19th Annual NEW YORK INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL
May 7-12, 2019
SCREENING SCHEDULE
Saturday May 11
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 12:00 Noon, Auditorium 2
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
  
CHUSKIT
2018 | India | 90 mins | Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Priya Ramasubban
Cast - JIGMET DEWA LHAMO,
MORUP NAMGYAL,
SATYADEEP MISRA,
SONAM WANGCHOK,
YANGCHEN DOLMA
Trailer: https://www.chuskit.com/trailer
Synopsis: Sprightly little six-year-old Chuskit’s dreams of going to school are cut short when, at the cusp of beginning school, she meets with an accident that renders her a paraplegic. The child who had once skipped through the steep slopes, icy streams and the stark Himalayan terrain is now confined to a life where she is entirely dependent on her family to move, even within the tiny house, as neither her home nor the school across the stream are equipped for someone who can't walk.
Despite all the hurdles life throws her way, Chuskit stays determined to go to school with her friends. Her biggest obstacle, though, comes from within her own home – her grandfather Dorje, who believes that she should accept her fate instead of fighting it. While Chuskit tries to find ways to go back to school, her grandfather, who spends the most time around her, tries to show her the path of religiosity and humility. Caught in between their struggle are Chuskit’s parents and her enterprising brother who want to respect the old-world traditions that Dorje stands for, but also want to keep Chuskit’s spirit alive.
As life at home gets harder for Chuskit she finds hope and friendship in Dr. Ahmad, a visiting doctor who is in the village setting up a children’s clinic. Dr. Ahmad encourages her family to make Chuskit independent so she can stop being a burden on those around her.
Eventually, Chuskit’s biggest ally in her fight becomes Dorje, who unexpectedly gets on her side when he realizes that not only do they share the quality of being strong-willed, but also that they both desire nothing more than leading a fulfilling life surrounded by their family. Chuskit then inspires Dorje to bring not just the family but her two best friends and then the whole village to work to get her to school.
 Director: Priya Ramasubban is a reputed filmmaker who has travelled the world for over fifteen years making films for National Geographic, Discovery, History Channel and other major international broadcasters. She is a storyteller at heart and has the ability to deal with complex subjects in a nuanced way allowing for textured interpretation. She has written and directed 'Lost Kings of Israel' (National Geographic), 'Divine Delinquents' (National Geographic), several episodes on the long-running series 'Digging for the Truth' (History Channel), episodes on the series 'Into the Unknown' (Discovery Channel), episode on 'Monster Fish' (National Geographic) and several others notable productions.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.chuskit.com/
Awards:
https://www.chuskit.com/accolades |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 12:15 pm, Auditorium 3
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
SA
2018 | India | 111 mins | Bengali (with English subtitles)
Director: Arjit Singh
Cast: Pragun Singh, Srija Ghosh, Anindya Pulak Banerjee
International Premiere
Synopsis: 'Sa' chronicles a simple family from a village in West Bengal, in the aftermath of mass migration following the birth of Bangladesh. It is a story about life itself and its cycles of highs and lows. The birth of LALU brings great joy and hope but tragic circumstances leaves the father alone to raise the burgeoning family on his own. He sends LALU to his childhood friend, a venerated maestro of Indian classical music. LALU learns to associate his exploration of nature with the nature of music itself. Along the way, he picks up lessons on culture, religion and urban-rural divide and learn to live with a smile till the end - with the recurring belief that ‘everything is going to be all right.’
 Director: Arijit Singh considers himself fortunate to have had the opportunity to train in Indian classical music for more than 20 years. His mainstream recognition however came from singing immensely popular songs for films in the Mumbai film industry. This left a feeling of deviation from his original choice of path. He believes that true art or motive finds a way to transcend itself from one medium to another. 'Sa' is an attempt to bridge those expressions of emotions from one art form to the next.
Social Media Handles:
www.sathefilm.com
Reviews:
http://bollyy.com/arijit-singh-turns-stunning-director-with-musical-bengali-film-sa/ |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 12:30 pm, Auditorium 4
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
BULBUL CAN SING
2018 | India | 95 mins | Hindi and Assamese (with English subtitles)
Directed by - Rima Das
Cast – Pakija Begum, Arnali Das, Manoranjan Das, Banita Thakuria, Manabendra Das
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DsjnhSR9ww&t=74s
Synopsis: In the atmospheric light of dusk and dawn, Rima Das portrays the lives of three friends on the threshold of adulthood. Poetic sensuality contrasts with authentic scenes of everyday life in their Indian village, where care-free youthfulness comes face to face with merciless reality.
The story’s protagonist is Bulbul, whose voice fails her when she has to sing in front of people. Fear of failure and self-doubt also plague the fragile Bonny, and Suman, who does not fulfil the traditional male image. The experience of first love puts the three teenagers under the pressure of high expectations and strict moral codes. The relationship between love and suffering demands a lot of strength. Bulbul the nightingale begins to sing.
 Director: Rima Das is a self-taught screenwriter, producer and director who also takes on the roles of cinematographer and editor for her films. Born and raised in a small village in Assam in northeast India, she is now based in Mumbai and Assam. She is the Managing Director of Flying River Films which supports local, independent filmmaking in the region.
Best known for making indigenous and realistic films with non-professional actors, her films have been striking a chord with people not just in India but across the globe. Her first feature 'Man With The Binoculars' ('Antarsrishti') premiered in the First Feature Competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2016 and at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
'Village Rockstars', Rima’s second feature film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2017, then travelled to more than 80 film festivals around the world. The film has received over 50 Awards including the National Film Awards as the Best Feature Film in India 2018 and Oscar entry from India 2019.
