Canadian-Indian-American actor Sunny Leone is making her Cannes debut with Anurag Kashyap’s “Kennedy.”
Presumed dead for years, Kennedy (Rahul Bhat) is an insomniac former cop who continues to work for a corrupt system while seeking redemption. Leone plays a pivotal character named Charlie.
“She’s a little bit of a complex character and she hides behind some of her motions. And one of the things she hides behind the most is this laugh. And I believe she’s a woman who’s caught in two different worlds – one is the one that she wants to live in and one is the one she has been deliberately caught up in. I really enjoyed playing this character. And I think she is someone who’s trying her very best to be as strong as possible at every moment of the day,” Leone told Variety.
Leone’s laugh in the film is...
Presumed dead for years, Kennedy (Rahul Bhat) is an insomniac former cop who continues to work for a corrupt system while seeking redemption. Leone plays a pivotal character named Charlie.
“She’s a little bit of a complex character and she hides behind some of her motions. And one of the things she hides behind the most is this laugh. And I believe she’s a woman who’s caught in two different worlds – one is the one that she wants to live in and one is the one she has been deliberately caught up in. I really enjoyed playing this character. And I think she is someone who’s trying her very best to be as strong as possible at every moment of the day,” Leone told Variety.
Leone’s laugh in the film is...
- 5/23/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap is back in Cannes with thriller “Kennedy,” starring Rahul Bhat in the title role.
The film, which also stars Sunny Leone, will play in the Midnight Screenings strand of the festival. Several films directed by Kashyap have played at Cannes, including “Psycho Raman” (2016), “Ugly” (2013), “Bombay Talkies” (2013) and “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). In addition, several films produced by him have made it to the Croisette, including “Masaan” (2015), “The Lunchbox” (2013), “Monsoon Shootout” (2013), “The Congress” (2013) and “Udaan” (2010).
The plot of “Kennedy” is being kept under wraps at the moment. “Kennedy is a ghost in the system looking for redemption,” is how Kashyap describes the film to Variety.
The filmmaker says that the character of Kennedy has been an obsession with him for years and was born when fellow Indian filmmaker Sudhir Mishra hired him to write a cop story set in the 1980s. That film never got made but the character stayed with Kashyap.
The film, which also stars Sunny Leone, will play in the Midnight Screenings strand of the festival. Several films directed by Kashyap have played at Cannes, including “Psycho Raman” (2016), “Ugly” (2013), “Bombay Talkies” (2013) and “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). In addition, several films produced by him have made it to the Croisette, including “Masaan” (2015), “The Lunchbox” (2013), “Monsoon Shootout” (2013), “The Congress” (2013) and “Udaan” (2010).
The plot of “Kennedy” is being kept under wraps at the moment. “Kennedy is a ghost in the system looking for redemption,” is how Kashyap describes the film to Variety.
The filmmaker says that the character of Kennedy has been an obsession with him for years and was born when fellow Indian filmmaker Sudhir Mishra hired him to write a cop story set in the 1980s. That film never got made but the character stayed with Kashyap.
- 4/24/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Acclaimed actor Vijay Varma is one of the leads in “Dahaad” (“Roar”), the first Indian series to compete in the Berlinale Series competition.
Produced by Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby and directed by Reema Kagti (Amazon’s Prime Video series “Made in Heaven”) and Ruchika Oberoi (Venice winner “Island City”), the series’ other leads are Sonakshi Sinha, Gulshan Devaiah and Sohum Shah.
“‘Dahaad’ is about the investigation of a series of crimes conducted by a small town, rookie police officer at a small police station in Rajasthan [western India]. There are these disappearing girls and somehow the young police officer finds a certain similarity between these these disappearances,” Varma told Variety, talking from Berlin. “It’s a slow burn, investigative drama and it’s also very atmospheric and moody and noir-ish.”
About his own character Varma said: “I play a literature professor in a girl’s college, seemingly having a normal, good life.
Produced by Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby and directed by Reema Kagti (Amazon’s Prime Video series “Made in Heaven”) and Ruchika Oberoi (Venice winner “Island City”), the series’ other leads are Sonakshi Sinha, Gulshan Devaiah and Sohum Shah.
“‘Dahaad’ is about the investigation of a series of crimes conducted by a small town, rookie police officer at a small police station in Rajasthan [western India]. There are these disappearing girls and somehow the young police officer finds a certain similarity between these these disappearances,” Varma told Variety, talking from Berlin. “It’s a slow burn, investigative drama and it’s also very atmospheric and moody and noir-ish.”
About his own character Varma said: “I play a literature professor in a girl’s college, seemingly having a normal, good life.
- 2/22/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Vijay Varma, who impressed with his work in ‘Gully Boy’, recently shared throwback pictures from ‘Monsoon Shootout’ on its fourth anniversary. The film was supposed to be his debut as a lead, about 10 years ago but it only released in 2017 after running into production delays. The actor took to his Instagram and […]...
- 12/16/2021
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
New Delhi, Nov 4 (Ians) Actor Vijay Varma has been around in the industry for over eight years but he became a household name only last year, after Gully Boy. He says he is content now, as he found the recognition he was craving for.
Vijay made his acting debut in 2012 with "Chittagong". He was then seen in films like "Rangrezz", "Monsoon Shootout", "Raag Desh" and "Manto". It was only in 2019 that he found fame, after he featured in the Ranveer Singh-starrer "Gully Boy".
"I think I got content as soon as I found the recognition that I was so craving for, which I feel I was rightfully deserving. It's been nice," Vijay told Ians.
He has evolved as a person too, with time.
"Over the years I have evolved as a person and I figured out I cannot be at unrest all the time. Now it is a lot easier.
Vijay made his acting debut in 2012 with "Chittagong". He was then seen in films like "Rangrezz", "Monsoon Shootout", "Raag Desh" and "Manto". It was only in 2019 that he found fame, after he featured in the Ranveer Singh-starrer "Gully Boy".
"I think I got content as soon as I found the recognition that I was so craving for, which I feel I was rightfully deserving. It's been nice," Vijay told Ians.
He has evolved as a person too, with time.
"Over the years I have evolved as a person and I figured out I cannot be at unrest all the time. Now it is a lot easier.
- 11/4/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Indian composer Atif Afzal is set to make music for a BBC UK project. He is excited about his new venture because it gives him scope to explore authentic Australian aboriginal sounds.
Afzal has earlier worked on the popular American action series "NCIS: Los Angeles" and the fantasy horror series "The Twilight Zone: Season 2", besides the German film "Gift". He has also worked on the Hindi films "Prague" and "Monsoon Shootout", besides the Marathi film "Pune 52".
