Noida, April 27 (Ians) One of the hidden gems of Noida is Alma’s Bakery and Cafe in Sector- 104, which is six-years-old, and serves the best of Neapolitan pizzas, creamy pastas and thirst-quenching fresh smoothies, iced teas and kombucha.
Alma’s Bakery and Cafe is owned by Bogusia, who’s Polish-born, and Gaurav Dhingra, who make sure they welcome their patrons with warm smiles.
The cafe, where the average bill for two adds up to Rs 1,000-plus taxes, serves fresh and nourishing food in a cosy ambience that keeps drawing you back.
The bakery opened up first in 2018; a year later the cafe came up.
Alma’s is known for their perfectly made dough, which is prepared in-house.
Every bite of the pizza has a perfect amount of the sauce, cheese, veggies and meat.
The all-green pizza for the vegetarians is a must try: it comes topped up with rocket leaves,...
Alma’s Bakery and Cafe is owned by Bogusia, who’s Polish-born, and Gaurav Dhingra, who make sure they welcome their patrons with warm smiles.
The cafe, where the average bill for two adds up to Rs 1,000-plus taxes, serves fresh and nourishing food in a cosy ambience that keeps drawing you back.
The bakery opened up first in 2018; a year later the cafe came up.
Alma’s is known for their perfectly made dough, which is prepared in-house.
Every bite of the pizza has a perfect amount of the sauce, cheese, veggies and meat.
The all-green pizza for the vegetarians is a must try: it comes topped up with rocket leaves,...
- 4/27/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The upcoming film ‘Stolen’, which stars Abhishek Banerjee in the lead, after making waves at the Venice Film festival 2023, is now heading to 28th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala. The film will be showcased in the ‘Festival Kaleidoscope’ section at the festival.
The International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk) is organised and hosted by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs Kerala. This year, the film festival is scheduled to be held from December 8 to December 15. ‘Stolen’ will premiered at the festival on December 9, December 11 and December 13.
The film narrates the tale of a five-month-old baby who has been abducted from her mother. The incident is witnessed by two city-bred brothers. Their strained relationship becomes even more complex as they involve themselves in the investigation, attempting to help the distressed mother.
Producer Gaurav Dhingra said: “After the glorious and heartwarming reception for ‘Stolen’ globally and in Mumbai,...
The International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk) is organised and hosted by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs Kerala. This year, the film festival is scheduled to be held from December 8 to December 15. ‘Stolen’ will premiered at the festival on December 9, December 11 and December 13.
The film narrates the tale of a five-month-old baby who has been abducted from her mother. The incident is witnessed by two city-bred brothers. Their strained relationship becomes even more complex as they involve themselves in the investigation, attempting to help the distressed mother.
Producer Gaurav Dhingra said: “After the glorious and heartwarming reception for ‘Stolen’ globally and in Mumbai,...
- 12/7/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The upcoming film ‘Stolen’, which stars Abhishek Banerjee in the lead, after making waves at the Venice Film festival 2023, is now heading to 28th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala. The film will be showcased in the ‘Festival Kaleidoscope’ section at the festival.
The International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk) is organised and hosted by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs Kerala. This year, the film festival is scheduled to be held from December 8 to December 15. ‘Stolen’ will premiered at the festival on December 9, December 11 and December 13.
The film narrates the tale of a five-month-old baby who has been abducted from her mother. The incident is witnessed by two city-bred brothers. Their strained relationship becomes even more complex as they involve themselves in the investigation, attempting to help the distressed mother.
Producer Gaurav Dhingra said: “After the glorious and heartwarming reception for ‘Stolen’ globally and in Mumbai,...
The International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk) is organised and hosted by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs Kerala. This year, the film festival is scheduled to be held from December 8 to December 15. ‘Stolen’ will premiered at the festival on December 9, December 11 and December 13.
The film narrates the tale of a five-month-old baby who has been abducted from her mother. The incident is witnessed by two city-bred brothers. Their strained relationship becomes even more complex as they involve themselves in the investigation, attempting to help the distressed mother.
Producer Gaurav Dhingra said: “After the glorious and heartwarming reception for ‘Stolen’ globally and in Mumbai,...
- 12/7/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Prior to its screening, the makers of the Abhishek Bannerjee-starrer film ‘Stolen’ released the clip of what is one of the movie’s most special scenes. One of its darkest moments, the actor called it the film’s “most emotionally painful scene.”
A realistic and dark crime-thriller, ‘Stolen’ is based on true events and delves into profound themes such as child abductions, spread of misinformation, mob mentality, public lynching, organ trafficking, and societal divisions.
‘Stolen’ is focused on the abduction of a five-month old child which belongs to an impoverished tribal woman. Witnessing this harrowing event, the wealthy brothers Gautam and Raman decide to help her out. As the investigation into this kidnapping deepens, many dark angles of society that remain hidden under our noses are revealed.
The clip is a special one which provides viewers with a brief but intense look into the film’s darker aspects, hyping up the anticipation.
A realistic and dark crime-thriller, ‘Stolen’ is based on true events and delves into profound themes such as child abductions, spread of misinformation, mob mentality, public lynching, organ trafficking, and societal divisions.
‘Stolen’ is focused on the abduction of a five-month old child which belongs to an impoverished tribal woman. Witnessing this harrowing event, the wealthy brothers Gautam and Raman decide to help her out. As the investigation into this kidnapping deepens, many dark angles of society that remain hidden under our noses are revealed.
The clip is a special one which provides viewers with a brief but intense look into the film’s darker aspects, hyping up the anticipation.