'Bulbul Can Sing', her third feature film had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2018, in the Contemporary World Cinema section. Followed by the Asian Premier at Busan International Film Festival and its European premiere at Berlin International Film festival (Generation 14 section) 2019. The film won Golden Gateway Award for best film in Mumbai Film Festival, Best actor at Singapore Film Festival. Rima Das is also nominated for Best new director Asian Awards for Bulbul Can Sing 2019.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8659050/
Reviews:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/bulbul-can-sing-1142136
https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/bulbul-can-sing-busan-review/5133102.article
https://www.filmcompanion.in/bulbul-can-sing-movie-review-rima-das
https://asianmoviepulse.com/2019/02/film-review-bulbul-can-sing-2018-by-rima-das/ |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 3:00 pm, Auditorium 2
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
KIA AND COSMOS
2018 | India | 124 mins | English
Directed by – Sudipto Roy
Cast - Ritwika Pal, Swastika Mukherjee, Joy Sengupta, Sraman Chatterjee, Zahid Hossain, Mita Chatterjee, Amaan Reza
Trailer: https://youtu.be/OyLWXtKrMQ4
Synopsis: A 15-year-old otherworldly girl diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorders, living with her single mother takes on the quest of writing a mystery novel spurred by the murder of the neighbourhood cat, who subsequently, with the help of her shadow teacher and her best friend and rickshaw puller, finds herself in an audacious journey from Kolkata to Kalimpong to uncover the mysterious disappearance of her father.
 Director: Writer, Director Sudipto Roy is a prodigal observer of human mannerism. Having worked as an international travel journalist, with a career that spans across a decade and the world's most celebrated and quaint cities turning muse his heart lies in story-telling and films. With the keen ear of a guitarist, two very well received short films under his belt and an enviable experience in working with the veterans of Indian Cinema, Kia And Cosmos is his first feature film.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.facebook.com/kialistens/
https://twitter.com/kia_cosmos
Reviews:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/kia-cosmos-sudipta-roys-film-follows-a-girls-quest-to-solve-the-mystery-behind-her-fathers-disappearance/articleshow/64124544.cms
AWARDS
Nomination for Best Direction in Foreign Language |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 3:15 pm, Auditorium 3
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
PAANI
2018 | India | 140 mins | Marathi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Adinath Kothare
Cast - Adinath Kothare, Rucha Vaidya, Subodh Bhave, Kishore Kadam
Post Screening Q&A with director and lead actor Adinath Kothare
World Premiere
Synopsis: Hanumant Kendre was an ordinary man living in a drought prone village called Nagdarwadi. He was heart broken when his marriage with Suvarna, a girl he had liked, was called off due to the god forsaken condition of his village. Nagdarwadi had been suffering from water scarcity since ages. The path Hanumant chose to win back the woman he loved almost cost him his life. He decided he would marry Suvarna only after bringing water round the year to every doorstep in Nagdarwadi. Paani is the true story of Nagdarwadi and a common man’s endeavour for home and love
 Director: Addinath Kothare is an Actor, Producer and Director working in the Indian Film Industry. He has acted in over 15 feature films as an Actor, which comprise of prominent and critically acclaimed Films like 'Mazha Chakula' (1994), 'Satarangi Re' (2012), 'Zapatlela 2' (2013), 'Avatarachi Goshta' (2014), 'Ishq Wala Love' (2014), 'Neelkanth Master' (2015) and 'Take Care Good Night' (2018). His first directorial venture, titled 'Paani (Water)', is currently due for release. Addinath had been working on the project 'Paani' for the past 5 years and is also playing the lead protagonist in the feature film. Critically acclaimed International Actor and Producer Priyanka Chopra has collaborated with Addinath and is the main Producer of the feature film 'Paani'.
|
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 3:30 pm, Auditorium 4
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
‘KD’
2018 | India | 123 mins | Tamil (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Madhumita Sundararaman
Cast - Mu Ramaswamy, Nagavishal, Yog Jagpee
Post Screening Q&A with director Madhumita Sundararaman
Synopsis: Karuppu Durai, an 80-year-old man, bedridden for the past three months in a coma, suddenly wakes up one fine day to overhear his family planning to kill him by performing an ancient euthanasia ritual. Hurt, heartbroken and afraid, Karuppudurai runs away from the only home he has ever known. On an aimless path with nowhere to go, he accidentally meets a 10-year-old orphan Kutty. Kutty is everything Karuppudurai isn’t; smart, spunky and full of life. The fiercely independent Kutty encourages KD to chalk out a bucket list and start living for himself. Thus begins an eventful road trip of this unlikely pair - an old man running away from his family and a young boy who never had one!
 Director: Madhumita is a prolific Indian writer-director, primarily working in Tamil language cinema. Her first short film ‘Abstract Identity’ won the BBC Award in the ‘Best in the World’ category. Having done a course in Direction from the New York Film Academy, she has also briefly worked on Pirates of the Caribbean III. Madhumita recently completed a Tamil – Telugu bi-lingual feature, titled Moone Moonu Varthai/ Moodu Mukkallo Cheppalante as a director, and a Hindi feature film Tadka as a creative producer.
Awards: Best Director at the UK Asian Film festival.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.facebook.com/yoodleefilms
https://twitter.com/YoodleeFilms
https://www.instagram.com/yoodleefilms/ |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 6:00 pm, Auditorium 4
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
BAGGAGE
2018 | India | 114 mins | Kannada (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Roopa Rao
Cast - Teju Belawadi, Nischith Korodi, Bhargav Raju, Surya Vasishta, Sharath Gowda, Sri Ranga,
Post Screening Q&A with director Roopa Rao
Synopsis: A simple yet an intense high school drama set in the 1990's of Bangalore, story of a 16 year old girl and her struggles with understanding herself and the ever changing world around, her journey from a world that she thinks exists just like in the movies she saw (like any other Indian girl of 90's) to the actual world that unravels to her. A relatable pressure of education, childhood traumas, bullying, competition over marks and love interests, all of this wrapped in a transcending journey of first love.