"After my world music work for 'The Twilight Zone' in the US, I was approached for this BBC project. World music requirements are on the surge, with top television networks such as BBC and CBS demanding this. They are open to my music techniques and give me a lot of freedom to express," he said.
On his new assignment, he said, "This series will air on BBC UK. I am working with Lucas Friedmann on this project.
Afzal has earlier worked on the popular American action series "NCIS: Los Angeles" and the fantasy horror series "The Twilight Zone: Season 2", besides the German film "Gift". He has also worked on the Hindi films "Prague" and "Monsoon Shootout", besides the Marathi film "Pune 52".
"After my world music work for 'The Twilight Zone' in the US, I was approached for this BBC project. World music requirements are on the surge, with top television networks such as BBC and CBS demanding this. They are open to my music techniques and give me a lot of freedom to express," he said.
On his new assignment, he said, "This series will air on BBC UK. I am working with Lucas Friedmann on this project.
- 10/22/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
KollywoodAccording to sources, the makers still have patch work to be shot for which they have to hire an aircraft once again at a very high cost. Digital NativeIt was recently reported that Suriya has completed shooting for Sudha Kongara's Soorarai Pottru. According to sources, the makers still have patch work to be shot for which they have to hire an aircraft once again at a very high cost. Sources told Dt Next, “Suriya spent about Rs 47 lakhs per day to rent an aircraft. The team shot almost a couple of weeks inside the aircraft, which indeed increased the budget of the film." The film is based on the life of Captain Gr Gopinath – founder of the budget airline Air Deccan and Suriya plays the role of a pilot officer Nedumaran Rajangam in the film. Produced by Suriya’s 2D Entertainment, the film marks the southern debut of well-known Bollywood producer Guneet Monga,...
- 1/14/2020
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
Acclaimed actor Tannishtha Chatterjee whose credits include “Brick Lane,” “Anna Karenina,” “Lion,” and “Parched,” makes her directorial debut with “Roam Rome Mein.” The film had its premiere at Busan’s ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ strand.
In the film, an Indian man goes to Rome looking for his missing sister and in the process discovers the real her, his own deep rooted patriarchal ideas, and the reasons why his sister might have wanted to free herself from their oppressive family structure.
“There was an incident that happened in Venice a few years back when I went there for the festival,” Chatterjee told Variety. “I met an old man who told me about his missing daughter. But that experience was also kind of surreal. Till date, I am not quite sure whether it really happened or more precisely what really happened. That was the starting point of the idea.”
“Roam” stars...
In the film, an Indian man goes to Rome looking for his missing sister and in the process discovers the real her, his own deep rooted patriarchal ideas, and the reasons why his sister might have wanted to free herself from their oppressive family structure.
“There was an incident that happened in Venice a few years back when I went there for the festival,” Chatterjee told Variety. “I met an old man who told me about his missing daughter. But that experience was also kind of surreal. Till date, I am not quite sure whether it really happened or more precisely what really happened. That was the starting point of the idea.”
“Roam” stars...
- 10/5/2019
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Vijay Varma, who essayed the role of Moeen bhai in Gully Boy, will be seen in the Hrithik Roshan-starrer Super 30 in a cameo role.
For Vijay, who has also featured in films like Monsoon Shootout, Pink?and Rangrezz, the story of Super 30 was a big pull.
Also Read:?Hrithik Roshan surprises fans with a new glimpse
Super 30?is based on the real life story of mathematics genius Anand Kumar who coaches economically backward students for Iit-jee in Bihar every year.
Hrithik Roshan will be portraying the role of Anand?in the movie, which also stars Mrunal Thakur.
The film is produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Reliance Entertainment.
For Vijay, who has also featured in films like Monsoon Shootout, Pink?and Rangrezz, the story of Super 30 was a big pull.
Also Read:?Hrithik Roshan surprises fans with a new glimpse
Super 30?is based on the real life story of mathematics genius Anand Kumar who coaches economically backward students for Iit-jee in Bihar every year.
Hrithik Roshan will be portraying the role of Anand?in the movie, which also stars Mrunal Thakur.
The film is produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Reliance Entertainment.
- 6/4/2019
- GlamSham
Actor Vijay Varma aka Moeen Bhai who is receiving rave reviews for his performance in the recently released film Gully Boy for portraying the role of garage boy, drug peddler, a car thief and a best friend to Ranveer Singh also received the most coveted letter by none other than, the Shahenshah of Bollywood and the superstar of the millennium Shree Amitabh Bachchan for playing such a complex character with an ease in the film.
Vijay last seen in crime thriller film Monsoon Shootout as the lead protagonist opposite the versatile actor Nawazuddin Siddique, did a phenomenal job with his character Moeen in Gully Boy that led Big B to appreciate his performance and sent him a bouquet of flowers and the coveted letter penned by himself applauding Vijay's performance stating "I observed you in Pink, I have lauded you in Gully Boy, the ease of your performance, in a...
Vijay last seen in crime thriller film Monsoon Shootout as the lead protagonist opposite the versatile actor Nawazuddin Siddique, did a phenomenal job with his character Moeen in Gully Boy that led Big B to appreciate his performance and sent him a bouquet of flowers and the coveted letter penned by himself applauding Vijay's performance stating "I observed you in Pink, I have lauded you in Gully Boy, the ease of your performance, in a...
- 2/26/2019
- GlamSham
Aiming to ramp up its premium international content, Amazon Prime Video has greenlit the production of 17 new original series from Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, Japan and Mexico.
These include “The Power,” a British contemporary thriller based on Naomi Alderman’s bestselling science-fiction novel; “El Presidente,” a Mexican crime series inspired by the 2015 corruption scandal that engulfed world soccer body FIFA ; “We Children of Bahnhof Zoo,” a German series based on the 1978 controversial autobiographical book by the same name; “The Last Hour,” an Indian supernatural crime thriller set in the Himalayas; and an untitled social issue series produced by Vice Media Japan, which will mark the first collaboration between Vice and Amazon Prime Video.
“We know that customers watching Prime Video everywhere want to see authentic stories, set in their own countries, and to invest in characters that can reflect their own experiences and diversity,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios.
These include “The Power,” a British contemporary thriller based on Naomi Alderman’s bestselling science-fiction novel; “El Presidente,” a Mexican crime series inspired by the 2015 corruption scandal that engulfed world soccer body FIFA ; “We Children of Bahnhof Zoo,” a German series based on the 1978 controversial autobiographical book by the same name; “The Last Hour,” an Indian supernatural crime thriller set in the Himalayas; and an untitled social issue series produced by Vice Media Japan, which will mark the first collaboration between Vice and Amazon Prime Video.
