Film Festival
Zelda Adams, John Adams and Toby Poser’s Fantasia and FrightFest-winning horror film “Where the Devil Roams” will open the fourth edition of India’s Wench Film Festival (Feb. 9-March 3). The festival was founded in 2020 by filmmaker Sapna Moti Bhavnani (“Sindhustan”) to “bridge the gender gap in India by driving opportunities and conversations through the gaze of a woman inclusive of Biwoc, LGBTQ+ women and non-binary in art, fashion, and film powered by tech,” per the organizers. It specializes in the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres.
The team, which also includes artistic director Uma da Cunha, programmers Heidi Honeycutt who is the co-founder of the women-focused Etheria Film festival, Shelagh Rowan-Legg, director of the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, “The Lunchbox” producer Vivek Rangachari, have curated a lineup of 29 films, including 14 India premieres and 10 Asia premieres.
Highlights include Ariane Louis-Seize’s “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person,” Jenn Wexler’s “The Sacrifice Game,...
Zelda Adams, John Adams and Toby Poser’s Fantasia and FrightFest-winning horror film “Where the Devil Roams” will open the fourth edition of India’s Wench Film Festival (Feb. 9-March 3). The festival was founded in 2020 by filmmaker Sapna Moti Bhavnani (“Sindhustan”) to “bridge the gender gap in India by driving opportunities and conversations through the gaze of a woman inclusive of Biwoc, LGBTQ+ women and non-binary in art, fashion, and film powered by tech,” per the organizers. It specializes in the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres.
The team, which also includes artistic director Uma da Cunha, programmers Heidi Honeycutt who is the co-founder of the women-focused Etheria Film festival, Shelagh Rowan-Legg, director of the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, “The Lunchbox” producer Vivek Rangachari, have curated a lineup of 29 films, including 14 India premieres and 10 Asia premieres.
Highlights include Ariane Louis-Seize’s “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person,” Jenn Wexler’s “The Sacrifice Game,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The 3rd edition of Wench Film Festival, India’s first Horror Film Festival showcasing films inclusive of Biwoc, LGBTQ+ women, and Non-Binary filmmakers, founded by celebrity hairstylist turned filmmaker Sapna Bhavnani will be held physically for the first time in addition to virtual screenings.
Award-winning Mexican film Huesera: The Bone Woman, directed by Michelle Garza Cerver will be the Opening Film and The Nightmare, directed by Alice Wadding will be the Closing film of the festival. Other highlights include a special screening of Tumbbad along with panel discussions and music performances.
The physical screenings will take place from March 17-20 at Harkat Studio and Veda Factory while the virtual screenings will be held from 10 – 20 March 2023. The festival will screen 23 films in the competition out of which 19 will be available to watch online at wenchff.festivalsaints.com
The films will be shown under three different categories, Blood Thirsty (More than 40 mins...
Award-winning Mexican film Huesera: The Bone Woman, directed by Michelle Garza Cerver will be the Opening Film and The Nightmare, directed by Alice Wadding will be the Closing film of the festival. Other highlights include a special screening of Tumbbad along with panel discussions and music performances.
The physical screenings will take place from March 17-20 at Harkat Studio and Veda Factory while the virtual screenings will be held from 10 – 20 March 2023. The festival will screen 23 films in the competition out of which 19 will be available to watch online at wenchff.festivalsaints.com
The films will be shown under three different categories, Blood Thirsty (More than 40 mins...
- 3/10/2023
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
The Naff genre film project market that is attached to the BiFan fantasy festival in South Korea will expand to 40 projects at its upcoming July edition.
The 25th edition of the festival will overlap with Cannes, running July 8-18, 2021, with both online and offline screenings, as well as in person audience events, while Naff (July 8-13) will be held as a virtual event for the second successive year.
Naff organizers said that they had increased the number of selections from 30 last year to 40 this time, hailing from 29 countries and territories. These are spread across multiple different sections including the main It Project cluster, project Spotlight Korea, Works in Progress and those with partner events Nordic Genre Invasion, Blood Window and Fantastic 7. For the first time, the market has been opened to series, reflecting the impact of streaming services on the Asian production industry.
The lineup contains many familiar names from...
The 25th edition of the festival will overlap with Cannes, running July 8-18, 2021, with both online and offline screenings, as well as in person audience events, while Naff (July 8-13) will be held as a virtual event for the second successive year.
Naff organizers said that they had increased the number of selections from 30 last year to 40 this time, hailing from 29 countries and territories. These are spread across multiple different sections including the main It Project cluster, project Spotlight Korea, Works in Progress and those with partner events Nordic Genre Invasion, Blood Window and Fantastic 7. For the first time, the market has been opened to series, reflecting the impact of streaming services on the Asian production industry.
The lineup contains many familiar names from...
- 5/24/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Sapna Bhavnani is a celebrity hair stylist and filmmaker from India. Her directorial debut “Sindhustan” has been winning awards and accolades all over. Premiered at the New York Film Festival- 2019 , “Sindhustan” screened at the Jio Mami Film Festival, Mumbai. Recently we spoke with her about her journey into film making, “Sindhustan” and few other topics.
