|  The                                         opening night of the Indo-American Arts                                         Council Film Festival (IAAC) 2009 in New                                         York features 'Today's Special' by director,                                         David Kapalan. Starring Aasif Mandvi, Naseeruddin                                         Shah, Madhur Jaffrey, Jess Weixler, Ajay                                         Naidu, Harish Patel, Dean Winters and Kevin                                         Corrigan, the film is based on Mandvi's                                         Obie-Award winning play 'Sakina's Restaurant'.                                         Now in its ninth year, the festival will                                         have 47 screenings including 44 premieres                                         of features, documentaries and shorts.
 Tennis celebrity and media                                   executive Vijay Amritraj will present Santosh                                   Sivan's 'Tahaan' set in Kashmir, as the festival                                   Centerpiece. The closing film is 'Antaheen - The                                   Endless Wait' starring two film luminaries - Sharmila                                   Tagore and Aparna Sen  both of whom will attend                                   this U.S. premiere at the Walter Reade Theatre,                                   Lincoln Center.  Since its founding in 2001,                                   IAAC has established itself as the premiere Indian                                   film festival in the United States, introducing                                   audiences to films such as Oscar winner Slumdog                                   Millionaire, Mira Nairs The Namesake and Monsoon                                   Wedding; Deepa Mehtas Water and Gurinder Chadhas                                   Bride & Prejudice. This years selection continues                                   to celebrate the Festivals tradition for excellence                                   and diversity with powerful performances and new                                   cinematic expression by cutting-edge Indian directors.                                   Regular public screenings will be at the Quad                                   Cinema, with special screenings at the Paris Theatre,                                   Walter Reade Theater, the National Museum of the                                   American Indian, and NYU's Cantor Center. About 'Today's Special'
 Director: David Kaplan
 Screenwriter: Jonathan Bines, Aasif Mandvi
 Cast: Aasif Mandvi, Naseeruddin Shah, Madhur Jaffrey,                                   Jess Weixler, Ajay Naidu, Harish Patel, Dean Winters                                   and Kevin Corrigan
 Length: 90 mins
  inspired                                   by Aasif Mandvi's Obie Award winning play Sakina's                                   Restaurant, "Today's Special" is a heartwarming                                   food comedy set in New York City. Samir is a Sous                                   Chef who dreams of being Head Chef of his boss's                                   hot new restaurant. After being passed over for                                   the promotion, he abruptly quits and hatches plans                                   to go to France and study under a legendary Chef.
 But                                   when his estranged father, Hakim has a heart attack,                                   Samir's life takes a detour back to his parents                                   home in Jackson Heights, Queens, where he takes                                   over the failing family business: Tandoori Palace.                                   With one foot out the door, Samir must come to                                   terms with the loss of his older brother a few                                   years back, and the sadness that engulfs his parents.                                   Luckily, his paths cross with Akbar: a taxi driver,                                   former chef in Mumbai, and irrepreseable raconteur                                   who lives in the moment, breaks conventions, and                                   inspires Samir to embrace life, save Tandoori                                   Palace, and his family along the way. A complete program listing                                   is online at www.miaacfilmfest.org Source: http://www.redhotcurry.com/usa/entertainment/films/iaacff2009.htm |