- 10/26/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Prior to its screening, the makers of the Abhishek Bannerjee-starrer film ‘Stolen’ released the clip of what is one of the movie’s most special scenes. One of its darkest moments, the actor called it the film’s “most emotionally painful scene.”
A realistic and dark crime-thriller, ‘Stolen’ is based on true events and delves into profound themes such as child abductions, spread of misinformation, mob mentality, public lynching, organ trafficking, and societal divisions.
‘Stolen’ is focused on the abduction of a five-month old child which belongs to an impoverished tribal woman. Witnessing this harrowing event, the wealthy brothers Gautam and Raman decide to help her out. As the investigation into this kidnapping deepens, many dark angles of society that remain hidden under our noses are revealed.
The clip is a special one which provides viewers with a brief but intense look into the film’s darker aspects, hyping up the anticipation.
A realistic and dark crime-thriller, ‘Stolen’ is based on true events and delves into profound themes such as child abductions, spread of misinformation, mob mentality, public lynching, organ trafficking, and societal divisions.
‘Stolen’ is focused on the abduction of a five-month old child which belongs to an impoverished tribal woman. Witnessing this harrowing event, the wealthy brothers Gautam and Raman decide to help her out. As the investigation into this kidnapping deepens, many dark angles of society that remain hidden under our noses are revealed.
The clip is a special one which provides viewers with a brief but intense look into the film’s darker aspects, hyping up the anticipation.
- 10/26/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Karan Tejpal’s Indian action thriller has played at Venice, Zurich and London film festivals.
Charades has sold Karan Tejpal’s Indian action thriller Stolen to Blue Finch Films for the UK and Ireland and to ASC Distribution in France following film’s world premiere in Venice Horizons Extra.
The debut feature about two brothers drawn into the kidnapping of a baby in a rural Indian town was the only Indian film in Venice’s 2023 selection before going on to screen at BFI London Film Festival and earning a special mention in the Feature Film Competition at the Zurich Film Festival.
Charades has sold Karan Tejpal’s Indian action thriller Stolen to Blue Finch Films for the UK and Ireland and to ASC Distribution in France following film’s world premiere in Venice Horizons Extra.
The debut feature about two brothers drawn into the kidnapping of a baby in a rural Indian town was the only Indian film in Venice’s 2023 selection before going on to screen at BFI London Film Festival and earning a special mention in the Feature Film Competition at the Zurich Film Festival.
- 10/25/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Starring Abhishek Banerjee, the thrilling drama Stolen is receiving critical acclaim from all over the world. The film earned rave reviews at the Zurich Film Festival and received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival premiere. Continuing its success, the Karan Tejpal directorial debut recently screened at the prestigious 67th BFI London Film Festival and Stolen again received an outstanding response.
Along with Banerjee, the gripping thriller also stars Shubham and Mia Maelzer. In Stolen, worlds collide when two siblings find themselves drawn into the kidnapping of a tribal woman’s baby in a rural Indian town. Stolen narrates what happens when the kidnapping draws the attention of brothers Gautam and Raman, leading them to face various challenges that test their relationships and convictions.
Stolen was part of the Thrill strand at the festival, and present for the screening were Producer Gaurav Dhingra, Director Karan Tejpal, and actors Abhishek Banerjee and Shubham.
Along with Banerjee, the gripping thriller also stars Shubham and Mia Maelzer. In Stolen, worlds collide when two siblings find themselves drawn into the kidnapping of a tribal woman’s baby in a rural Indian town. Stolen narrates what happens when the kidnapping draws the attention of brothers Gautam and Raman, leading them to face various challenges that test their relationships and convictions.
Stolen was part of the Thrill strand at the festival, and present for the screening were Producer Gaurav Dhingra, Director Karan Tejpal, and actors Abhishek Banerjee and Shubham.
- 10/9/2023
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Director Karan Tejpal’s feature film debut “Stolen” is a nail-biting thriller about two privileged, big-city boys who unwittingly embark on a harrowing adventure as they help an impoverished young woman find her kidnapped baby in rural India.
The film, which is produced by Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Studio (Toronto titles “Angry Indian Goddesses” and “Faith Connections”), is also a commentary on the alarming number of child abductions in India in recent years, and the explosion of often misguided vigilantism that accompanied the widespread adoption of instant messaging apps, particularly in rural areas.
The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, earned a special mention in the Feature Film Competition at the Zurich Film Festival this week, and heads next to the BFI London fest.
The film follows brothers Gautam (Abhishek Banerjee) and Raman (Shubham), who try to help the desperate Jhumpa (Mia Maelzer) find her five-month-old child...
The film, which is produced by Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Studio (Toronto titles “Angry Indian Goddesses” and “Faith Connections”), is also a commentary on the alarming number of child abductions in India in recent years, and the explosion of often misguided vigilantism that accompanied the widespread adoption of instant messaging apps, particularly in rural areas.
The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, earned a special mention in the Feature Film Competition at the Zurich Film Festival this week, and heads next to the BFI London fest.
The film follows brothers Gautam (Abhishek Banerjee) and Raman (Shubham), who try to help the desperate Jhumpa (Mia Maelzer) find her five-month-old child...
- 10/8/2023
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
The upcoming film ‘Stolen’, which stars Abhishek Banerjee in the lead, has been chosen under the Feature Film Competition Category at the Zurich Film Festival this year. The film will be screened alongside the likes of notable international features, including Saudi Arabian feature ‘Mandoob’ by Ali Kalthami, US director Chloe Domont’s ‘Fair Play’ and Pietro Castellitto’s ‘Enea’, among others.
