international jury and Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick.
This year 19 films will compete for the Golden Bear Award while the Honorary Golden Bear will be presented to French documentary filmmaker and producer Claude Lanzmann.
Five Indian films will be screened at the festival: Abhishek Kapoor’s Kai Po Che in Panorama Special, Deepa Dhanraj’s Kya hua is shahar ko? in the Forum Expanded section, Sourav Sarangi’s Char… the No Man’s Island and Powerless by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar in Berlinale Forum and Govinda Raju’s Sonyacha Aamba in Generation Kplus Short Film section. See here for India at Berlinale 2013.
The award ceremony will be held on February 16, 2013...
- 2/7/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Still from Kya Hua Is Shahar Ko?
In the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival (from Feb 7-17), five Indian films have made the cut in various sections of the festival. No, as reported by some sections of the media ( here and here), Ram Gopal Varma’s The Attacks of 26/11 is not one of them. Here are the five films:
Panorama Special: Kai Po Che (Brothers… For life) by Abhishek Kapoor
Kai Po Che is the adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s novel ‘The 3 Mistakes of My Life’. It revolves around Ishaan, Omi and Govind who are young, ambitious, restless and best of friends.
“Skilfully merging traditional elements of mainstream Indian filmmaking, a sensitive score and exquisite use of unique locations, Kai Po Che stands out as an example of modern cinema from Bollywood. It deals with India’s reality in a distinctive manner, and is surprisingly different in its ambition to...
In the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival (from Feb 7-17), five Indian films have made the cut in various sections of the festival. No, as reported by some sections of the media ( here and here), Ram Gopal Varma’s The Attacks of 26/11 is not one of them. Here are the five films:
Panorama Special: Kai Po Che (Brothers… For life) by Abhishek Kapoor
Kai Po Che is the adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s novel ‘The 3 Mistakes of My Life’. It revolves around Ishaan, Omi and Govind who are young, ambitious, restless and best of friends.
“Skilfully merging traditional elements of mainstream Indian filmmaking, a sensitive score and exquisite use of unique locations, Kai Po Che stands out as an example of modern cinema from Bollywood. It deals with India’s reality in a distinctive manner, and is surprisingly different in its ambition to...
- 2/4/2013
- by Editorial Team
- DearCinema.com
Social upheaval, times of transition and periods of change are at the heart of numerous films, feature length documentaries as well as narratives, in the 2013 Forum programme of the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). There are two Indian films in the section as well that deal with contemporary Indian issues. Powerless by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar is a film about power crisis in India. Read More...
- 1/17/2013
- Bollywood Trade
Still from Powerless
Char… The No Man’s Island by Sourav Sarangi and Powerless by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar will be screened in Berlinale Forum, considered to be the most experimental section of the festival.
Powerless is set in Kanpur, a city with 15-hour power cuts, where a nimble young electrician provides robin-hood style services to the poor. Meanwhile, the first female chief of the electricity supply company is on a mission to dismantle the illegal connections, for good. The documentary recently received a grant from Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund.
Char…The No Man’s Island,about a fourteen year-old boy who smuggles rice from India to Bangladesh, recently won a Special Mention in Muhr Asia Africa Documentary category at Dubai film festival 2012.
The 43rd Berlinale Forum is showing a total of 41 films in its main programme. Indian film Kai Po Che will be screened...
Char… The No Man’s Island by Sourav Sarangi and Powerless by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar will be screened in Berlinale Forum, considered to be the most experimental section of the festival.
Powerless is set in Kanpur, a city with 15-hour power cuts, where a nimble young electrician provides robin-hood style services to the poor. Meanwhile, the first female chief of the electricity supply company is on a mission to dismantle the illegal connections, for good. The documentary recently received a grant from Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund.
Char…The No Man’s Island,about a fourteen year-old boy who smuggles rice from India to Bangladesh, recently won a Special Mention in Muhr Asia Africa Documentary category at Dubai film festival 2012.
The 43rd Berlinale Forum is showing a total of 41 films in its main programme. Indian film Kai Po Che will be screened...
- 1/16/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Indian documentary Powerless directed by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar has been selected for a Production/Post-production grant from Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund (Dfp).
The Sundance Institute recently announced the 25 feature-length documentary films that will receive $550,000 in grants, selected from 696 submissions from 104 countries.
Powerless is set in Kanpur, a city with 15-hour power cuts, where a nimble young electrician provides robin-hood style services to the poor. Meanwhile, the first female chief of the electricity supply company is on a mission to dismantle the illegal connections, for good.
Powerless was also one among the four projects selected for the 2012 Sundance Institute Composers + Documentary Lab in October 2012 where Mustafa and Kakkar were paired with composer Ed Barguiarena to compose an original score for a section of the documentary.
The Sundance Institute recently announced the 25 feature-length documentary films that will receive $550,000 in grants, selected from 696 submissions from 104 countries.
Powerless is set in Kanpur, a city with 15-hour power cuts, where a nimble young electrician provides robin-hood style services to the poor. Meanwhile, the first female chief of the electricity supply company is on a mission to dismantle the illegal connections, for good.
Powerless was also one among the four projects selected for the 2012 Sundance Institute Composers + Documentary Lab in October 2012 where Mustafa and Kakkar were paired with composer Ed Barguiarena to compose an original score for a section of the documentary.
- 12/18/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
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