“We know that customers watching Prime Video everywhere want to see authentic stories, set in their own countries, and to invest in characters that can reflect their own experiences and diversity,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios.
- 2/13/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Forty-four were invited to join the music branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, including Kendrick Lamar, whose contributions to the “Black Panther” soundtrack are riding high on the album charts; songwriter Melissa Etheridge, who won an Oscar for her song for “An Inconvenient Truth”; and recent Oscar nominees Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka (“Lion”), Sufjan Stevens (“Call Me By Your Name”), Carlinhos Brown (“Rio”) and Benoit Charest (“The Triplets of Belleville”).
Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, whose work with Prince catapulted them into the limelight and who have gone on to do films (“Dangerous Minds”) and considerable television, were also invited, as were composers Jeff Beal, Fil Eisler and Sharon Farber, whose best-known feature-film credits are in the documentary arena.
Classical composers Osvaldo Golijov and Joanna Bruzdowicz are on the list, as are other composers from England and the Continent: Daniel Pemberton (“Steve Jobs”), Eric Serra (“The Fifth Element...
Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, whose work with Prince catapulted them into the limelight and who have gone on to do films (“Dangerous Minds”) and considerable television, were also invited, as were composers Jeff Beal, Fil Eisler and Sharon Farber, whose best-known feature-film credits are in the documentary arena.
Classical composers Osvaldo Golijov and Joanna Bruzdowicz are on the list, as are other composers from England and the Continent: Daniel Pemberton (“Steve Jobs”), Eric Serra (“The Fifth Element...
- 6/25/2018
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Monsoon Shootout
Starring Vijay Verma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Gitanjali Thapa,Farhan Mohammed Hanif Sheikh
Directed by Amit Kumar
Rain-splashed bloodied puddles of questioning, probing, searching, emotional and physical violence… Monsoon Shootout is a curious case of a potentially routine cops-and-killer sanguinary saga given a certain fresh twist of ambivalence by writing skills that know their Dirty Harry as closely as they know Ardh Satya.
There is tadka of circumstantial ambiguity, a twist of fate, if you will, whereby a rookie cop’s rookie-rookie si zindagi gets more unscheduled excitement on his first assignment than he had bargained for.
A serial killer is on the prowl. And really,in how many ways can Nawaz be cast as the psychotic outcast? It was a hammer in hand in Raman Raghav, It’s an axe here. The slayings are staged stylishly in the slippery monsoon of Mumbai when it’s easy for...
Starring Vijay Verma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Gitanjali Thapa,Farhan Mohammed Hanif Sheikh
Directed by Amit Kumar
Rain-splashed bloodied puddles of questioning, probing, searching, emotional and physical violence… Monsoon Shootout is a curious case of a potentially routine cops-and-killer sanguinary saga given a certain fresh twist of ambivalence by writing skills that know their Dirty Harry as closely as they know Ardh Satya.
There is tadka of circumstantial ambiguity, a twist of fate, if you will, whereby a rookie cop’s rookie-rookie si zindagi gets more unscheduled excitement on his first assignment than he had bargained for.
A serial killer is on the prowl. And really,in how many ways can Nawaz be cast as the psychotic outcast? It was a hammer in hand in Raman Raghav, It’s an axe here. The slayings are staged stylishly in the slippery monsoon of Mumbai when it’s easy for...
- 12/16/2017
- by Subhash K Jha
- Bollyspice
Determined to keep out of the public eye on the advice of his team and lawyers, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has decided not to promote his latest release Monsoon Shootout in which he plays an axe-wielding serial killer. He is on the lookout for an image clean-up and has decided to stay away from all negativity, and that includes negative roles.
The post Here’s why Nawazuddin Siddiqui is not promoting Monsoon Shootout appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Here’s why Nawazuddin Siddiqui is not promoting Monsoon Shootout appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 12/14/2017
- by Subhash K. Jha
- BollywoodHungama
Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who was celebrated for his versatile and riveting performances in 2017, continues to have a choc-o-bloc schedule and a line-up of exciting projects ahead. The star is currently shooting for Ritesh Batra’s Photographer and Netflix Series Sacred Games. It is now known that a film that the actor shot earlier, Monsoon Shootout, willRead More
The post Nawazuddin Siddiqui won’t be able to promote Monsoon Shootout due to his shooting schedules appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Nawazuddin Siddiqui won’t be able to promote Monsoon Shootout due to his shooting schedules appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 12/8/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013, it's been a long road to Indian cinema screens for Amit Kumar's Monsoon Shootout. The film, which stars Vijay Varma as a rookie cop making a fateful decision, has been looking for its opening for four and a half years now, and on December 15th, Indian audiences will finally get to see what the fuss is all about. Varma plays Adi, a young cop in training who comes face to face with a dreaded and infamous mob enforcer named Shiva (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). The two men get caught in a monsoon showdown, and the film deals with the fallout of Adi's decisions. To shoot, or not to shoot... Experimental in form, for sure, Monsoon Shootout...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 12/4/2017
- Screen Anarchy
While Nawazuddin Siddiqui is known for experimenting with roles, his next, crime thriller Monsoon Shootout features him in a gruesome grey shaded character on the run. The makers of the film have also released two songs of the film and now they are all set to do something unique for its trailer launch. This NawazuddinRead More
The post Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Monsoon Shootout to get India’s first ever interactive trailer appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Monsoon Shootout to get India’s first ever interactive trailer appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 11/28/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Exclusive: Manoj Bajpayee [pictured] and Smita Tambe will star in Atanu Mukherjee’s Unknown Faces, produced by Drishyam Films, which is scheduled to start shooting on December 11.
The film tells the story of a young man returning home from boarding school to discover that his father has disappeared after a bankruptcy scandal. He sets out to find his father while his mother attempts to protect him from the truth.
Mukherjee previously worked as an editor on films such as Monsoon Shootout and developed his new project through this year’s Drishyam-Sundance Screenwriters Lab.
Bajpayee’s credits including Gangs Of Wasseypur and Aligarh.
The film tells the story of a young man returning home from boarding school to discover that his father has disappeared after a bankruptcy scandal. He sets out to find his father while his mother attempts to protect him from the truth.
Mukherjee previously worked as an editor on films such as Monsoon Shootout and developed his new project through this year’s Drishyam-Sundance Screenwriters Lab.
Bajpayee’s credits including Gangs Of Wasseypur and Aligarh.
- 11/24/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Amy Winehouse documentary from the director of Senna will play in the Midnight Secreenings section of the Cannes Film Festival.
“This is my first feature in Official Selection so I’m very, very happy about that,” director Asif Kapadia told ScreenDaily of his Amy Winehouse documentary making the Official Selection for the 68th Cannes Film Festival.