The 19th edition of the Zurich Film Festival will be held from September 28 to October 8, 2023, with ‘Stolen’, directed by Karan Tejpal, scheduled to screen on September 29 at the festival.
The film follows the story of a five-month-old baby being abducted from her mother, and this incident draws the attention of brothers Gautam and Raman, leading them to face various challenges that test their relationships and convictions. The film also stars Shubham and Mia Maelzer in key roles.
Sharing his thoughts on ‘Stolen’ being screened at the Zurich Film Festival this year,...
The 19th edition of the Zurich Film Festival will be held from September 28 to October 8, 2023, with ‘Stolen’, directed by Karan Tejpal, scheduled to screen on September 29 at the festival.
The film follows the story of a five-month-old baby being abducted from her mother, and this incident draws the attention of brothers Gautam and Raman, leading them to face various challenges that test their relationships and convictions. The film also stars Shubham and Mia Maelzer in key roles.
Sharing his thoughts on ‘Stolen’ being screened at the Zurich Film Festival this year,...
- 9/21/2023
- by Agency News Desk
The upcoming film ‘Stolen’, which stars Abhishek Banerjee in the lead, has been chosen under the Feature Film Competition Category at the Zurich Film Festival this year. The film will be screened alongside the likes of notable international features, including Saudi Arabian feature ‘Mandoob’ by Ali Kalthami, US director Chloe Domont’s ‘Fair Play’ and Pietro Castellitto’s ‘Enea’, among others.
The 19th edition of the Zurich Film Festival will be held from September 28 to October 8, 2023, with ‘Stolen’, directed by Karan Tejpal, scheduled to screen on September 29 at the festival.
The film follows the story of a five-month-old baby being abducted from her mother, and this incident draws the attention of brothers Gautam and Raman, leading them to face various challenges that test their relationships and convictions. The film also stars Shubham and Mia Maelzer in key roles.
Sharing his thoughts on ‘Stolen’ being screened at the Zurich Film Festival this year,...
The 19th edition of the Zurich Film Festival will be held from September 28 to October 8, 2023, with ‘Stolen’, directed by Karan Tejpal, scheduled to screen on September 29 at the festival.
The film follows the story of a five-month-old baby being abducted from her mother, and this incident draws the attention of brothers Gautam and Raman, leading them to face various challenges that test their relationships and convictions. The film also stars Shubham and Mia Maelzer in key roles.
Sharing his thoughts on ‘Stolen’ being screened at the Zurich Film Festival this year,...
- 9/21/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The first look of actor Abhishek Banerjee from his upcoming film ‘Stolen’ has been unveiled and it shows the actor wounded and battered with a swollen eye and scars on his face. The film had its special premiere at the Venice Film Festival alongside impressive international features notably David Fincher’s ‘The Killer’, Bradley Cooper’s ‘Maestro’ and Sofia Coppola’s true-story movie ‘Priscilla’ recently.
Abhishek Banerjee said: “‘Stolen’ is such an extraordinary film and it has been incredible working on it. It feels so special and I’ve immense gratitude to have received so much love for our film during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The standing ovation that our film received was an unforgettable moment and has been the biggest reward as an actor.”
He further mentioned: “Here we are unveiling the first look image to thank our audiences for all the love they are sending...
Abhishek Banerjee said: “‘Stolen’ is such an extraordinary film and it has been incredible working on it. It feels so special and I’ve immense gratitude to have received so much love for our film during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The standing ovation that our film received was an unforgettable moment and has been the biggest reward as an actor.”
He further mentioned: “Here we are unveiling the first look image to thank our audiences for all the love they are sending...
- 9/1/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Los Angeles, Aug 30 (Ians) The Abhishek Banerjee- starrer film ‘Stolen’ had earlier gained the distinction of being India’s sole selection for the 80th Venice Film Festival impressing audiences. Director Karan Tejpal said that he chose a raw approach for the film, to depict life’s many unseen realities.
Speaking to Variety, Tejpal said: “In crafting ‘Stolen,’ I deliberately chose to embrace a raw, unapologetic cinema verite style. By immersing the viewers in the experience alongside my characters, I aimed to engage them fully in the search for truth and justice.”
“‘Stolen’ is my earnest attempt to bring to light the unseen realities that shape our society and to provoke introspection on the issues that matter most. I hope that this cinematic journey will not only entertain but also encourage meaningful conversations about the complexities of our world, ultimately paving the way for a better, more empathetic future,” he added.
Speaking to Variety, Tejpal said: “In crafting ‘Stolen,’ I deliberately chose to embrace a raw, unapologetic cinema verite style. By immersing the viewers in the experience alongside my characters, I aimed to engage them fully in the search for truth and justice.”
“‘Stolen’ is my earnest attempt to bring to light the unseen realities that shape our society and to provoke introspection on the issues that matter most. I hope that this cinematic journey will not only entertain but also encourage meaningful conversations about the complexities of our world, ultimately paving the way for a better, more empathetic future,” he added.
- 8/30/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Paris-based sales company Charades has boarded international sales on “Stolen,” the only Indian feature selected at the Venice Film Festival.
The film, which will bow within the festival’s Horizons Extra strand, tells the story of the havoc that ensues when opposite worlds collide after two urban young men become embroiled in an impoverished mother’s desperate journey to be reunited with her child. It is described as a “breathtaking action thriller” and the “hidden gem in world cinema” by Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera.
“Stolen” marks the feature debut of Karan Tejpal who started his career working in large-scale Bollywood films including “Lage Raho Munna Bhai” and “3 Idiots” and directed short “No Anaesthesia.” It is produced by Gaurav Dhingra under his banner Jungle Book Studio. Sol Bondy, founder of Berlin-based One Two Films, serves as executive producer.