 Director: A global citizen rooted to her small town upbringing, Roopa truly believes storytelling is the only way to transmit what truly matters to humanity. A Masters graduate in Commerce and Finance, Roopa is an ex IT professional, who quit her job as a project manager in Infosys to pursue her undying passion for films. She is an alumnus of the Asian Academy of Film & Television. She has co-directed Kannada and Tamil feature film - ‘Only Vishnuvardhana’ & ‘Kuraiondrumillai’, line produced three German productions; written, directed, produced numerous brand films and short films. She is popularly known for her partially crowd funded India’s first same sex web series “The ‘Other’ Love Story”, which has not only won her international awards for ‘Best Director’ (at ‘NY Web fest’) and ‘Best Story’ (at ‘Toronto Web fest’) with 7 other nominations, but also has won millions of hearts across the globe with 60 million views on ‘Youtube’. ‘The Week’ Magazine has honored her as ‘woman of the year’ in 2016 for their year end special edition amongst other celebrated achievers.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.facebook.com/Rooparaodirector/
fb.me/Gantumootekannadafilm
|
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 6:15 pm, Auditorium 3
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
THE BOSE FAMILY
2019 | India | 110 mins | Bengali (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Suman Ghosh
Cast - Rituparna Sengupta, Aparna Sen, Soumitra Chatterjee
Post Screening Q&A with director Suman Ghosh
International Premiere
Trailer: https://youtu.be/EZdf15G4DzU
Synopsis: 'The Bose family' is the story of Pranabendu and Manjari Bose who intend to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in their ancestral mansion. Their family come down to celebrate this special occasion. What transpires the night of the celebration alters the perception of the family- of relationships and on life and death. Inspired by the novella 'The Dead' by James Joyce 'The Bose Family' is a trenchant examination of today's family.
 Director: Suman Ghosh is a National Award-winning Indian filmmaker. He has made 7 feature films and one documentary film. He had his film training at Cornell University in New York. His first feature film "Footsteps", starring Soumitra Chatterjee and Nandita Das won 2 National Awards in 2008. It was shown at numerous film festivals including Vancouver, Karlovy Vary and IAAC New York. His second feature film "Dwando", also starring Soumitra Chatterjee, was a part of the Indian Panorama at IFFI Goa in 2009. His next feature film "Nobel Thief", starring the Indian megastar Mithun Chakraborty was world premiered at the Busan IFF and was an official selection at the BFI, London Film festival. The film received the "Best Indian Film" award at the Bengaluru International Film Festival in 2012. His next feature film "Shyamal Uncle Turns off the Lights" has had a warm reception from critics and audiences all over the world. It was world premiered at the Busan Film Festival in South Korea and had its North American Premiere at the MoMA, NY. It won the "Outstanding International Feature Award" at the ReelWorld Film festival in Toronto. It is being distributed in North America by Global Film Initiative. His next feature film "Kadambari" starring Konkona SenSharma and Parambrata Chatterjee. It is based on the life of Rabindranath Tagore and his controversial relationship with his sister-in-law Kadambari Devi. It was screened at several film festivals worldwide and received the Best Feature Film Award and the Best Actress for Konkona Sensharma at the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival in 2015. His latest released film “Peace Haven” world premiered at Busan IFF and was an official selection at MAMI and NYIFF. Suman Ghosh is now completing his first Hindi feature film “Aadhaar” which is being produced by Drishyam Films and Jio Studios.
Reviews:
https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2019/mar/25/19632/basu-paribaar-trailer-suman-ghosh-explores-a-suspenseful-family-drama-with-an-ensemble-cast |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 6:30 pm, Auditorium 2
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
Blinded By The Light
2019 | United Kingdom | 114 mins | English
Directed by – Gurinder Chadha
Cast - Viveik Kalra, Hayley Atwell, Rob Brydon, Kulvinder Ghir, Nell Williams, Dean-Charles Chapman, Aaron Phagura
Post Screening Q&A with director Gurinder Chadha
Synopsis: New Line Cinema’s “Blinded by the Light” is a joyful story of courage, love, hope, family and the unique ability of music to lift the human spirit. The film tells the story of Javed (Viveik Kalra) a British teen of Pakistani descent, growing up in the town of Luton, England, in 1987. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of “The Boss,” Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in Springsteen’s powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.
Based on Sarfraz Manzoor’s acclaimed memoir Greetings from Bury Park, “Blinded by the Light” was directed by Gurinder Chadha from a screenplay by Sarfraz Manzoor, Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges. Chadha also produced the film together with Jane Barclay and Jamal Daniel. Paul Mayeda Berges, Hannah Leader, Tory Metzger, Tracy Nurse, Stephen Spence, Peter Touche and Renee Witt served as executive producers. The story is underscored by the music and poetic lyrics of Springsteen, who gave Chadha his blessing from the film’s inception. A New Line Cinema presentation, “Blinded by the Light” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and is slated to open on August 14, 2019.
 Director: GURINDER CHADHA directed, co-wrote and produced BLINDED BY THE LIGHT.
Chadha is one of the UK’s most proven and respected filmmakers whose award-winning films have earned more than $300 million at the international box office. The British Film Institute’s recent filmography study on British Cinema history named Chadha as the UK’s most prolific female director working today.