Currently in Azerbaijan - where Kapadia is midway through the shoot of his fourth narrative feature, Ali and Nino - the film-maker said he fully intends to make it to the festival despite the tight timings.
Kapadia is not due to finish filming Ali and Nino until May 10, after wrapping the final three weeks of the shoot in Istanbul.
“I finish in Istanbul on the 10th, fly home, do my washing, have a shave and then hopefully fly straight back out to see some of the fun at the beginning of the festival before our film’s shown,” he said.
Kapadia...
“This is my first feature in Official Selection so I’m very, very happy about that,” director Asif Kapadia told ScreenDaily of his Amy Winehouse documentary making the Official Selection for the 68th Cannes Film Festival.
Currently in Azerbaijan - where Kapadia is midway through the shoot of his fourth narrative feature, Ali and Nino - the film-maker said he fully intends to make it to the festival despite the tight timings.
Kapadia is not due to finish filming Ali and Nino until May 10, after wrapping the final three weeks of the shoot in Istanbul.
“I finish in Istanbul on the 10th, fly home, do my washing, have a shave and then hopefully fly straight back out to see some of the fun at the beginning of the festival before our film’s shown,” he said.
Kapadia...
- 4/20/2015
- by matt.mueller@screendaily.com (Matt Mueller)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Navalakha Arts and Holy Basil Productions have acquired Indian theatrical and satellite rights to Amit Kumar’s thriller Monsoon Shootout, which they plan to give a wide release in the first quarter of next year.
Company co-founders Nilesh Navalakha and Vivek Kajaria are investing in the p&a, marketing and distribution of the film. “It’s a very good thriller which we believe can be presented as a mainstream film,” said Kajaria.
Produced by the UK’s Yaffle Films and India’s Sikhya Entertainment and Dar Motion Pictures, Monsoon Shootout premiered at Cannes 2013.
Navalakha Arts and Holy Basil recently distributed award-winning Marathi film Anumati and produced Fandry.
Company co-founders Nilesh Navalakha and Vivek Kajaria are investing in the p&a, marketing and distribution of the film. “It’s a very good thriller which we believe can be presented as a mainstream film,” said Kajaria.
Produced by the UK’s Yaffle Films and India’s Sikhya Entertainment and Dar Motion Pictures, Monsoon Shootout premiered at Cannes 2013.
Navalakha Arts and Holy Basil recently distributed award-winning Marathi film Anumati and produced Fandry.
- 11/24/2014
- by uditaj@gmail.com (Udita Jhunjhunwala)
- ScreenDaily
British journalist Ashanti Omkar of the BBC Asian Network and Indian cinema expert to BBC London and BBC West Midlands, and photographer Akin Aworan flew to the Zurich Film Festival, 10th anniversary, to get the lowdown on the India “New World View” section for Galatta cinema magazine in India and we have some highlights!
The fanfare for the India section began with a Bollywood flash mob, at SihlCity, a vibrant cinema and mall and a deliciously catered Indian party.
For the festival, the World View sections with a spotlight on India, the focus was on independent cinema, as opposed to the “woods” of Indian cinema, like Bollywood and Kollywood. These special selections were curated by Georg Bütler, the senior programmer of the festival. Despite not ever having been to India, Georg was able to find and astutely select 12 of the best films from the subcontinent.
The section showcased India’s Oscar entry,...
The fanfare for the India section began with a Bollywood flash mob, at SihlCity, a vibrant cinema and mall and a deliciously catered Indian party.
For the festival, the World View sections with a spotlight on India, the focus was on independent cinema, as opposed to the “woods” of Indian cinema, like Bollywood and Kollywood. These special selections were curated by Georg Bütler, the senior programmer of the festival. Despite not ever having been to India, Georg was able to find and astutely select 12 of the best films from the subcontinent.
The section showcased India’s Oscar entry,...
- 10/15/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Guneet Monga, producer of Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, has championed the fast-growing new wave of Indian cinema.
Speaking to Screen on stage at the Zurich Summit, Monga said: “Since 2008, there has been a major shift in the number of Indian films outside of Bollywood that are generating strong box office. This new wave cannot be ignored.”
Monga, the co-founder of Sikhya Entertainment and CEO of Anurag Kashyap Films, added that the international opportunities for Indian cinema were considerable.
“In Germany, major Bollywood film My Name Is Khan made $500,000 at the box office, while The Lunchbox made $1.5m,” Monga told delegates at The Dolder Grand Hotel.
“The difference is huge and the opportunities are huge. We just need to establish an international distribution pipeline.”
India is the guest country of Zurich Film Festival’s New World View strand and includes titles such as Monsoon Shootout, produced by Monga, Title and Ship of Theseus.
The Summit...
Speaking to Screen on stage at the Zurich Summit, Monga said: “Since 2008, there has been a major shift in the number of Indian films outside of Bollywood that are generating strong box office. This new wave cannot be ignored.”
Monga, the co-founder of Sikhya Entertainment and CEO of Anurag Kashyap Films, added that the international opportunities for Indian cinema were considerable.
“In Germany, major Bollywood film My Name Is Khan made $500,000 at the box office, while The Lunchbox made $1.5m,” Monga told delegates at The Dolder Grand Hotel.
“The difference is huge and the opportunities are huge. We just need to establish an international distribution pipeline.”
India is the guest country of Zurich Film Festival’s New World View strand and includes titles such as Monsoon Shootout, produced by Monga, Title and Ship of Theseus.
The Summit...
- 9/29/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
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
Us and Mumbai-based collaborative Dark Frames has acquired world rights to Indian director Kamal K.M.’s debut feature I.D.
Starring Geetanjali Thapa (Monsoon Shootout), the film follows a young woman who sets out on a quest to discover the identity of a labourer who collapsed in her apartment. Producers on the film include Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty.
The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival, played in competition at Abu Dhabi and has won awards including best film at the Deauville Asian Film Festival and a jury award for best actor (Thapa) at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
I.D. will also screen at the upcoming Zurich Film Festival in the New World View section.
“I.D. has travelled in many countries in Europe and North America through 19 major festivals, bagging nine international awards so far. There are many queries on the distribution of the film from viewers in many countries,” said Kamal.
Dark...
Starring Geetanjali Thapa (Monsoon Shootout), the film follows a young woman who sets out on a quest to discover the identity of a labourer who collapsed in her apartment. Producers on the film include Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty.
The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival, played in competition at Abu Dhabi and has won awards including best film at the Deauville Asian Film Festival and a jury award for best actor (Thapa) at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
I.D. will also screen at the upcoming Zurich Film Festival in the New World View section.