The film is written by Tejpal, Agadbumb and Dhingra. The cast...
The film, which will bow within the festival’s Horizons Extra strand, tells the story of the havoc that ensues when opposite worlds collide after two urban young men become embroiled in an impoverished mother’s desperate journey to be reunited with her child. It is described as a “breathtaking action thriller” and the “hidden gem in world cinema” by Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera.
“Stolen” marks the feature debut of Karan Tejpal who started his career working in large-scale Bollywood films including “Lage Raho Munna Bhai” and “3 Idiots” and directed short “No Anaesthesia.” It is produced by Gaurav Dhingra under his banner Jungle Book Studio. Sol Bondy, founder of Berlin-based One Two Films, serves as executive producer.
The film is written by Tejpal, Agadbumb and Dhingra. The cast...
- 8/30/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Mumbai, July 27 (Ians) The upcoming film ‘Stolen’, which has been officially selected for screening at the prestigious Venice Film Festival, is a story of a newborn belonging to a tribal community and follows the events after it is snatched away from its mother.
The film stars Abhishek Banerjee, Shubham, and Mia Maelzer, and has been directed by Karan Tejpal. It has been written by Agadbumb, Karan Tejpal and Gaurav Dhingra, the latter is known for ‘Angry Indian Goddesses’.
Talking about the film, Abhishek Banerjee shared, “I am proud to be part of a project that’s standing abreast with the finest of world cinema talent (with reference to selection at the Venice Film Festival). After almost five years of mainstream acting, I was looking for edgy exciting work beyond the confines of popular cinema. When Karan and Gaurav presented me with the script, I was thrilled by the original concept...
The film stars Abhishek Banerjee, Shubham, and Mia Maelzer, and has been directed by Karan Tejpal. It has been written by Agadbumb, Karan Tejpal and Gaurav Dhingra, the latter is known for ‘Angry Indian Goddesses’.
Talking about the film, Abhishek Banerjee shared, “I am proud to be part of a project that’s standing abreast with the finest of world cinema talent (with reference to selection at the Venice Film Festival). After almost five years of mainstream acting, I was looking for edgy exciting work beyond the confines of popular cinema. When Karan and Gaurav presented me with the script, I was thrilled by the original concept...
- 7/27/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Prepare to embark on an inspiring yet thrilling journey as Jeremy Renner is ready to make some Rennervations! Set to premiere on May 3 on Disney+ Hotstar, two-time Academy Award® nominee and Marvel superhero joins forces with a host of international celebrities in this four-part Original series. One of these episodes is based in India where Jeremy partners with none other than Bollywood icon and ‘Mission Impossible’ co-star, Anil Kapoor. Together, they voyage through the majestic state of Rajasthan to help a community facing a specific challenge that disproportionately affects children and impoverished communities.
Partnered with Uva Jagriti Sansthan (Ujs), a grassroots organization based in Rajasthan, Jeremy Renner, Anil Kapoor and a local team of Indian fabricators and mechanics transform a decommissioned Indian jingle truck into a mobile water treatment plant, targeting communities and schools that lack clean drinking water. To stay true to the culture and people, showrunner/Executive Producer of the series,...
Partnered with Uva Jagriti Sansthan (Ujs), a grassroots organization based in Rajasthan, Jeremy Renner, Anil Kapoor and a local team of Indian fabricators and mechanics transform a decommissioned Indian jingle truck into a mobile water treatment plant, targeting communities and schools that lack clean drinking water. To stay true to the culture and people, showrunner/Executive Producer of the series,...
- 4/28/2023
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
The forthcoming film Angry Indian Goddesses, features the song ‘Tinko Ke Sahare’, which has been composed by DJ/Music composer Kary Arora. Kary is known as India’s first female DJ and she has featured in the Limca Book of Records. I recently had a catch up with Kary, and she shared with us details of how her journey in the Bollywood music industry began, and also how she landed the part of a composer for Angry Indian Goddesses.
Read on to find out more from the talented Kary Arora!
Tell us your journey so far, within the Bollywood music industry.
My journey started when I moved to Mumbai in 2011 with the intentions of exploring the field of music composing in Bollywood. At first it was difficult to understand the technicalities like who pays, who decides creative inputs, whats legal and illegal like copyright, credit and contract issues as the...
Read on to find out more from the talented Kary Arora!
Tell us your journey so far, within the Bollywood music industry.
My journey started when I moved to Mumbai in 2011 with the intentions of exploring the field of music composing in Bollywood. At first it was difficult to understand the technicalities like who pays, who decides creative inputs, whats legal and illegal like copyright, credit and contract issues as the...
- 11/30/2015
- by Jem Raj
- Bollyspice
Exclusive: Mongrel International has closed key territories on Pan Nalin’s recent Rome audience award winner Angry Indian Goddesses heading into Sunday’s market premiere screening.
Rights have gone to California Filmes for Latin America, Outsider Films for Portugal and Alter Ego Pictures for Poland.
Producer Gaurav Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment, producer Sol Bondy of One Two Films and Mongrel International president Charlotte Mickie also announced that AA Distribution will handle wide release in India.
Mongrel has licensed Angry Indian Goddesses in more than 40 territories including France (Arp Selection), Benelux (ABC Cinemien), Spain (Karma), Germany/Austria (Nfp marketing and distribution), Middle East (Italia Film) and Switzerland (Filmcoopi).
The film premiered in Toronto — where it was runner up for the audience award — and centres on a fashion photographer who summons her unsuspecting friends to Goa for a riotous bachelorette party before matters take a more serious turn.
