UGLY
Directed by Anurag Kashyap;
India 2014, 128 Minutes, Hindi with English subtitles
Cast- Rahul Bhat, Abir Goswami, Sandesh Jhadev, Siddhant Kapoor.

There will be a post-screening discussion with Director Anurag Kashyap and lead actor Rahul Bhat.

Trailer: http://youtu.be/4ougQY2-zpk

Synopsis: A terrible tale of corruption, indifference, and systemic violence starts when the 10 year old daughter of an aspiring actor disappears.


About the Director: Anurag Singh Kashyap (born 10 September 1972) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. As a filmmaker, he is known for Black Friday (2004), a controversial and award-winning Hindi film about the 1993 Mumbai bombings. Other films of his that have traveled to a range of international film festivals include, Gulaal, That Girl in Yellow Boots and Gangs of Wasseypur (2012 closing film).

Bhaji On The Beach 
Directed by Gurinder Chadha;
UK 1993, 101 minutes, English, Hindi and Punjabi with English subtitles.
Cast- Kim Vithana, Jimmi Harkishin , Sarita Khuraja, Akbar Kurtha, Zohra Segal

Post screening discussion with Director Gurinder Chadha

Trailer: http://youtu.be/nuRB-YOdC98

Synopsis: A group of women of Indian descent take a trip together from their home in Birmingham, England to the beach resort of Blackpool. The women vary in ages from mid-teens to old, and initially have little in common. But the events of the day lead them to better mutual understanding and solidarity.


About the Director: Gurinder Chadha was born in Kenya, and grew up in Southall, London, England. She began her career as a news reporter with BBC Radio, directed several award winning documentaries for the BBC, and began an alliance with the British Film Institute (BFI) and Channel Four. In 1990, Chadha set up her own production company: Umbi Films.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014, 2014, 6:00 pm, Theatre 2
- SOLD OUT

Brahmin Bulls
Directed by Mahesh Pailoor
English, 96 minutes, 2013, USA
Cast - Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Cassidy Freeman, Justin Bartha

Post screening discussion with director Mahesh Pailoor

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/90726545

Synopsis: When Ashok makes a surprise trip to LA to visit his estranged son, the two begin a journey to mend their relationship until Sid discovers that his father has actually come in search of an old flame.

About the Director: Mahesh Pailoor is an award-winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. His films have screened at film festivals all over the world and have won awards including the SKYY Vodka Short Film Awards and have screened on the Sundance Channel. A graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Mahesh went on to continue his studies as a directing fellow at the American Film Institute, earning a Masters of Fine Arts degree in 2006 and was awarded the prestigious Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award for the direction of his thesis film, Still Life (2007). Mahesh is currently developing feature films under his production company, Nuclear Tribe.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014, 6:15 pm, Theatre 3

An American in Madras
Directed by Karan Bali
2013, Documentary, 80 minutes, English, Tamil, Hindi with English subtitles

Post screening discussion with director Karan Bali

Trailer: http://youtu.be/O76JUZYotJU

Synopsis: An American in Madras primarily traces American-born filmmaker Ellis R. Dungan’s years in India. Born in 1909 and hailing from Barton, Ohio, Dungan reached the shores of India on February 25th, 1935 intending to stay for 6 months but ended up staying for 15 years! During this period, he brought many technical innovations to the developing Tamil Film Industry of the 1930s and ‘40s, and infused a sense of professionalism into its filmmaking. All this, without understanding a word of the language!

About the Director: With Mumbai as his base, Karan has been making mainly documentaries besides being first assistant director on two feature films, Everybody Says I’m Fine and Matrubhoomi - A Nation Without Women. He teaches filmmaking and is also the co-founder and content-in-charge of Upperstall.com, an analytical portal on cinema of the sub-continent. An American in Madras is his first feature length documentary.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014, 6.30 pm, Theatre 4


Acceptance
Directed by Ryan Matthew Chan
English, 51 minutes, World Premiere at NYIFF 2014
Cast - Vinesh Nagrani, Ethan Song, Ann Mayo-Smith, Nathan Hartono, Pierre Cassini and Clay Burell.
 
Post screening discussion with Director Ryan Mathew Chan
 
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/78992382
 
Synopsis: "Acceptance" is a 50-minute international film directed by Ryan Matthew Chan based on a true story about a scholar from India who lies about getting into Harvard. It's a story about ambition, self-doubt, competition among friends and facing failure. It takes audiences into the world of elite international schools comprised of the world's richest and most goal-bound kids.