“I.D. has travelled in many countries in Europe and North America through 19 major festivals, bagging nine international awards so far. There are many queries on the distribution of the film from viewers in many countries,” said Kamal.
Dark...
- 8/15/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Us and Mumbai-based collaborative Dark Frames has acquired world rights to Indian director Kamal K.M.’s debut feature I.D.
Starring Geetanjali Thapa (Monsoon Shootout), the film follows a young woman who sets out on a quest to discover the identity of a labourer who collapsed in her apartment. Producers on the film include Kamal and Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty.
The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival, played in competition at Abu Dhabi and has won awards including best film at the Deauville Asian Film Festival and a jury award for best actor (Thapa) at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
I.D. will also screen at the upcoming Zurich Film Festival in the New World View section.
“I.D. has travelled in many countries in Europe and North America through 19 major festivals, bagging nine international awards so far. There are many queries on the distribution of the film from viewers in many countries,” said Kamal.
Dark...
Starring Geetanjali Thapa (Monsoon Shootout), the film follows a young woman who sets out on a quest to discover the identity of a labourer who collapsed in her apartment. Producers on the film include Kamal and Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty.
The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival, played in competition at Abu Dhabi and has won awards including best film at the Deauville Asian Film Festival and a jury award for best actor (Thapa) at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
I.D. will also screen at the upcoming Zurich Film Festival in the New World View section.
“I.D. has travelled in many countries in Europe and North America through 19 major festivals, bagging nine international awards so far. There are many queries on the distribution of the film from viewers in many countries,” said Kamal.
Dark...
- 8/15/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The deadline for applications for Nfdc Film Bazaar co-production market has been extended from July 31 to August 31, 2014.
In its eighth edition this year, Film Bazaar will be held from 20 – 24 November, alongside Iffi (20 – 30 Nov), in Goa.
Film Bazaar co-production market offers a platform to meet potential international co-producers for South Asian projects. The market selects about 22 projects every year which are pitched to international producers, distributors, sales agents, funding representatives and other financial partners from across the world by the filmmakers.
Recent projects which have been part of co-production market selection include Kanu Behl’s Titli, Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox and Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout.
Filmmakers can apply to the co-production market online on the Film Bazaar website. Applicant will need to pay an application fee of Rs. 5,000.
In its eighth edition this year, Film Bazaar will be held from 20 – 24 November, alongside Iffi (20 – 30 Nov), in Goa.
Film Bazaar co-production market offers a platform to meet potential international co-producers for South Asian projects. The market selects about 22 projects every year which are pitched to international producers, distributors, sales agents, funding representatives and other financial partners from across the world by the filmmakers.
Recent projects which have been part of co-production market selection include Kanu Behl’s Titli, Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox and Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout.
Filmmakers can apply to the co-production market online on the Film Bazaar website. Applicant will need to pay an application fee of Rs. 5,000.
- 7/31/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
There is heartening news for Ketan Mehta's film Mountain Man on Dashrath Manjhi, the impoverished man from the Gaya district of Bihar who cut a road through the mountain in his unreachable village, with his hands. Viacom 18 has acquired the film and are all set to release it worldwide. Rejoicing in the glad tidings actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui who plays the title role in Mountain Man says, "It's the best thing that could've happened to a film like this. Mountain Man is not a small film. It is a very big film because it tells the story of an extraordinary man." Nawaz injured his leg while shooting on location for Mountain Man "This has been my toughest film to shoot. I pushed myself emotionally and physically beyond all endurance. And then to have the film being released in a small way would be heartbreaking." Nawaz says he has been through that heartbreaking process.
- 7/19/2014
- BollywoodHungama
The National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc) is inviting entries for the co-production Market at Film Bazaar 2014.
In its eighth edition this year, Film Bazaar will be held from 20 – 24 November, alongside Iffi (20 – 30 Nov), in Goa.
The deadline for submission of entries is 31 July 2014.
Film Bazaar co-production market offers a platform to meet potential international co-producers for South Asian projects. The market selects about 22 projects every year which are pitched to international producers, distributors, sales agents, funding representatives and other financial partners from across the world by the filmmakers.
Recent projects which have been part of co-production market selection include Kanu Behl’s Titli, Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox and Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout.
Filmmakers can apply to the co-production market online on the Film Bazaar website. Applicant will need to pay an application fee of Rs. 5,000.
In its eighth edition this year, Film Bazaar will be held from 20 – 24 November, alongside Iffi (20 – 30 Nov), in Goa.
The deadline for submission of entries is 31 July 2014.
Film Bazaar co-production market offers a platform to meet potential international co-producers for South Asian projects. The market selects about 22 projects every year which are pitched to international producers, distributors, sales agents, funding representatives and other financial partners from across the world by the filmmakers.
Recent projects which have been part of co-production market selection include Kanu Behl’s Titli, Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox and Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout.
Filmmakers can apply to the co-production market online on the Film Bazaar website. Applicant will need to pay an application fee of Rs. 5,000.
- 6/2/2014
- 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
A still from My Name is Salt
My Name is Salt, directed by Farida Pacha, won the Firebird award in Documentary competition at the 38th Hong Kong International Film Festival that concludes today.
A Jury consisting of Japanese documentary filmmaker Soda Kazuhiro; Lee Daw-Ming, Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Filmmaking, Taipei National University of the Arts; and Hong Kong based filmmaker Angie Chen awarded the Firebird award of Usd 3,000.
My Name is Salt had also won the First Appearance award at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) 2013. The India/Switzerland co-production 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.
The other Indian films that screened...
My Name is Salt, directed by Farida Pacha, won the Firebird award in Documentary competition at the 38th Hong Kong International Film Festival that concludes today.
A Jury consisting of Japanese documentary filmmaker Soda Kazuhiro; Lee Daw-Ming, Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Filmmaking, Taipei National University of the Arts; and Hong Kong based filmmaker Angie Chen awarded the Firebird award of Usd 3,000.
My Name is Salt had also won the First Appearance award at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) 2013. The India/Switzerland co-production 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.
The other Indian films that screened...
- 4/7/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
It isn't just Alia Bhatt who's getting ready to take music lessons. For the role of aclassicalvocalist in a forthcoming film the method-actor par excellence Nawazuddin Siddiqui would be hiring himself a Hindustani classical vocal maestro to train him. The film entitled The Music Teacher to be directed by Sarthak Dasgupta requiresNawazuddinto be an adept vocalist.While an expert vocalist can sing for Nawaz he would like to look convincing while putting forward the nuances, hence the tutoring. This method actorspent a large part of 2013 digging a mountain for Ketan Mehta's parabolic take of inspiration and perspiration The Mountain Man, and attending international film festivals. Nawaz says he is very surprised with the way 2013 panned out."I thought 2012 was too eventful a year for me to repeat. In 2013, I only had two releases. But by God's grace I got so much praise for both Bombay Talkies and The Lunchbox.