She began her career as a broadcast journalist for BBC News and moved into directing with her first documentary I’M BRITISH BUT… for Channel 4 and the BFI in 1989 and subsequently made several award-winning documentaries for BFI, BBC and Channel 4.
Chadha directed her first short film, NICE ARRANGEMENT, in 1990. Her first feature, the landmark comedy-drama BHAJI ON THE BEACH, which centred on the experiences of a group of Asian women from three generations on a day trip to Blackpool, received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best British Film and the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Newcomer to British Cinema.
Chadha’s next feature, WHAT’S COOKING?, a comedy-drama that tells the story of four different families (Latino, Vietnamese, African -American and Jewish) all preparing for Thanksgiving Dinner, was the Opening Night Film of the 2000 Sundance Film Festival and was the first British script to be invited to the Sundance Institute’s Writer’s Lab. The film was voted joint Audience Award winner in the New York Film Critics’ 2000 season (tied with Billy Elliott).
Her next film, BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, was the highest-grossing British-financed, British-distributed film ever at the UK box office (at time of release) and topped box office charts internationally. The film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy, a BAFTA Award nomination for Best British Film, a European Film Academy nomination for Best Film, and a Writers Guild of America nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Her other hit films include BRIDE & PREJUDICE – a film that marries Jane Austen with Indian and Western musicals – which was the first film ever to open at #1 in the UK and India on the same day; ANGUS, THONGS AND PERFECT SNOGGING, based on the international bestseller which was released worldwide in 2008/2009; IT’S A WONDERFUL AFTERLIFE, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before releasing internationally in 2010; and VICEROY'S HOUSE, an epic drama on Indian Independence and Partition, starring Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, Manish Dayal and Huma Qureshi. The film, which made its world premiere at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival, received critical acclaim and achieved global box-office success.
In 2015, Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges mounted the stage musical version of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM in London’s West End to five-star reviews and critics’ awards.
Chadha’s TV company, Bend It TV, recently joined forces with international sales and distribution company Fremantle Media to create diverse scripted and non-scripted TV content. Bend It TV currently has commissions for returning drama series with Sky Atlantic, BBC Drama and ITV.
Chadha is chair of Bend It Networks, a content creation company she co-founded with Paul Mayeda Berges, which develops multicultural stories for international audiences across Film, TV, Stage & Digital.
She recently created BEECHAM HOUSE, an epic drama series set in India in 1795, for ITV and Masterpiece/PBS. The first season of the series will premiere in the UK in June 2019 and in the U.S. in late 2019 or early 2020.
Chadha has received several Honorary Doctorates from British Universities and was awarded an O.B.E. in the 2006 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to the British Film Industry. She is an active patron of numerous charities, including MAF (Medical Aid Films), is a Creative Mentor and Role Model for Creative Access, Directors UK INSPIRE, the BFI and the Sundance Directors’ Lab. and Patron of Women in Film UK.
Social Media Handles:
https://twitter.com/BBTLmovie
Reviews:
https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/blinded-by-the-light-review-1203119930/
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/blinded-by-light-review-1180066
https://www.thewrap.com/blinded-by-the-light-film-review-joyous-indie-musical-soars-to-songs-of-bruce-springsteen/
http://collider.com/blinded-by-the-light-review/
|
|
| |
Shorts D
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 6:30 pm, Auditorium 5
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
|
|
BEAUTIFUL SARI
2018 India | 12 mins | Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Pooja Kaul
Cast: Aditi Mehta, Gaurav Paswala, Megnaa Mehtta
Trailer: https://youtu.be/N97IpfuI53M
Synopsis: A woman finds a bundle of saris which evokes memories of young love, blurred and elusive but ever present.
 Director: Pooja Kaul is a writer and director whose work explores contemporary society. Her films 'Rasikan Re' ('O Lover of Life', 33 mins, Hindi and English, 2003) and 'Winter Trail' ( 11 min, 2001) have been seen at festivals and art galleries worldwide, and have been described as unique, stunning and soulful. Pooja has trained at the National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield, England and at the Jamia Millia Islamia’s Mass Communication Research Centre, New Delhi. Her work examines contemporary Indian society in the light of its richly developed past, finding parallel textures and sensibilities, forging connections between past and the present. Most recently she has made 'Sundar Sari' ( 'Beautiful Sari', 12 mins, 2018) a film about memory and how we carry it in our everyday. She is currently developing ‘The Umesh Chronicles’, her first full-length feature project, which she wrote with a Script Development award from the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Social Media Links:
http://thesariseries.com/about/
http://www.borderandfall.com/filmmaker-pooja-kaul/ |
|
and |
|
DAUGHTERS OF THE POLO GOD
2018 | India | 33 mins | English
Directed by – Roopa Barua
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbWSgV60Al4
Synopsis: The shimmering emerald state of Manipur, India is the birthplace of modern polo with men having played there for several hundred years. Now it's the turn for the young maidens to charge forward. A young polo sisterhood is developing in Manipur that ploughs on in spite of adversity and political turmoil. They are intensely connected to their sacred Manipuri pony and play an international tournament every year. Roopa Barua’s film is a tribute to these polo players, the modern Manipuri women and the pony campaign.
 Director: Roopa Barua is a fan of the cinematic medium. She seeks to create nuanced cinema that goes beyond geography and human boundaries. Roopa has also won multiple awards in 2015 for her documentary Riders of the Mist that is about a hundred-year-old bareback racing tradition in Assam, India with semi-feral ponies. Roopa is also a frequent contributor to the movie blog ‘A Potpourri of Vestiges’. She covered the Cannes Film Festival 2015 for films in both the Palme D’Or and the Un Certain Regard categories for this blog. Roopa has a Certificate in Film Production from New York Film Academy and has also taken film criticism courses at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to her career as a filmmaker, Roopa was a banker with Morgan Stanley in Boston and San Francisco. She has a degree in Economics and Finance from Boston University.