About the Director: Ryan Matthew Chan is an aspiring American filmmaker of Eurasian descent who was born and raised in Singapore. He is currently in his fourth year at Yale University pursuing a double major in Film Studies and Economics. His passion for film and visual storytelling began in elementary school when he developed an interest in flash animation. Chan spent his teenage years at the Singapore American School where he directed several award-winning short student films (The Hard Approach (2008), Mechanics of Me (2010), Anatomy of a Story (2010)). During the summer after his freshman year at college, Chan was hired as the Director of Photography for a $200,000 USD independent feature film called The Durian King starring renowned Singaporean actor Lim Kay Tong.

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Skin Deep (short)
Directed by Hardik Mehta
India, 2014, 20 minutes, Language Hindi with English Subtitles
Cast – Naveen Kasturia, Aditi Vasudev, Vikram Sahu, Anangsha Biswas

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqfNYpBSRiI

Synopsis: An excited young couple's first 'adventure' of wanting to make love and elope from reality is challenged when the boy plans to undergo a circumcision. 

About the Director: Hardik Mehta completed his Masters in 2008 in Film Making at AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, one of India’s foremost film schools. Since graduating he has worked in Mumbai as an assistant director in the Indian film industry. He worked closely on Director Dev Benegal’s ‘Road, Movie’ (2010) and Vikramaditya Motwane's ‘Lootera’ (2013) from pre-production to the post production of both the movies. Hardik has also worked independently as a writer, editor director for different ventures -formats like music videos, corporate films and shorts. Hardik's student short film ‘Chal Meri Luna’ was selected in the competitive section at IFFLA 2011 (Indian Film Festival of Los)


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The Corner Table (short)
Directed by Manjari Makijany
India, 2014, 25 minutes, Language English
Cast – Tom Alter, Vinati Makijany, Pushtiie Shakti, Reuben Karkaria
 
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/91748564
 
Synopsis: Aisha, is a 23 year old waitress who works at ‘The Pantry’. Friendly with most customers but a private person otherwise, she finds a sweet strange connection with an old foreigner who is visiting India after almost 24 years. He soon becomes a regular at the cafe, spending most of his time sipping on different teas and writing. A journey they take one night to see the city reveals many layers to their personalities. What really brings this retired writer back to Mumbai? What is it that he is seeking in India? Watch this short film to explore and understand the complexities of human relationships.

About the Director: A film and commercials Director she runs her own production company Mac Productions that was founded by her father and late veteran actor Mac Mohan (the infamous Sambha of 'Sholay' fame). The company currently produces commercials, corporates and short films and is now developing a slate of feature films for theatrical release. Her last short film, The Last Marble received much critical appreciation winning two international awards, several nominations and invited to over 25 festivals internationally including the prestigious Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival among others.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014, 9:15 pm, Theatre 3

Sulemani Keeda
Directed by Amit V Masurkar
India, USA 2013, Feature Film, 89 minutes, Hindi (with English subtitles)
Cast – Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev, Karan Mirchandani, Krishna Bisht, Rukshana Tabassum

Post screening discussion with director Amit V Masurkar

Trailer: http://vimeo.com/77573996

Synopsis: Dulal, a brooding, self-conscious writer and his hustler friend, Mainak dream to write a Bollywood film. Their picaresque journey brings them in a position where they are forced to choose between friendship, love and a big break. Besides exploring the subculture of migrant writers in the city’s western suburbs, the film also talks about their hopes and ontological anxiety.

About the Director: Amit V Masurkar quit Engineering midway and started working on film sets. He was a staff writer on ‘The Great Indian Comedy Show’ and has co-written the screenplay of the feature film, ‘Murder 3’ with Mahesh Bhatt. He has also directed the making of Dibakar Banerjee’s “LSD”, music videos and television commercials. This is his directorial debut film.




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Stuff (short)
Directed by Sofian Khan
US, 2013, 4 minutes, Language English
Cast - Aizzah Fatima, Annette O’Tool, Markus Potter

Trailer: http://youtu.be/XJcoG8bSlh0

Synopsis: The ritual exchange of stuff after an unpleasant breakup gets worse when one of the couple's mothers takes sides.