- 4/5/2014
- by Subhash K. Jha
- BollywoodHungama
DearCinema.com in association with Catapoolt is organizing an interactive session “From the Producer’s Perspective” with leading independent producer Guneet Monga in Mumbai on April 12, 2014.
This is the second in a series of DearCinema interactive sessions planned for independent filmmakers throughout the year. The first session on “How to pitch your script” was held successfully with international script adviser Marten Rabarts in March.
Guneet Monga, of Sikhya Entertainment and Anurag Kashyap Films, has produced some of the most successful Indian films of recent times including The Lunchbox, Peddlers, Monsoon Shootout and Gangs of Wasseypur. In this interactive session, Monga will share her insights on what producers look for in projects and how to make them viable for international markets, besides her expertise in producing and distributing indie films in India.
The session will take place in Andheri (West), Mumbai on Saturday, April 12 from 10 am-12 pm. There is an entry...
This is the second in a series of DearCinema interactive sessions planned for independent filmmakers throughout the year. The first session on “How to pitch your script” was held successfully with international script adviser Marten Rabarts in March.
Guneet Monga, of Sikhya Entertainment and Anurag Kashyap Films, has produced some of the most successful Indian films of recent times including The Lunchbox, Peddlers, Monsoon Shootout and Gangs of Wasseypur. In this interactive session, Monga will share her insights on what producers look for in projects and how to make them viable for international markets, besides her expertise in producing and distributing indie films in India.
The session will take place in Andheri (West), Mumbai on Saturday, April 12 from 10 am-12 pm. There is an entry...
- 4/3/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Ugly, Monsoon Shootout, Eega and Go Goa Gone are the four Indian films to be screened at the 32nd edition of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, to take place in Belgium from 8-20 April, 2014.
Anurag Kashyap’s psychological thriller, Ugly, about the kidnapping of a film star’s daughter had premiered at Directors’ Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival last year. Kashyap has been fighting the censor board and the Indian government over the anti-smoking tickers and has put the Indian release of the film on hold.
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout is an existential thriller. It has been screened at Cannes, Durban, Sydney, Jerusalem and London Indian Film Festival among others. Guru, a rookie cop, has Shiva, a suspected gangster, in his line of fire. Guru has a moment of reckoning. Should he shoot a man whose guilt he is uncertain of? The film presents three scenarios, all...
Anurag Kashyap’s psychological thriller, Ugly, about the kidnapping of a film star’s daughter had premiered at Directors’ Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival last year. Kashyap has been fighting the censor board and the Indian government over the anti-smoking tickers and has put the Indian release of the film on hold.
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout is an existential thriller. It has been screened at Cannes, Durban, Sydney, Jerusalem and London Indian Film Festival among others. Guru, a rookie cop, has Shiva, a suspected gangster, in his line of fire. Guru has a moment of reckoning. Should he shoot a man whose guilt he is uncertain of? The film presents three scenarios, all...
- 3/29/2014
- 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
New Delhi, March 19: Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) will be celebrating its 12 years, and will run from April 8-13 at Arc Light Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival's home since its inception.
Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown's 'Sold', produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson, and will be closed by the culinary comedy 'Jadoo', a film by London-based director and Iffla alum, Amit Gupta.
The highlights of the festival will include Anurag Kashyap's 'Ugly', 'Liar's Dice', Irrfan Khan starrer 'Qissa' and Mumbai spotlight films 'Bombay Talkies' and 'Monsoon Shootout'.
Iffla's.
Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown's 'Sold', produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson, and will be closed by the culinary comedy 'Jadoo', a film by London-based director and Iffla alum, Amit Gupta.
The highlights of the festival will include Anurag Kashyap's 'Ugly', 'Liar's Dice', Irrfan Khan starrer 'Qissa' and Mumbai spotlight films 'Bombay Talkies' and 'Monsoon Shootout'.
Iffla's.
- 3/19/2014
- by Shiva Prakash
- RealBollywood.com
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
A still from Maryan
The 38th Cleveland International Film Festival will screen Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout, Bharatbala’s Maryan and Shubhashish Bhutiyani’s Kush. In addition, Shahzeb Kohari and Mirat Trivedi’s short film Life Calling and Arpita Kumar’s My Dear Americans will also be screened at the festival.
Cleveland International Film Festival will take place from March 19-30, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Kush, Life Calling and My Dear Americans will be screened in the Shorts Programme of the festival. Kush, based on the Sikhs riots of 1984, won the Orizzonti award for Best Short Film at Venice Film Festival and was long-listed for the Oscars. Read Shubhashish Bhutiani’s interview here. The Taste is not the Same (USA) by Kavita Pillay, about an Indian-American couple in the Us, will also be screened in the same section.
Bharatbala’s Tamil-language film Maryan, featuring Tamil stars Dhanush and Parvathy, is...
The 38th Cleveland International Film Festival will screen Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout, Bharatbala’s Maryan and Shubhashish Bhutiyani’s Kush. In addition, Shahzeb Kohari and Mirat Trivedi’s short film Life Calling and Arpita Kumar’s My Dear Americans will also be screened at the festival.
Cleveland International Film Festival will take place from March 19-30, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Kush, Life Calling and My Dear Americans will be screened in the Shorts Programme of the festival. Kush, based on the Sikhs riots of 1984, won the Orizzonti award for Best Short Film at Venice Film Festival and was long-listed for the Oscars. Read Shubhashish Bhutiani’s interview here. The Taste is not the Same (USA) by Kavita Pillay, about an Indian-American couple in the Us, will also be screened in the same section.
Bharatbala’s Tamil-language film Maryan, featuring Tamil stars Dhanush and Parvathy, is...
- 3/18/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
A Still from Liar’s Dice
The 21st edition of the International Film Festival Prague will screen three Indian films- Monsoon Shootout, Liar’s Dice and Siddharth- in the Asian Panorama section. The festival will be held from March 20-28, 2014 in Prague.
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout, an existential thriller, has earlier screened at Cannes, Durban, Sydney, Jerusalem and London Indian Film Festival among others. Guru, a rookie cop, has Shiva, a suspected gangster, in his line of fire. Guru has a moment of reckoning. Should he shoot a man whose guilt he is uncertain of? The film presents three scenarios, all departing from the decision that Guru makes.
Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice had its international premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and was also screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2014. It is a road movie in which a headstrong woman (Geetanjali Thapa) from...