Social Media Handles:
http://www.kahinimedia.com
http://facebook.com/daughtersofthepologod |
|
and |
|
DHARMA
2018 | India | 14 mins | Tamil (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Nishanth Pio
Synopsis: 'Dharma' explores the psyche of a farmer, who strives to uphold the traditions handed down to him over generations; and his relationship with his bull, which is solely raised for the ancient bull-taming sport of Jallikattu.
 Director: After completing my arts degree, I spent a few years assisting various acclaimed film-makers, including Ang Lee (on Life of Pi), learning the craft of film-making. I’ve spent the last 5 years directing commissioned shorts, music videos and commercial projects.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.moviebuff.com/dharma-2018-tamil |
|
and |
|
DO WE BELONG?
2018 | USA | 14 mins | English
Directed by – Sofian Khan
Synopsis: An Indian immigrant in Kansas is shot and killed in a senseless hate crime, leaving his wife to grapple with the question of whether America is truly her home.
 Director: Sofian is the founder of Capital K Pictures— a New York-based production company focusing on documentary work. His shorts have appeared on Field of Vision, The Fader, Al Jazeera, PBS, Fusion, The Atlantic and Huffington Post. He is a 2016 MacArthur Documentary Grant recipient for his film 'The Interpreters', currently in post-production. The film, following the stories of Afghan and Iraqi interpreters who worked with the US forces, is being finished with support from ITVS.
Currently, Sofian is producing 'An Act of Worship', based on a short film about the travel ban that he co-directed for Field of Vision with Nausheen Dadabhoy. The feature length documentary has received support from the Ford Foundation, the Islamic Scholarship Fund and Mountainfilm’s commitment grant.
Social Media Handles:
https://t.co/1iA0dNm42g
Reviews:
https://www.thetealmango.com/entertainment/sofian-khans-short-film-do-we-belong/
https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/560669/hate-crime-in-kansas/ |
|
and |
| |
MA (MOTHER)
2016 | India | 10 mins | English
Directed by – Aditi Mody
Synopsis: Chai struggles to understand the loss of her grandmother by exhibiting strange behaviour to her mother. In struggling to understand Chai better, her mother is able to grieve in her own. way.
 Director: Aditi is a filmmaker from Mumbai India who aims to make films that speak to the varied experiences of people living in her nuanced, flawed and versatile city by the sea. She wishes to portray Indians in a more contemporary way which draws light to their unique cultures and belief without making it the only thing that defines them as people.
Social Media Links:
http://www.aditimody.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwWXs7HljVo-TyxSIKCTIvg/videos?shelf_id=0&view=0&sort=dd |
|
and |
|
MAYAT
2018 India | 26 mins | Marathi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Dr. Suyash Shinde
Cast: Kailash Waghmare, Meenakshi Waghmare
Trailer: https://www.facebook.com/240727373334682/videos/241145133292906/
Synopsis: 65th Indian national film award winner for best short fiction 'Mayat' is a story of Nama who is a poor, unemployed, famine struck villager hopelessly struggling to find work. At an acquaintance’s funeral he stumbles upon a strange way, supposedly a taboo, to make ends meet. However, this habit soon lands him into a situation where he has to choose between morality and sin. What does he finally choose?
The film illustratively talks about the general human psyche which tends to choose bad over good in seemingly hopeless situations. It eventually gives us a perspective to find the silver lining in every dark cloud!
 Director: A practicing dentist by day, for Suyash Shinde filmmaking has been a hobby that’s now earned him a National Award. The 26-minute Mayat is the filmmaker’s third film, which also won Best Script at Jaipur International Film Festival held in January.
The film was shot in Satara over six days by a crew of 50. Scripted by Shinde, 'Mayat' depicts moral dilemmas and the tough choices one must make between good and evil.
Social Media Link:
https://www.facebook.com/Mayat-240727373334682/
Awards:
Rajasthan International Film Festival (Jan 2019) Jaipur, India - Best short fiction film
65th Indian national film award winner film festival (May 2018) - Best short fiction film |
|
and |
|
TUNGRUS
2018 | India | 13 mins | Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Rishi Chandna
Synopsis: Tungrus is a short documentary that observes a week in the peculiar lives of a middle-class household in Mumbai, which turns topsy-turvy when the eccentric patriarch brings home a baby chick for his cats to play with.
What follows is an alternatingly absurd, nerve-jangling and heart-warming set of accounts about the latest addition, from each member of the family. The once adorable chick has survived his early days and grown into a tyrant, wilful bird - forever taking up too much of their space and generally making life in the apartment unliveable.
The film follows the thoughts of each person to their inevitable conclusion – the rooster’s got to go. And as his fate hangs in the balance, the family debates the question that lingers in the air: should he be given the gift of life, or served for dinner
 Director: Rishi Chandna is a filmmaker based out of Mumbai, and Tungrus is his first independent short film.
He has a discerning eye for the everyday anomalies of life in India. In the current environment of censorship, he believes that independent cinema is one of the last remaining bastions of honest storytelling. When he is in doubt, he looks to Werner Herzog, John Ashbery and Fela Kuti for inspiration.