About the Director: Sofian Khan is a writer/director & cinematographer. His New York-based production company, Capital K Pictures, focuses mainly on documentaries and short films. “Small Voices”-- a short docudrama about human trafficking-- won Best Short at the 2008 South Asian International Film Festival sponsored by HBO, and has since played at over 20 festivals worldwide. Sofian also served as cinematographer on ‘Ramchand Pakistani’, starring Nandita Das, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was subsequently released in theaters in the UK, India and Pakistan. Recent documentary projects on topics ranging from Islamaphobia to Infomercials have screened at festivals nationwide, including Woodstock and Hot Springs, and played on the Documentary Channel and PBS.

Bar Stools (short)
Directed by Neale Hemrajani and Varun Bajaj
India, 2014, 16 minutes, Language English
Cast - Rajit Kapur, Anahita Ubroi, Aum Ahluwalia

Trailer: http://youtu.be/TA5Of4bMMdw

Synopsis: A grumpy middle-aged man falls in love with a fellow bar patron, but is completely baffled by the idea of striking up conversation with her. Having not played this game in years, he tries an arsenal of subtle advances, all while avoiding intrusion by the bar's busybody bartender. This is a light-hearted tale of old souls rejuvenated by the promise of new love. It is also a largely silent study of the role that human gesture plays in forming a primal connection with a complete stranger.

About the Director: Neale Hemrajani - Originally from Mumbai, India, Neale moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinematic Critical Studies and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film & TV Production. He graduated with a dual focus in Directing and Cinematography, and is dedicated to creating media that does more than just entertain. Additionally, Neale co-owns and operates an independent motion picture production company, RunawayVision LLC, which has been developing and producing short film content, music videos and commercials since its inception. The company also offers an array of production services and equipment.

Varun Bajaj - Varun Bajaj studied at H.R College Of Commerce and economics and after graduating jumped right into what he loved the most...Cinema The first movie he worked on was Blackmail which stared Ajay Devgan and Priyanka Chopra, this is where he got his first hands on experience. He has since produced movies starring Emraan Hashmi (Aksar and The Train) Rocky (Zayeed Khan ) Jai- Veeru (Fardeen Khan and Kunal Khemu.) In 2008 he went to The New York film Academy in New York to study filmmaking and after that he also studied in Los Angeles. After completing his education in the United States Varun has returned to India and directed 20 episodes for a lifestyle show for Sahara TV.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014, 6:15 pm, Theatre 3

Brahmin Bulls
Directed by Mahesh Pailoor
English, 96 minutes, 2013, USA
Cast - Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Cassidy Freeman, Justin Bartha

Post screening discussion with director Mahesh Pailoor

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/90726545

Synopsis: When Ashok makes a surprise trip to LA to visit his estranged son, the two begin a journey to mend their relationship until Sid discovers that his father has actually come in search of an old flame.

About the Director: Mahesh Pailoor is an award-winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. His films have screened at film festivals all over the world and have won awards including the SKYY Vodka Short Film Awards and have screened on the Sundance Channel. A graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Mahesh went on to continue his studies as a directing fellow at the American Film Institute, earning a Masters of Fine Arts degree in 2006 and was awarded the prestigious Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award for the direction of his thesis film, Still Life (2007). Mahesh is currently developing feature films under his production company, Nuclear Tribe.


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Give Into The Night (short)
Directed by Sonejuhi Sinha
US, 2013, 11 minutes, Language English
Cast – Sarita Choudhury, Vijay Bhargava, Alisha Nagarsheth
 
Trailer: http://youtu.be/07RVH6mbPqM
 
Synopsis: Give into the Night is a film about grief, isolation, companionship and the immigrant experience in America. The story begins when the recently widowed Anand moves to the US from India to live with his daughter and granddaughter, who is suffering from a recent illness. Separated by time and distance, the family's relationship has become cold and desolate as the wintry New England environment they inhabit. At the end of a long night, the characters slowly begin to discover what it means to be a family again by coming to terms with their shared grief and isolation.

About the Director: Sonejuhi is a New York-based Editor/Filmmaker. At the age of 4, she won the award for Best Storytelling in her Kindergarten class. Since then, she has harnessed this innate talent in every aspect of her career. Sonejuhi began her film career by directing the short film Fallen, an impressionist short film that screened at the Anthology Archives in New York City in 2004. Driven by her insatiable desire to perfect her craft of storytelling, Sonejuhi decided to pursue a career as a professional editor. Since 2004, she has been an editor for the internationally renowned editorial company Final Cut. She has edited several music videos for MTV and MTV2 UK, narrative short films that have premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and commercials for high profile campaigns such as Keep a Child Alive, which garnered recognition from ADcritic, Creativity, Huffington Post and won Gold Lions at Cannes. Sonejuhi has worked alongside acclaimed directors such as Harmony Korine, Henry Alex Rubin and Spike Jonze. She recently produced and edited ‘These Birds Walk’ and ‘Homegoings,’ two documentary feature films that played at SXSW, Full Frame, True/False, garnering several international awards.

