Bardroy Baretto’s Konkani  feature “Let’s Dance to the Rhythm” will open the 16th annual New York Indian Film Festival.

Centering on a destined-for-disaster love story between a singer and her mentor, “Let’s Dance to the Rhythm” is a 1960s-set romance-drama that celebrates Goan music. The film, which stars Vijay Maurya, Palomi Ghosh and Prince Jacob, will screen at the festival’s opening night gala on May 7 at NYC’s Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

“’Let’s Dance to the Rhythm’ is a beautiful representation of another era, where jazz music flourished outside of the realms of the popular Hindi cinema of Bombay,” NYIFF director Aseem Chhabra said in a statement.  “The film is a joyful celebration of the music, the energy and the musicians and it is a story that not many people know about.”

Umesh Kulkarni’s “Highway,” a diversity-centered Marathi film that follows an Indian road trip, has been selected as the festival’s centerpiece film.  NYIFF will close with Hansal Mehta’s “Aligarh,” which offers a glimpse into the true-life story of a professor who was fired for his sexual orientation.

The 16th annual NYIFF runs from May 7-14 in New York City, and further information on the festival’s additional screenings and events will be released April 10.