Rights have gone to California Filmes for Latin America, Outsider Films for Portugal and Alter Ego Pictures for Poland.
Producer Gaurav Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment, producer Sol Bondy of One Two Films and Mongrel International president Charlotte Mickie also announced that AA Distribution will handle wide release in India.
Mongrel has licensed Angry Indian Goddesses in more than 40 territories including France (Arp Selection), Benelux (ABC Cinemien), Spain (Karma), Germany/Austria (Nfp marketing and distribution), Middle East (Italia Film) and Switzerland (Filmcoopi).
The film premiered in Toronto — where it was runner up for the audience award — and centres on a fashion photographer who summons her unsuspecting friends to Goa for a riotous bachelorette party before matters take a more serious turn.
- 11/6/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Director Pan Nalin is ecstatic about the response to his latest film, Angry Indian Goddesses, a female buddy movie that won the first runner up prize at Tiff’s Grolsch People’s Choice Awards. He’s taking in all the sights of Toronto, and has been shooting a music video for the film with his seven goddesses for the week. We caught up with Nalin before his world premiere to chat about feminism, funding the film, and his goddesses.
Was this film something that was gestating with you for a while?
Earlier when I did Samsara, and Valley of the Flowers, I did have strong female characters. I did write a couple of story lines, but it wasn’t fully developed. But very soon I realized that in India that it was very nearly impossible to raise any funds. You couldn’t even speak, because they [producers] would say, “Decades ago...
Was this film something that was gestating with you for a while?
Earlier when I did Samsara, and Valley of the Flowers, I did have strong female characters. I did write a couple of story lines, but it wasn’t fully developed. But very soon I realized that in India that it was very nearly impossible to raise any funds. You couldn’t even speak, because they [producers] would say, “Decades ago...
- 9/21/2015
- by Rumnique Nannar
- Bollyspice
Exclusive: Charlotte Mickie and producers Gaurav Dhingra and Sol Bondy have announced further deals on the hot Toronto sales title.
ABC Cinemien has picked up Benelux rights and Karma Films will distribute Angry Indian Goddesses in Spain.
Mickie also announced that the sales agent has licensed Canadian rights to Mongrel Media for Canada.
Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment and Sol Bondy of One Two Films produced Angry Indian Goddesses, Pan Nalin’s story about friends who travel to a bachelorette party only for the trip to turn serious after a shocking incident.
Sales executive Caroline Habib negotiated the Canadian and Spanish deals and said: “We’re so excited by the performance of Angry Indian Goddesses at Tiff.
“The movie was a surprise for many buyers – including my boss – a wonderful surprise. The distributors have embraced the film and our goddesses.”...
ABC Cinemien has picked up Benelux rights and Karma Films will distribute Angry Indian Goddesses in Spain.
Mickie also announced that the sales agent has licensed Canadian rights to Mongrel Media for Canada.
Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment and Sol Bondy of One Two Films produced Angry Indian Goddesses, Pan Nalin’s story about friends who travel to a bachelorette party only for the trip to turn serious after a shocking incident.
Sales executive Caroline Habib negotiated the Canadian and Spanish deals and said: “We’re so excited by the performance of Angry Indian Goddesses at Tiff.
“The movie was a surprise for many buyers – including my boss – a wonderful surprise. The distributors have embraced the film and our goddesses.”...
- 9/16/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Charlotte Mickie and producers Gaurav Dhingra and Sol Bondy have announced further deals on the hot Toronto sales title.
ABC Cinemien has picked up Benelux rights and Karma Films will distribute Angry Indian Goddesses in Spain.
Mickie also announced that the sales agent has licensed Canadian rights to Mongrel Media for Canada.
Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment and Sol Bondy of One Two Films produced Angry Indian Goddesses, Pan Nalin’s story about friends who travel to a bachelorette party only for the trip to turn serious after a shocking incident.
Sales executive Caroline Habib negotiated the Canadian and Spanish deals and said: “We’re so excited by the performance of Angry Indian Goddesses at Tiff.
“The movie was a surprise for many buyers – including my boss – a wonderful surprise. The distributors have embraced the film and our goddesses.”...
ABC Cinemien has picked up Benelux rights and Karma Films will distribute Angry Indian Goddesses in Spain.
Mickie also announced that the sales agent has licensed Canadian rights to Mongrel Media for Canada.
Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment and Sol Bondy of One Two Films produced Angry Indian Goddesses, Pan Nalin’s story about friends who travel to a bachelorette party only for the trip to turn serious after a shocking incident.
Sales executive Caroline Habib negotiated the Canadian and Spanish deals and said: “We’re so excited by the performance of Angry Indian Goddesses at Tiff.
“The movie was a surprise for many buyers – including my boss – a wonderful surprise. The distributors have embraced the film and our goddesses.”...
- 9/16/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Mongrel International has slotted another piece into its international distribution jigsaw on Jungle Book Entertainment and One Two Films’ Toronto Special Presentation selection Angry Indian Goddesses.
Italia Film has acquired Middle Eastern rights following previously announced deals with Arp Selection for France, Nfp Marketing & Distribution for Germany and Filmcoopi for Switzerland.
Mongrel International chief Charlotte Mickie is in talks for Benelux and Spain.
Gaurav Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment, Sol Bondy of One Two Films and Mickie announced the sale on Tuesday.
Pan Nalin directed Angry Indian Goddesses, dubbed India’s first female buddy movie, about a group of women friends who gather to celebrate a friend’s imminent wedding before events take a serious turn.
The film screens in Toronto again on Friday and Saturday.