Social Media Handles:
http://www.tungrus.com
https://www.facebook.com/TungrusTheFilm/
https://twitter.com/tungrusthefilm
Reviews:
https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/sambhavtaha-tungrus-critics-choice-short-film-awards-5496214/
Awards:
Slamdance Film Festival (USA) (Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Documentary)
Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival (UK) (Audience Award)
Sapporo International Short Film Festival and Market (Japan) (Best Documentary)
Glasgow Short Film Festival (UK) (Audience Award in International Competition)
Short Waves Festival (Poland) (Audience Award in International Competition)
Kinofilm Manchester International Short Film & Animation Festival (UK) (Best Documentary)
Milano Film Festival (Italy) (Best Short Film Award Special Mention)
Shorts That Are Not Pants (Canada) (Best Documentary)
International Festival Signes de Nuit (Portugal) (Special Mention in Documentary Competition) |
|
and |
|
VANDE MATARAM: A DANCE TRIBUTE
2018 | India | 6 mins | English
Directed by – Swapna Maini
Trailer: https://youtu.be/FHjQe14Z1Wc
Synopsis: A Dance Tribute is an exploration of the beauty of Indian Classical dance forms performed by Indian girls from age 9 to 16. Shot in ancient palaces of Rajasthan and thousand-year-old temples of Khajuraho in India, the film has a musical score praising the motherland with traditional Sanskrit lyrics of India's national song, interpreted anew.
 Director: Swapna Maini is a Film-maker, Visual Artist, and an Art Educator based in New Delhi, India. Her art and films are inspired by rich symbolism and insight derived from spiritual, cultural and social themes that are often the subject of her extensive research.
Swapna’s films are unique art projects that blend powerful social messages on subjects like women’s empowerment, with the aesthetics and beauty of India’s classical arts. At times, Swapna produces these films as a collaborative project with the students of her art studio in Gurugram, India. She often leads her students in art projects outside the four walls of her studio, working with paint, photography, film and the classical arts to evoke potent social themes.
Social Media Handles:
http://vandemataramfilm.com/ |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 9:00 pm, Auditorium 2
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
Jhalki
2018 | India | 102 mins | Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Brahmanand S Siingh
Cast - Boman Irani, Sanjay Suri, Divya Dutta, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Govind Namdev, Akhilendra Mishra, Joy Sengupta, Bachan Pachera, Aarti Jha & Goraksha Sakpal.
Special Appearance: Nobel Peace Laureate, Mr Kailash Satyarthi
Post Screening Q&A with actor Boman Irani and director Brahmanand Siingh
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/323462557/829432b7b9
Synopsis: Jhalki is a lyrical story of lost childhood, against the powerful backdrop of child slavery and human trafficking. It is a heart-rending but inspiring story of a nine-year old street-smart girl, Jhalki, in search of her seven-year old brother, Babu, who is suddenly thrown into an inhuman world of child labour with no respite from a terminally gloomy, dark and depressing workplace. Armed with an intimate folk tale of a tireless sparrow, her own ingenious efforts and her charming presence of mind, Jhalki manages her search and eventually frees her brother, along with thousands of other enslaved children caught in this insidious practice, affecting over 150 million children worldwide.
 Director: Brahmanand S Siingh, a National-Award winning filmmaker, has been vastly recognized for his experiential and inspirational biopics on iconic legends like RD Burman and Jagjit Singh (Pancham Unmixed & Kaagaz Ki Kashti), movies that have acquired a cult status, in addition to social and emotional cause-based films like Jhalki, a story of hope, courage, compassion and self-belief against the backdrop of a story of lost childhood & human trafficking. Many other films like Riding on a Sunbeam, Through our Eyes, Ashgari Bai, Ragpickers, Uncaging the Body and A Burden of Love continue to be popular and loved.
He has been invited to be on the Jury, film and script selection committee of various International Film Festivals and award platforms. He also conducts filmmaking and scriptwriting workshops in film festivals and institutes.
In-the-pipeline projects like Surmayee Shaam on father-son bonding against an Alzheimer's backdrop, Sweet Blasphemy with Rumi as a backdrop, The Dream Teller, with an occult world backdrop of Spiritual communication and practical life; Kindness Series, Legacy Series and a series of hundred 90-120 minute well-researched, and well-told Biopics Series of Iconic figures ... Along with many other films.
All his films explore spaces, worlds and mindsets that make you think and see people & their lives, success, failures, and life itself, in a very different and inspirational way, as something that we all carry inside us and need to tap it within our own selves. |
|
| |
Shorts C
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 9:15 pm, Auditorium 3
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
|
|
BEBAAK
2018 | India | 20 mins | Urdu, Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Shazia Iqbal
Cast - Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sarah Hashmi, Vipin Sharma, Sheeba Chadda, Sana Pathan
Synopsis: Fatin is an Architecture student from a lower middle class Muslim family, who goes for an interview to seek scholarship from a religious Education Trust, along with her father, Zaheer. During the interview, she gets reprimanded by the interviewing officer, Niyaz Sheikh for not following the religious tenets meant for women.
At the tomb below the trust office, she meets two young girls who are students at the local Madrassa. One of them, Rafiya has fixed notion of being a 'good girl' by following the set rules of the religion; the other, Shireen seeks freedom from the same. Fatin has to choose between reinforcing Niyaz's misogynist dogma and live with the burden of her own muddled morality or stand up for what feels right.
In the process, Shireen, who largely represents girls who are systematically indoctrinated into losing their identity, becomes a catalyst of change for Fatin.
 Director: Shazia Iqbalhas been working as a Production Designer/Art Director for more than ten years in the Indian film & Advertising industries. An Architecture graduate, she left a sheltered office job after being enticed by the idea of telling stories. She has studied “Directing for films” at MET film school, Ealing Studios, London. Her first feature script, CHAPLIN, was selected for the NFDC Directors Lab and Mumbai Mantra Screenwriters Lab. BEBAAK is her debut short.