The 21st edition of the International Film Festival Prague will screen three Indian films- Monsoon Shootout, Liar’s Dice and Siddharth- in the Asian Panorama section. The festival will be held from March 20-28, 2014 in Prague.
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout, an existential thriller, has earlier screened at Cannes, Durban, Sydney, Jerusalem and London Indian Film Festival among others. Guru, a rookie cop, has Shiva, a suspected gangster, in his line of fire. Guru has a moment of reckoning. Should he shoot a man whose guilt he is uncertain of? The film presents three scenarios, all departing from the decision that Guru makes.
Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice had its international premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and was also screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2014. It is a road movie in which a headstrong woman (Geetanjali Thapa) from...
- 3/11/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Hong Kong, March 1: Three Indian movies will be screened at the 38th Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff) here March 27 March-April 7.
Amit Kumar's Bollywood film "Monsoon Shootout" and Farida Pacha's Swiss-Indian documentary "My Name Is Salt" will have their Asian premiere at the fest. Richie Mehta's Indo-Canadian feature "Siddharth" will also be screened at the gala.
Anurag Kashyap-backed "Monsoon Shootout", featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Tannishtha Chatterjee, was earlier screened at the Cannes International Film Festival.
"My Name is Salt", an observational documentary,.
Amit Kumar's Bollywood film "Monsoon Shootout" and Farida Pacha's Swiss-Indian documentary "My Name Is Salt" will have their Asian premiere at the fest. Richie Mehta's Indo-Canadian feature "Siddharth" will also be screened at the gala.
Anurag Kashyap-backed "Monsoon Shootout", featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Tannishtha Chatterjee, was earlier screened at the Cannes International Film Festival.
"My Name is Salt", an observational documentary,.
- 3/1/2014
- by Lohit Reddy
- RealBollywood.com
Siddharth at Hkiff
The 38th edition of the Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff) will screen four Indian films- Monsoon Shootout, Siddharth, My Name is Salt and His New Hands. The festival is scheduled to take place from 27 March- 4 April, 2014.
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout has traveled to several film festivals following its world premiere at Cannes last year. The film is an existential thriller. Guru, a rookie cop, has Shiva, a suspected gangster, in his line of fire. Guru has a moment of reckoning. Should he shoot a man whose guilt he is uncertain of? The film presents three scenarios, all departing from the decision that Guru makes.
Richie Mehta’s Indo-Canadian feature Siddharth is about Mahendra, a south Delhi street vendor barely eking out a living repairing zippers who finds himself stuck in a nightmare when his 12-year-old son goes missing. He embarks on a trek to find his son,...
The 38th edition of the Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff) will screen four Indian films- Monsoon Shootout, Siddharth, My Name is Salt and His New Hands. The festival is scheduled to take place from 27 March- 4 April, 2014.
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout has traveled to several film festivals following its world premiere at Cannes last year. The film is an existential thriller. Guru, a rookie cop, has Shiva, a suspected gangster, in his line of fire. Guru has a moment of reckoning. Should he shoot a man whose guilt he is uncertain of? The film presents three scenarios, all departing from the decision that Guru makes.
Richie Mehta’s Indo-Canadian feature Siddharth is about Mahendra, a south Delhi street vendor barely eking out a living repairing zippers who finds himself stuck in a nightmare when his 12-year-old son goes missing. He embarks on a trek to find his son,...
- 3/1/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
C annes Film Festival celebrated the 100th anniversary of Indian cinema in May 2013. In November, Thierry Fremaux, the Delegate General of the festival visited Nfdc Film Bazaar looking out for new Indian films. Fremaux stressed on how the Croisette doesn’t make value judgement and is keen to welcome different kinds of Indian cinema. Excerpts from an interview:
In our last interview, you spoke about France’s perception of Indian cinema as either Bollywood or the films of Satyajit Ray.
The usual perception of Indian cinema in France is split into those two categories. But a third category is now emerging, thanks to the new generation of filmmakers who are able to make different kinds of cinema. Films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Miss Lovely and Monsoon Shootout show that they have something purely Indian as well as are able to meet the expectations of the audiences at film festivals.
This...
In our last interview, you spoke about France’s perception of Indian cinema as either Bollywood or the films of Satyajit Ray.
The usual perception of Indian cinema in France is split into those two categories. But a third category is now emerging, thanks to the new generation of filmmakers who are able to make different kinds of cinema. Films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Miss Lovely and Monsoon Shootout show that they have something purely Indian as well as are able to meet the expectations of the audiences at film festivals.
This...
- 12/31/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Hindi remakes rights of Pawan Kumar’s “Lucia” was bought by Fox Star Studios
Year 2013 turned out to be an unprecedented year for Indian indie films! While Bollywood continued to break all records riding high on star power, Indies also began a humble yet significant journey towards finding mainstream distribution. The Lunchbox piggybacked on star director Karan Johar as presenter while Ship of Theseus found support from filmmaker Kiran Rao. Shahid was backed by Disney-utv and B.A. Pass was acquired by Bollywood producer Bharat Shah. While these films enjoyed successful run in international film festivals, they also got acceptance from theatre-going audiences back home.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 indie gems that we think ruled the roost this year. At the outset, we would like to mention two remarkable films, Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus and Hansal Mehta’s Shahid, which released theatrically this year but had been...
Year 2013 turned out to be an unprecedented year for Indian indie films! While Bollywood continued to break all records riding high on star power, Indies also began a humble yet significant journey towards finding mainstream distribution. The Lunchbox piggybacked on star director Karan Johar as presenter while Ship of Theseus found support from filmmaker Kiran Rao. Shahid was backed by Disney-utv and B.A. Pass was acquired by Bollywood producer Bharat Shah. While these films enjoyed successful run in international film festivals, they also got acceptance from theatre-going audiences back home.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 indie gems that we think ruled the roost this year. At the outset, we would like to mention two remarkable films, Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus and Hansal Mehta’s Shahid, which released theatrically this year but had been...
- 12/23/2013
- by Editorial Team
- DearCinema.com
A strong line-up of documentaries including Mahmoud Kaabour’s Champ Of The Camp and Jehane Noujaim’s The Square, about the Egyptian revolution, were attracting as much critical and public attention as the dramas at this year’s Diff, highlighting the growing strengh of factual filmmaking in the region.
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
- 12/13/2013
- ScreenDaily
A strong line-up of documentaries including Mahmoud Kaabour’s Champ Of The Camp and Jehane Noujaim’s The Square, about the Egyptian revolution, were attracting as much critical and public attention as the dramas at this year’s Diff, highlighting the growing strengh of factual filmmaking in the region.