Conversation : Aparna Sen & Gurinder Chadha 
Challenges & Opportunities in women-centric films in India and the Diaspora

About the Director: Aparna Sen is a renowned name in Bengali as well as Indian cinema. She has excelled both as an actor in film and theatre and as a director of parallel cinema. Aparna was born in 1945 in Kolkata.



About the Director: Gurinder Chadha was born in Kenya, and grew up in Southall, London, England. She began her career as a news reporter with BBC Radio, directed several award winning documentaries for the BBC, and began an alliance with the British Film Institute (BFI) and Channel Four. In 1990, Chadha set up her own production company: Umbi Films.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014, 9:00 pm, Theatre 2

Lakshmi
Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor
Hindi with Subtitles in English, 115 minutes, 2014, India
Cast – Monali Thakur, Shifaali Shah, Ram Kapoor

Post screening Q&A with director Nagesh Kukunoor

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZhCftFP8bk

Synopsis: Lakshmi is thrown into this horrific, inhuman, world run by the ruthless Reddy brothers. Quietly rebellious, Lakshmi's efforts to escape result in her being brutally beaten. She manages to survive her hellacious predicament with the help of the other girls and her own will to never give in.

About the Director: Arriving on the Indian film scene 15 years ago, and blazing a new path and genre- the Indie film, Nagesh has written, produced, acted & directed immensely successful and acclaimed films.





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Gulabee (short)
Directed by Tushar Tyagi
India, 2013, 26 minutes, Language Hindi, Subtitles available in English
Cast – Avani Modi, Priyank Tatariya, Nishi Singh Bhadli, Priyank Charan

Winner of Royal Reel Award at Canada International Film Festival

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/81486785

Synopsis: Gulabee is the story of an intricate, shy and humble girl, who is forced in to prostitution. Her search and pursuit for happiness when she begins to live in a brothel takes us through a variety of emotions. At the end, she finds the courage within herself to break the negative barriers that hold her life back thus making closure on her pursuit.

About the Director: Tushar Tyagi is a Film Director of Indian Origin. He holds a degree in Bachelor of Computer Engineering and Filmmaking. After that, he decided to follow his passion for film making and moved to New York. Earlier, he was associated with radio as radio jockey for a year. Tushar Tyagi has been associated with various films like An Absent Dream, Behind Women's Eyes and Inception of a lost Art. Recently, Tushar is the recipient of The Royal Reel Award at Canada's International Film Festival for Gulabee. 

Wednesday, May 7, 2014, 9:15 pm, Theatre 3

I Am Offended
Directed by Jaideep Varma
India, 2014, Documentary, 99 minutes, English and some Hindi with English subtitles
Cast – Ashish Shakya, Gursimran Khamba

Post screening discussion with stand-up comic Anuvab Pal

Trailer: http://youtu.be/QtkjN4VUZws

Synopsis: "I Am Offended" is a full-length documentary feature (99 minutes) on Indian stand-up comedy within the larger context of Indian humour in an environment of intolerance in India. The film looks into the thriving stand-up scene in English in India but also talks about the Hindi scene, cartoons in India, humour on television and Internet and cinema, and even the legendary literary humourist Pu. La. Deshpande.

About the Director: Jaideep Varma is an Indian writer and filmmaker. He has made 3 feature films – Hulla. Leaving Home – the Life & Music of Indian Ocean and Baavra Mann – a Film on Sudhir Mishra & Other Indian Realities. In 2013, "Hulla" was included in a book on unsung Mumbai cinema classics over 50 years, a book called "40 Retakes" by Avijit Ghosh. Leaving Home opened the Indian Panorama at the Goa International Film Festival in 2010 and won the National Film Award in 2011

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Free Ka Refill (short)
Directed by Harsshil R. Patel
India, 2013, 15 minutes, Language Hindi with English Subtitles
Cast – Abhishek Patel, Kunal Dhruv, Manish Babla, Nirav Parekh

Trailer: http://youtu.be/xPyzrTbO9Xo

Synopsis: A cell phone finds a new owner for a day. He makes free calls while someone else is left to answer.
 