Reviews:
https://asianmoviepulse.com/2019/03/short-film-review-bebaak-2018-by-shazia-iqbal/
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/metoo-movement-shazia-iqbal-pens-open-letter-to-mami-questioning-motive-behind-dropping-her-short-film-bebaak-says-its-collateral-damage/articleshow/66297868.cms |
| |
and |
|
DIFFICULT PEOPLE
2018 India | 19 mins | Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Sohil Vaidya
Cast: Abhay Mahajan, Chittaranjan Giri
Synopsis: Akash, an aspiring graffiti artist lives with his father, Sudhakar in an old building in Mumbai. Akash’s mother has recently demised. Apart from the demise of the most beloved person, Akash and his father Sudhakar has one more thing in common, stubbornness! While standing against his father's conventional approach, Akash struggles to find his creative expression in the vast liberating spaces of the Mumbai.
 Director: Sohil Vaidya is a current graduate student in MFA Film Production Course at the University of Southern California where he is focusing on Writing and Directing. He has been awarded James Bridges Directing Scholarship and Edward Thomas Troutner Cinematography Scholarship for his achievements at USC. His last student fiction film ‘Geeta’; based on the issue of Modern Day Slavery, screened at multiple film festivals across the U.S and won awards. Currently, he is directing a feature film with seven other directors after getting selected for the feature film class at USC.
Before coming to USC he made a documentary named ‘Diaries of Unknown’ which tells the story of 15 million homeless people without any document of existence, living across India who are not even recognized as a part of the population by the Indian government. Sohil is amongst the pioneers in starting a film festival in Pune for the underrepresented voices in Indian cinema called Smita Patil International Film Festival. Stanley Kubrick, P.T Anderson, Andrei Tarkovasky and Satyajit Ray are some of the directors who have deeply influenced him. He wants to keep learning about the craft of filmmaking while making films which are thought-provoking, visually compelling and important as content, in the future.
Social Media Links:
http://difficultpeoplethefilm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/difficultpeoplefilm/?ref=settings
Awards:
WorldFest-Houston (Apr 2019)
Houston, U S A
Remi Award Nomination
Jaipur International Film Festival (Jan 2019)
Jaipur, India
Best Actor
DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA(DGA) (Dec 2018)
LOS ANGELES, U S A
BEST STUDENT FILM
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS(ASC) (Nov 2018)
LOS ANGELES, U S A
AWARDS
HERITAGE AWARD FINALIST
|
|
and |
|
GADHEDO (DONKEY)
2018 | India | 15 mins | Hindi
Directed by – Jai Sharma
Cast – Chandan Roy Sanyal, Vikrant Massey, Aakash Dabhade, Krishanoo Beniwal, Trupti Khamkar
Synopsis: This film is based on a folk story from Rajasthan, India; set in a small village that is stuck in time. The story unfolds the satirical journey of GORU (a naive washer man) who believes that MAATSA (the only teacher in the village) will be able to turn his donkey into a 'Man'.
 Director: Jai Sharma
Social Media Links:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8226398/
https://www.facebook.com/Gadhedonkey/
Awards:
RAJASTHAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Jan 2019)
Jaipur, India - JURY AWARD- BEST ACTOR (VIKRANT MASSEY) |
|
and |
|
KUL GOV GAREM
2018 | India | 12 mins | Kashmiri (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Arif Mir
Cast: Nishant Pandey, Manzoor Ahmad Mir, Azaan Muzaffer
Synopsis: Fed up of being constantly chased away, a group of friends decide to take matters in their own hands.
Set against the beautiful but troubled back drop of Kashmir, 'Kul Gov Garem' is a peek into the lives of these children, as they manage to find ways to keep living.
 Director: Arif Mir belongs to Anantnag, a small but volatile part of south Kashmir, India.
Having grown up there, he was witness to the birth, emergence and growth of militancy. His teenage years saw gun culture at its peak.
Soon after finishing his graduation from Anantnag in 2005, he decided to move out of Kashmir, in search of better opportunities. He came upon film making about a decade ago and the whole process fascinated him. He moved to Mumbai and made it his career.
With no formal film school background, he learned while working on the job. His journey involves projects associated with some of the top most production houses in Mumbai, India.
He recognizes the importance of films and storytelling and the impact they may have on the society and minds of people from all walks of life. Kashmir being closest to his heart, he wanted to start his journey as a filmmaker with a narrative that connected him to his roots. It seemed only apt to make 'Kul Gov Garem', perhaps a slice of his own childhood.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8585426/
|
|
and |
|
NAKED
2017 | India | 14 mins | English
Directed by – Rakesh Kumar
Cast – Kalki Koechlin
Synopsis: A scene popular actor Sandy shot for her film goes viral on the internet as a Sex clip. Same day she is interviewed by a young journalist Ria .What follows is an interview that Ria will never forget.
Reviews:
http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/in-naked-kalki-koechlin-stars-as-actress-whose-sex-scene-goes-viral-1667540
https://scroll.in/reel/831716/watch-in-short-film-naked-a-leaked-clip-provokes-a-debate-on-violence-against-women
https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2017/03/kalki-koechlin-naked-cyberbullying/ |
|
and |
|
SAAHUS
2019 | USA | 24 mins | Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Hemant Tavathia
Synopsis: Set in Kashmir Valley (India), Soldiers in a hidden Recon Bunker decide to help a company of Indian Soldiers, that is being overwhelmed in battle by a large group of Pakistani Terrorists.