Italia Film has acquired Middle Eastern rights following previously announced deals with Arp Selection for France, Nfp Marketing & Distribution for Germany and Filmcoopi for Switzerland.
Mongrel International chief Charlotte Mickie is in talks for Benelux and Spain.
Gaurav Dhingra of Jungle Book Entertainment, Sol Bondy of One Two Films and Mickie announced the sale on Tuesday.
Pan Nalin directed Angry Indian Goddesses, dubbed India’s first female buddy movie, about a group of women friends who gather to celebrate a friend’s imminent wedding before events take a serious turn.
The film screens in Toronto again on Friday and Saturday.
- 9/15/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Heading into Toronto, Jungle Book Entertainment and One Two Films have brought on Charlotte Mickie and her team to kick off world sales on what they have described as India’s first female buddy movie.
Pan Nalin directed the Tiff Special Presentations world premiere about a fashion photographer who summons her unsuspecting friends to Goa for a riotous bachelorette party before matters take a more serious turn.
Angry Indian Goddesses stars Sarah Jane Dias, Rajshri Deshpande, Sandhya Mridul, Amrit Maghera, Pavleen Gujral, Anushka Manchanda and Tannishtha Chatterjee.
“We’re very excited to be working with Mongrel International,” said producer Gaurav Dhingra, who runs Jungle Book Entertainment with Pan Nalin.
“Mongrel has a wonderful historic track record with world cinema and movies with women in lead roles.”
“One Two Films is already a team with Mongrel International on The Tale, Jennifer Fox’s first feature. It’s great to continue with these guys,” said co-producer...
Pan Nalin directed the Tiff Special Presentations world premiere about a fashion photographer who summons her unsuspecting friends to Goa for a riotous bachelorette party before matters take a more serious turn.
Angry Indian Goddesses stars Sarah Jane Dias, Rajshri Deshpande, Sandhya Mridul, Amrit Maghera, Pavleen Gujral, Anushka Manchanda and Tannishtha Chatterjee.
“We’re very excited to be working with Mongrel International,” said producer Gaurav Dhingra, who runs Jungle Book Entertainment with Pan Nalin.
“Mongrel has a wonderful historic track record with world cinema and movies with women in lead roles.”
“One Two Films is already a team with Mongrel International on The Tale, Jennifer Fox’s first feature. It’s great to continue with these guys,” said co-producer...
- 8/26/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
A bachelorette set to destroy romcoms, India is all set to get its first all-out female buddy film, Angry Indian Goddesses. Helming the project is the internationally-acclaimed filmmaker Pan Nalin, who is best known for his award-winning documentaries and the Indie film Samsara. Angry Indian Goddesses that marks Nalin’s debut in mainstream Bollywood, boasts of an impressive line-up including Sandhya Mridul, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Sarah-Jane Dias, Anushka Manchanda, Amrit Maghera, Rajshri Deshpande, Pavleen Gujral and is being produced by Gaurav Dhingra, who has earlier co-produced Peddlers among many other noted films. Jungle Book Entertainment, co founded by Nalin and Gaurav, with a strong slate of international films, is now entering the mainstream Bollywood space with Aig.
Talking about the film, Nalin shares that his upcoming film is one of the first films to put the buddyhood of Indian women at the heart of the story. “My attempt is to make...
Talking about the film, Nalin shares that his upcoming film is one of the first films to put the buddyhood of Indian women at the heart of the story. “My attempt is to make...
- 7/23/2015
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
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
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
Exclusive: Kino Lorber has acquired Us rights to Pan Nalin’s feature documentry Faith Connections.
The film, which had its world premiere at Toronto last year, is set to receive its Us premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival this weekend. It was previously sold to France, Germany & Austria, Benelux, Switzerland and Australia & New Zealand.
“Faith Connections is probably the first Indian doc to break into the international theatrical market. We are thrilled at our association with Us distributor Kino Lorber for its Us release,” said producer Gaurav Dhingra.
Dhingra and Nalin’s Jungle Book Entertainment produced with France’s Cite Films and Virginie Films. Jungle Book also recently wrapped Nalin’s Goa-set comedy drama Angry Indian Goddesses.
Nalin is also casting for Beyond The Known World, a co-production between Jungle Book, New Zealand’s Reservoir Film and Arsam France. The film is expected to shoot later this year in New Zealand and the Indian Himalayas...
The film, which had its world premiere at Toronto last year, is set to receive its Us premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival this weekend. It was previously sold to France, Germany & Austria, Benelux, Switzerland and Australia & New Zealand.
“Faith Connections is probably the first Indian doc to break into the international theatrical market. We are thrilled at our association with Us distributor Kino Lorber for its Us release,” said producer Gaurav Dhingra.
Dhingra and Nalin’s Jungle Book Entertainment produced with France’s Cite Films and Virginie Films. Jungle Book also recently wrapped Nalin’s Goa-set comedy drama Angry Indian Goddesses.
Nalin is also casting for Beyond The Known World, a co-production between Jungle Book, New Zealand’s Reservoir Film and Arsam France. The film is expected to shoot later this year in New Zealand and the Indian Himalayas...
- 1/6/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Paris-based Indian filmmaker Pan Nalin has wrapped principal photography on his debut in mainstream Hindi cinema, coming-of-age drama Angry Indian Goddesses.
The film features a hot ensemble cast of established and up-and-coming actresses, including Tannishtha Chatterjee (Brick Lane), Sandhya Mridul (The Great Indian Butterfly), singer Anushka Manchanda, actress Rajashri Deshpande, former Miss India Sarah-Jane Dias, model-turned-actress Amrit Maghera and model Pavleen Gujral.