From a celebrity hair stylist to a film maker – Can you elaborate on this journey?
I started dabbling in film in 2009. I was dating a musician then and I was so inspired by his music I picked up the camera to make music videos. The seed had already been planted. After that, I started with shorts. They are still uploaded on my YouTube channel somewhere. Hair has been a constant love and also the reason for my wings. Mad O Wot has given me the freedom to create as I please without conforming to the norm.
From a celebrity hair stylist to a film maker – Can you elaborate on this journey?
I started dabbling in film in 2009. I was dating a musician then and I was so inspired by his music I picked up the camera to make music videos. The seed had already been planted. After that, I started with shorts. They are still uploaded on my YouTube channel somewhere. Hair has been a constant love and also the reason for my wings. Mad O Wot has given me the freedom to create as I please without conforming to the norm.
- 1/13/2020
- by Sankha Ray
- AsianMoviePulse
There are times in the journey called life when we feel like identifying ourselves through the mirror image of our eternal existence. “Sindhustan” is a journey of a person, Sapna Bhavnani, who tries to find her roots (Sindh) inside the core of her body through the eyes of different beholders of that period which exists only in the pages of history.
Sindhustan screened at Jio Mami
When India was partitioned in 1947, few states like Bengal and Punjab were divided between India and Pakistan but not the province of Sindh, which is a part of modern-day Pakistan. A huge number of Sindhi migration happened at that period and they slowly settled down in different parts of India with time. But Sindhis never had a state in India and it is sure the ponder of rootlessness must have haunted them. Director Sapna Bhavnani tries to capture those fading images of past through...
Sindhustan screened at Jio Mami
When India was partitioned in 1947, few states like Bengal and Punjab were divided between India and Pakistan but not the province of Sindh, which is a part of modern-day Pakistan. A huge number of Sindhi migration happened at that period and they slowly settled down in different parts of India with time. But Sindhis never had a state in India and it is sure the ponder of rootlessness must have haunted them. Director Sapna Bhavnani tries to capture those fading images of past through...
- 10/22/2019
- by Sankha Ray
- AsianMoviePulse
The 19th Annual New York Indian Film Festival announced the winning filmmakers and actors at this year’s awards ceremony. Winning Best Film was Rohena Gera’s Sir which also played as the opening night selection for the festival. Ritesh Batra won the Best Director prize for his latest film Photograph starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra which Amazon Studios will release in U.S. theaters starting this Friday, May 17.
The complete list of Nyiff winners for 2019 is below:
Best Film: Sir (Director: Rohena Gera)
Best Director: Ritesh Batra (Photograph)
Best Actor: Adinath Kothare (Paani)
Best Actress: Tillotama Shome (Sir)
Best Child Actor: Sunny Pawar (Chippa)
Best Screenplay: Baggage (Roopa Rao)
Best Documentary Feature: Sindhustan (Director: Sapna Bhavnani)
Best Documentary Short: Daughters of Polo God (Director: Roopa Barua)
Best Short (Narrative): Bebaak (Director: Shazia Iqbal)
Be sure to check out our reviews of both Sir and Photograph.
The New...
The complete list of Nyiff winners for 2019 is below:
Best Film: Sir (Director: Rohena Gera)
Best Director: Ritesh Batra (Photograph)
Best Actor: Adinath Kothare (Paani)
Best Actress: Tillotama Shome (Sir)
Best Child Actor: Sunny Pawar (Chippa)
Best Screenplay: Baggage (Roopa Rao)
Best Documentary Feature: Sindhustan (Director: Sapna Bhavnani)
Best Documentary Short: Daughters of Polo God (Director: Roopa Barua)
Best Short (Narrative): Bebaak (Director: Shazia Iqbal)
Be sure to check out our reviews of both Sir and Photograph.
The New...
- 5/14/2019
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Celebrity hairstylist Sapna Bhavnani will be using recycled waste hair and aesthetic masks to create unique presentations as a symbol of breaking stereotypes at the India Makeup Show. The wardrobe will by Kallol Datta. Sapna has come on board to curate a special showcase titled #StrongIsTheWeakestLabel for the Mumbai edition. The debut edition of the India Makeup Show (Ims) is curated by Brothers Incorporated, founded by Rahul Tuljapurkar and Ninad Shah.
"As a child, all the superheroes I admired wore masks. I also wanted to be one. These days women are perceived as strong because we can run a household, raise children and husbands, earn salary and also find time to do some weight lifting to get...stronger," Sapna said in a statement.?
"We disguise our bruises by buying the best foundation there is in the market. Contour our cheek bones and define our eyebrows to set a horizon for ourselves.
"As a child, all the superheroes I admired wore masks. I also wanted to be one. These days women are perceived as strong because we can run a household, raise children and husbands, earn salary and also find time to do some weight lifting to get...stronger," Sapna said in a statement.?
"We disguise our bruises by buying the best foundation there is in the market. Contour our cheek bones and define our eyebrows to set a horizon for ourselves.
- 4/12/2019
- GlamSham
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