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
- 12/13/2013
- ScreenDaily
Liar's Dice starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui is selected in the competition category at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. The film will be featured in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. After Peepli Live, Liar's Dice is the only Indian film to be selected in the competition category in Sundance Film Festival, one of the largest independent film festivals in the United States, held from January 16 -26, 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Liar's Dice which received the world premiere at Mumbai Film Festival 2013 stars the talented newbie from Sikkim Geetanjali Thapa (of Monsoon Shootout fame) and a debutant child actor from Shilma Manya Gupta will be seen in the central roles along with Nawazuddin. The Malayalam actress Geetu Mohandas who marks her directorial debut with this film says, "I am thrilled about Sundance. Even though we worked in the most difficult terrain, the shooting experience was very enjoyable. Sundance is an added feather...
- 12/5/2013
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
“Asian cinema” is often used as a catch-all term, but while it’s bad enough that a multitude of countries and cultures are summed up so generically it’s made worse by the realization that too many people think those countries in question consist solely of Japan, South Korea, and China. Technically speaking those three would fall under the East Asian label, but while they get the most press there is great cinema to be found elsewhere in the region. North Asia has seen recent success with the Russian films, Elena and Stalingrad, Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi has helped stimulate interest in West Asian films thanks to his Oscar-winning A Separation, and one of the best action films in years (The Raid) came out of Southeast Asia’s Indonesia. This week though, attention turns to the Tenth Annual South Asian International Film Festival (Saiff) in NYC. The fest runs tonight through Sunday (December 3rd-8th) and highlights...
- 12/3/2013
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout will open the 10th Annual South Asian International Film Festival which will be held from December 3-8, 2013.
Gyan Correa’s The Good Road, India’s official submission to the Oscars in the foreign-language category, will screen as the closing film.
Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar’s Good Morning Karachi will be screened as the Centerpiece film. The film addresses the tension between religious extremism and modernity through the eyes of a young woman, Rafina, coming of age in Karachi city.
Hammad Khan’s Anima State, Rajat Kapoor’s Ankhon Dekhi, Richie Mehta’s Siddharth, Kamal K.M.’s I.D and Anup Singh’s Qissa will compete in Feature Film Competition.
Rahul Desai’s Khoon Ltd, Shiva Shankka’s Outpost, Rodd Rathjen’s Tau Seru, Anand Tiwari’s Neighbours and Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Kush are the short films in competition.
The Spectrum section of the festival will...
Gyan Correa’s The Good Road, India’s official submission to the Oscars in the foreign-language category, will screen as the closing film.
Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar’s Good Morning Karachi will be screened as the Centerpiece film. The film addresses the tension between religious extremism and modernity through the eyes of a young woman, Rafina, coming of age in Karachi city.
Hammad Khan’s Anima State, Rajat Kapoor’s Ankhon Dekhi, Richie Mehta’s Siddharth, Kamal K.M.’s I.D and Anup Singh’s Qissa will compete in Feature Film Competition.
Rahul Desai’s Khoon Ltd, Shiva Shankka’s Outpost, Rodd Rathjen’s Tau Seru, Anand Tiwari’s Neighbours and Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Kush are the short films in competition.
The Spectrum section of the festival will...
- 12/3/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox has bagged six nominations at the 56th Asia-Pacific Film Festival including Best Film and Best Director.
Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have secured nominations in Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor categories respectively.
Rajeev Ravi has been nominated in Best Cinematography category for Monsoon Shootout.
The awards will be announced on December 15 in Macau. The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (Apff) is an annual event hosted by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific (Fpa).
Best Picture:
“The Grandmaster” (Hong Kong)
“Like Father Like Son” (Tokyo)
“The Lunchbox” (Mumbai)
“Stray Dogs” (Taipei)
“Ilo Ilo” (Singapore)
“In Bloom” (Tbilisi)
Best Director:
Tsai Ming-liang, “Stray Dogs” (Taipei)
Bong Joon-ho, “Snowpiercer” (Seoul)
Ritesh Batra, “The Lunchbox” (Mumbai)
Jafar Panahi and Kamboziya Partovi, “Closed Curtain” (Tehran)
Wong Kar-wai, “The Grandmaster” (Hong Kong)
Hirokazu Kore-eda, “Like Father Like Son” (Tokyo)
Best Actor:
Irrfan Khan, “The Lunchbox” (Mumbai)
Nick Cheung,...
Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have secured nominations in Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor categories respectively.
Rajeev Ravi has been nominated in Best Cinematography category for Monsoon Shootout.
The awards will be announced on December 15 in Macau. The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (Apff) is an annual event hosted by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific (Fpa).
Best Picture:
“The Grandmaster” (Hong Kong)
“Like Father Like Son” (Tokyo)
“The Lunchbox” (Mumbai)
“Stray Dogs” (Taipei)
“Ilo Ilo” (Singapore)
“In Bloom” (Tbilisi)
Best Director:
Tsai Ming-liang, “Stray Dogs” (Taipei)
Bong Joon-ho, “Snowpiercer” (Seoul)
Ritesh Batra, “The Lunchbox” (Mumbai)
Jafar Panahi and Kamboziya Partovi, “Closed Curtain” (Tehran)
Wong Kar-wai, “The Grandmaster” (Hong Kong)
Hirokazu Kore-eda, “Like Father Like Son” (Tokyo)
Best Actor:
Irrfan Khan, “The Lunchbox” (Mumbai)
Nick Cheung,...
- 12/2/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment is producing Amit Kumar’s Give Me Blood and Vasan Bala’s Side Hero.
Sikhya produced Bala’s Peddlers, which premiered at Cannes Critics Weeks last year, and was also a co-producer on Kumar’s last film Monsoon Shootout, which premiered in official selection at Cannes 2013.
“Side Hero is a slice-of-life comedy which is in the last stages of discussion on finance and cast. We are locking the script of Give Me Blood and will begin to look for international co-producers soon,” said Monga.
Give Me Blood, about two Indian soldiers serving in the British Indian army during World War II, was selected for Film Bazaar’s Co-production Market last year.
Sikhya produced Bala’s Peddlers, which premiered at Cannes Critics Weeks last year, and was also a co-producer on Kumar’s last film Monsoon Shootout, which premiered in official selection at Cannes 2013.
“Side Hero is a slice-of-life comedy which is in the last stages of discussion on finance and cast. We are locking the script of Give Me Blood and will begin to look for international co-producers soon,” said Monga.
Give Me Blood, about two Indian soldiers serving in the British Indian army during World War II, was selected for Film Bazaar’s Co-production Market last year.
- 11/24/2013
- by uditaj@gmail.com (Udita Jhunjhunwala)
- ScreenDaily
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