Set in Goa, the film revolves around seven women from different walks of life who come together on a friend’s invitation. The film is produced by Jungle Book Entertainment, owned by Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra.
“It’s a light-hearted female buddy film. We have tried to deal with contemporary issues related to women without being preachy,” said Nalin. “It’s made with the sensibility of my earlier films and is not-over-the-top. But it’s my most commercial film till date.”
Nalin has previously directed features such as Samsara and Valley Of Flowers. His recent...
The film features a hot ensemble cast of established and up-and-coming actresses, including Tannishtha Chatterjee (Brick Lane), Sandhya Mridul (The Great Indian Butterfly), singer Anushka Manchanda, actress Rajashri Deshpande, former Miss India Sarah-Jane Dias, model-turned-actress Amrit Maghera and model Pavleen Gujral.
Set in Goa, the film revolves around seven women from different walks of life who come together on a friend’s invitation. The film is produced by Jungle Book Entertainment, owned by Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra.
“It’s a light-hearted female buddy film. We have tried to deal with contemporary issues related to women without being preachy,” said Nalin. “It’s made with the sensibility of my earlier films and is not-over-the-top. But it’s my most commercial film till date.”
Nalin has previously directed features such as Samsara and Valley Of Flowers. His recent...
- 11/23/2013
- ScreenDaily
Paris-based Indian filmmaker Pan Nalin has wrapped principal photography on his debut in mainstream Hindi cinema, coming-of-age drama Angry Indian Goddesses.
The film features a hot ensemble cast of established and up-and-coming actresses, including Tannishtha Chatterjee (Brick Lane), Sandhya Mridul (The Great Indian Butterfly), singer Anushka Manchanda, actress Rajashri Deshpande, former Miss India Sarah-Jane Dias, model-turned-actress Amrit Maghera and model Pavleen Gujral.
Set in Goa, the film revolves around seven women from different walks of life who come together on a friend’s invitation. The film is produced by Jungle Book Entertainment, owned by Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra.
“It’s a light-hearted female buddy film. We have tried to deal with contemporary issues related to women without being preachy,” said Nalin. “It’s made with the sensibility of my earlier films and is not-over-the-top. But it’s my most commercial film till date.”
Nalin has previously directed features such as Samsara and Valley Of Flowers. His recent...
The film features a hot ensemble cast of established and up-and-coming actresses, including Tannishtha Chatterjee (Brick Lane), Sandhya Mridul (The Great Indian Butterfly), singer Anushka Manchanda, actress Rajashri Deshpande, former Miss India Sarah-Jane Dias, model-turned-actress Amrit Maghera and model Pavleen Gujral.
Set in Goa, the film revolves around seven women from different walks of life who come together on a friend’s invitation. The film is produced by Jungle Book Entertainment, owned by Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra.
“It’s a light-hearted female buddy film. We have tried to deal with contemporary issues related to women without being preachy,” said Nalin. “It’s made with the sensibility of my earlier films and is not-over-the-top. But it’s my most commercial film till date.”
Nalin has previously directed features such as Samsara and Valley Of Flowers. His recent...
- 11/23/2013
- ScreenDaily
France’s Cite Films has sold Pan Nalin’s documentary Faith Connections to Madman Entertainment for Australia & New Zealand and Contact Films for Benelux at the Afm.
The film was previously sold to France (Sophie Dulac Distribution), Nfp (Germany & Austria), Filmcoopi (Switzerland) at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it received its world premiere.
Faith Connections follows the stories of holy men, policemen, pilgrims and a runaway child at India’s biggest religious festival, which is held once every 12 years and attracts around 100 million Hindu pilgrims.
Cite Films also co-produced the film with Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Entertainment. Producers on the film include Dhingra, Nalin, Raphael Berdugo and Virginie Lacombe.
Faith Connections is making its Indian premiere at the upcoming International Film Festival of India (Iffi, Nov 20-30).
The film was previously sold to France (Sophie Dulac Distribution), Nfp (Germany & Austria), Filmcoopi (Switzerland) at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it received its world premiere.
Faith Connections follows the stories of holy men, policemen, pilgrims and a runaway child at India’s biggest religious festival, which is held once every 12 years and attracts around 100 million Hindu pilgrims.
Cite Films also co-produced the film with Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Entertainment. Producers on the film include Dhingra, Nalin, Raphael Berdugo and Virginie Lacombe.
Faith Connections is making its Indian premiere at the upcoming International Film Festival of India (Iffi, Nov 20-30).
- 11/11/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Pan Nalin’s documentary Faith Connections has been sold to Germany following its world premiere at Toronto.
Nfp has acquired rights for Germany to the India-French co-production, filmed at India’s Kumbh Mela religious festival. Advanced negotiations are also underway for sales to Canada, the Us, Germany and India.
The film is being sold by Raphael Berdugo’s Cite Films, which also co-produced with Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Entertainment. Berdugo, Dhingra, Nalin and Virginie Lacombe are credited as producers.
Cite Films has already closed deals with Sdd (Sophie Dulac Distribution) for France while the Swiss rights have gone to Filmcoopi
Faith Connections follows the stories of holy men, policemen, pilgrims and a runaway child at India’s biggest religious festival, which is held once every 12 years and attracts around 100 million Hindu pilgrims.
Nalin has previously directed feature documentary Ayurveda: Art Of Being and narrative features Samsara and The Valley Of Flowers.
Christoph Ott, vp of...
Nfp has acquired rights for Germany to the India-French co-production, filmed at India’s Kumbh Mela religious festival. Advanced negotiations are also underway for sales to Canada, the Us, Germany and India.