 Director: Hemant Tavathia Born and raised in India, Hemant Tavathia migrated to the US at the age of 16. Hemant graduated with a BA in Film Production from New York University in 2005. Hemant works as a Cameraman and Lighting Designer in Corporate Videos. Hemant's father retired as a Colonel in the Indian Army and is a big inspiration for Hemant's passion for Military stories.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.dunhillstudios.com/saahus/ |
|
and |
|
THE ICE-MAN
2019 | USA | 3 mins | English
Directed by – Heerak Shah
Cast – Omi Vaidya, Heather Cole, Heerak Shah
Synopsis: 'The Ice-Man' is a super-short film about an unconventional encounter between an Indian man and a white woman at a convenience store somewhere in the suburbs of America.
 Director: Heerak Shah is a multimedia content creator ( producer, director, editor) for television, radio, web, mobile and film. Notable productions include sports, concerts, premieres, red carpets, interviews,festivals, corporate panels and commercials at locations like Madison Square Gardens, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Lincoln Center of Performing Arts, Times Square, NYU Skirball theatre, Columbia University, Baruch Performing Arts Center and Florida’s Broward County Regional park.
In last 3 years, he produced a Sports NEWS show, a Tech-variety show, and a South Asian late-night style comedy show.
He was an Associate Producer for a feature-length documentary called 'Quiet Please' which won the Award of Excellence at Accolade Global Film Competition.
After earning an Engineering degree in Electronics, he decided to put his technical skills in the business of storytelling and went on to get an MFA in Television production from Brooklyn College, City University of NewYork. He is also trained in the artforms of Improv and Sketch Writing at New York's Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) theatre. |
|
and |
|
U FOR USHA
2019 | India | 22 mins | Marathi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Rohan Kanawade
Cast - Kiran Khoje, Arpita Ghogardare, Hridaynath Jadhav
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh7D1lZMqdQ
Synopsis: Usha, a single mother who works as a farm labourer in rural India, finds herself drawn to a female teacher of local primary school, in ways she never knew possible. This attraction plays an important part, in firing her passion to read and write as she hopes to be as good as the teacher, one day.
‘U Ushacha’ is a subtle portrayal of sexual awakening, as well as how a naïve attraction can empower a woman to take control of her life, and make each day, something to look forward to.
 Director: Rohan Kanawade After completing Interior Designing in 2006, Rohan worked with few architects. He, who have no background in films making or qualification, made his first film in 2008 on Mobile Phone. Later, to invest more time in filmmaking he left his full-time job and started working as a freelance Interior Designer. His short film 'Ektya Bhinti' won him his very first international award as 'Best Emerging Filmmaker' in Kashish MIQFF in 2013 Mumbai. In 2015 his film 'Sundar' was selected for Iris Prize UK with other thirty international films. 'Sundar' went in fifteen international film festivals till date winning five awards. In 2017 he formed his production company Dark Stories under which he produced and directed short film Khidkee which was selected at 48th International Film Festival of India, Goa, 2017. 'U Ushacha' is his latest Marathi short film which he has written, produced and directed.
Social Media Handles:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9693538/
|
| |
and |
|
THE BOOTH
2018 | India | 15 mins | Hindi (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Rohin Raveendran
Cast – Amruta Subhash, Parna Pethe
Synopsis: In India, where homosexuality has been decriminalised only recently, comes forth a love story set inside a crowded shopping mall in urban India. A female frisking booth stands as a silent ally to a forbidden romance.
 Director: Rohin Raveendran Nair is an independent filmmaker and cinematographer based out of Mumbai, India. He holds a BA (Honours) in Journalism from University of Delhi. In 2016 he finished his specialization in cinematography from Film and Television Institute of India.
The Booth is the third short film directed by Rohin after ‘Little Hands’ and ‘Paijana’ (Anklet). Little Hands travelled to many reputed film festivals in India and abroad including Curtas Vila Do Conde (Portugal), Dharamshala International Film Festival. ‘Paijana’ was the winner of the international one-minute film festival, Filminute, in 2016 (jury was headed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou).
Rohin worked as the 2nd unit director, 2nd unit cinematographer on India’s first Netflix Originals, Sacred Games, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap. He is currently writing his first feature script. |
|
|
Saturday May 11, 2019 @ 9:30 pm, Auditorium 4
Village East Cinemas, 2nd Ave @ 12th Street, NYC.
ABODE
2019 | India | 82 mins | Malayalam (with English subtitles)
Directed by – Jaya Jose Raj
Cast - Seema Biswas
World Premiere
Synopsis: After the early demise of her husband, Bhanu (seema Biswas), a 70 year old lady lives alone in her husband’s big ancestral house in a rural village. She carries herself with anxiety, loneliness and fears into her old age. Her hallucinations of a lady deserted in a street and Death make her worry about her own existence. The fateful day arrives when her sons make a visit on her 70th birthday, with an intention to sell the ancestral property and take things out of control. The film moves on through the day of her 70th birthday. The film portrays the loneliness encountered by an aged woman in a modern society. The film introspects conflicts faced by an old woman, tossed between love, selflessness and will.
 Director: 'Idam' ('Abode') is the first feature film by JAYA JOSE RAJ where he is the script writer, director and producer. He is an alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, in screenplay writing. Active in visual media for the last 22 years, he has scripted and directed around 30 documentaries, short films and docu-fiction serials. Several of which have won awards and critical acclaim.
Social Media Handles:
https://bodhiacademy.in/
Reviews:
http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/23225260
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/actor-seema-biswas-returns-to-malayalam-with-a-pivotal-role-in-debutant-jaya-jose-rajs-idam/article24443508.ece
https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/entertainment/seema-biswas-jaya-jose-raj-edam/?utm_source=FBIEM_SeemaBiswasJayaJoseRaj&utm_medium=Social |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