The film is being sold by Raphael Berdugo’s Cite Films, which also co-produced with Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Entertainment. Berdugo, Dhingra, Nalin and Virginie Lacombe are credited as producers.
Cite Films has already closed deals with Sdd (Sophie Dulac Distribution) for France while the Swiss rights have gone to Filmcoopi
Faith Connections follows the stories of holy men, policemen, pilgrims and a runaway child at India’s biggest religious festival, which is held once every 12 years and attracts around 100 million Hindu pilgrims.
Nalin has previously directed feature documentary Ayurveda: Art Of Being and narrative features Samsara and The Valley Of Flowers.
Christoph Ott, vp of...
- 9/10/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Pan Nalin’s documentary Faith Connections has been sold to France and Switzerland ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this week.
Sdd (Sophie Dulac Distribution) has acquired French rights to the India-French co-production, filmed at India’s Kumbh Mela religious festival, while the Swiss rights went to Filmcoopi. Advanced negotiations are also underway for sales to Canada, the Us, Germany and India.
The film is being sold by Raphael Berdugo’s Cite Films, which also co-produced with Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Entertainment. Berdugo, Dhingra, Nalin and Virginie Lacombe are credited as producers.
Faith Connections follows the stories of holy men, policemen, pilgrims and a runaway child at India’s biggest religious festival, which is held once every 12 years and attracts around 100 million Hindu pilgrims.
Nalin has previously directed feature documentary Ayurveda: Art Of Being and narrative features Samsara and The Valley Of Flowers.
“We decided...
Sdd (Sophie Dulac Distribution) has acquired French rights to the India-French co-production, filmed at India’s Kumbh Mela religious festival, while the Swiss rights went to Filmcoopi. Advanced negotiations are also underway for sales to Canada, the Us, Germany and India.
The film is being sold by Raphael Berdugo’s Cite Films, which also co-produced with Nalin and Gaurav Dhingra’s Jungle Book Entertainment. Berdugo, Dhingra, Nalin and Virginie Lacombe are credited as producers.
Faith Connections follows the stories of holy men, policemen, pilgrims and a runaway child at India’s biggest religious festival, which is held once every 12 years and attracts around 100 million Hindu pilgrims.
Nalin has previously directed feature documentary Ayurveda: Art Of Being and narrative features Samsara and The Valley Of Flowers.
“We decided...
- 9/2/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Faith Connections (France/India) directed by Pan Nalin will have its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2013.
In Faith Connections, Nalin travels to Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s most extraordinary religious events. There, he encounters remarkable men of mind and meditation, some facing an inextricable dilemma; to embrace the world or to renounce it. Faith Connections explores such diverse and moving stories as a young runaway kid, a Sadhu, a mother desperately looking for her lost son, a yogi who is raising an abandoned baby, and an ascetic who keeps his calm by smoking cannabis — all connected by one faith against the spectacular display of devotion.
The documentary has been produced by Gaurav Dhingra (Peddlers, Haraamkhor), Raphael Berdugo (Eros, Caramel) and Virginie Lacombe (Le fils de l’autre, Soongava – Dance of the Orchid).
Pan Nalin, who hails from Gujarat, earlier made Samsara and Valley of Flowers.
In Faith Connections, Nalin travels to Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s most extraordinary religious events. There, he encounters remarkable men of mind and meditation, some facing an inextricable dilemma; to embrace the world or to renounce it. Faith Connections explores such diverse and moving stories as a young runaway kid, a Sadhu, a mother desperately looking for her lost son, a yogi who is raising an abandoned baby, and an ascetic who keeps his calm by smoking cannabis — all connected by one faith against the spectacular display of devotion.
The documentary has been produced by Gaurav Dhingra (Peddlers, Haraamkhor), Raphael Berdugo (Eros, Caramel) and Virginie Lacombe (Le fils de l’autre, Soongava – Dance of the Orchid).
Pan Nalin, who hails from Gujarat, earlier made Samsara and Valley of Flowers.
- 7/31/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Exclusive: Participants include Germany’s Sol Bondy, Jennifer Fox [pictured] from the Us, and Canada’s Lauren Grant.
Trans Atlantic Partners (Tap), the intensive training and networking programme for European Canadian and American producers, has announced the 26 participants selected for this year’s programme.
Partners on the initiative, which is now four years old, are the Erich Pommer Institut in Potsdam, Germany (the creator of Tap), Strategic Partners in Halifax, Canada and Ifp in New York. The scheme also includes observer producers from India and Mexico.
Tap is supported by the Media Mundus Programme of the European Union, by Telefilm Canada, and Vff (Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film- und Fernsehproduzenten mbH) Germany.
The three training modules are taking place in Berlin, Halifax and New York City between June and September 2013. The selected producers also participate in the Atlantic Film Festival’s Strategic Partners and the Ifp’s Independent Film Week in New York.
Nadja Radojevic...
Trans Atlantic Partners (Tap), the intensive training and networking programme for European Canadian and American producers, has announced the 26 participants selected for this year’s programme.
Partners on the initiative, which is now four years old, are the Erich Pommer Institut in Potsdam, Germany (the creator of Tap), Strategic Partners in Halifax, Canada and Ifp in New York. The scheme also includes observer producers from India and Mexico.
Tap is supported by the Media Mundus Programme of the European Union, by Telefilm Canada, and Vff (Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film- und Fernsehproduzenten mbH) Germany.
The three training modules are taking place in Berlin, Halifax and New York City between June and September 2013. The selected producers also participate in the Atlantic Film Festival’s Strategic Partners and the Ifp’s Independent Film Week in New York.
Nadja Radojevic...
- 6/13/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
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