About the Director: While studying for a Diploma in Digital Electronics Engineering Harsshil R Patel realized that film has been his true calling. He picked up a trainee job in the 3D animation department at United Studios Limited, a UTV post production company. He then started his own pocket animation studio where he got to interact with the top production houses and ad agencies in India, as well as their premier directors. For the past 5 years he has been producing live action and animated TV commercials under his production house called Eastern Key.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014, 9:30 pm, Theatre 4

As The River Flows (Ekhon Nodir Xipare)
Directed by Mr. Bidyut Kotoky
Assamese with English subtitles, 97 minutes, 2013, India
Cast - Victor Banerjee; Sanjay Suri; Raj Zutshi;Nakul Vaid;Naved Aslam and Ms. Bidita Bag

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxSKO2J4aNE

Synopsis: A social activist, Sridhar Ranjan, is missing in action in Majuli- one of the largest inhabited river island in the world. 7 years later Sridhar is about to be officially declared dead when his friend Abhijit, a journalist, comes in search of him. Abhijit is an outsider trapped in hostile, terrorist infested conditions with distant islanders. His only hope is the beautiful local guide Sudakshina. But like the unpredictable river Brahmaputra, her existence has unseen undercurrents. Will Abhijit be able to solve the mystery? Is he walking down the same path as his friend Sridhar Ranjan? Does a similar fate await him, as the River flows?

About the Director: Born in Assam, his father's profession took Bidyut's family all over the northeast. Very early in life, Bidyut had decided his vocation - Filmmaking. For his stories he never had to look further than his ever growing bond with his homeland. He made more than 100 short films on northeast and taken the sight, smells and tastes of the land to the outside world. His first feature film as writer/ director is 'ekhon nedekha nadir xipare'/'as the River flows'.


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Blouse (short)
Directed by Vijayeta
India, 2014, 20 minutes, Language Hindi with English Subtitles
Cast - Sumeet Vyas, Imran Rashid, Ronjini Chakraborty, Preeti Sharma

Trailer: http://youtu.be/u0ALQFl19eQ

Synopsis: Shyam, a school teacher, loves his wife Roopa. But the newly weds don't get much time with each other as he must live alone in Meja, the village where he teaches. Roopa asks for little except his affection, but when asked what she'd like as a gift, she asks for a blouse by Meja's Babu Tailor who's famous for the beautiful cuts & fits of his blouses. Upon reaching the tailor, Shyam realizes that he has lost the sample blouse Roopa gave him and now has no way of getting the tailor her measurements. On explaining the problem, Babu suggests a risky but clever plan that involves ogling the village women's bosoms, albeit discreetly.

About the Director: After studying film making from Jamia Milia Islamia's AJ Kidwai Mass Comm. Research Center in New Delhi, Vijayeta has assisted several directors on their Hindi feature films and Television commercials. She has now ventured out to do independent work as a Director, making TVCs and infomercials for various renowned brands. Sharpening her skills as she develops a full-fledged feature film script to direct. Blouse is her first short film, presently doing the festival rounds. It won the "Best Script" award at the recently concluded Jaipur International Film Festival.

LIAR’s DICE
Directed by Geethu Mohandas
India 2014, 104 Minutes, Hindi with English subtitles
Cast- Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta

Trailer: http://youtu.be/St5isHzupe8

Synopsis: The film follows Kamala, a young woman from Chitkul village and her girl child Manya, who embarks on a journey leaving their native land in search for her missing husband.

About the Director: Geethu Mohandas was born in 1981 in Kannur, Kerala, India as Gayathridas Mohandas. She is an actress and director.

Dr. Mohan Agashe : Gender in Indian Films
 
About Dr. Mohan Agashe: Dr. Mohan Agashe is an Indian theatre and film actor. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1996. He is a psychiatrist by profession and works as a Professor of Psychiatry at the B. J. Medical College and Sassoon Hospital in Pune, India.

Thursday, May 8, 2014, 9:00 pm, Theatre 2

Apur Panchali
Directed by Kaushik Ganguly
Bengali with English Subtitles, 97 minutes, 2014, India
Cast - Ardhendu Banerjee, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Gaurav Chakraborty

Trailer: http://bit.ly/HPQgDz

Synopsis: This is a real life story inspired by Subir Banerjee,the little child actor who played the iconic role of Apu in Pather Panchali.

About the Director:Kaushik Ganguly spent eight years as a teacher and freelance scriptwriter before turning director in 1995 with the teleserial "Rahaat". Recently he was awarded with the Best Director award for his film"Apur Panchali" at IIFI 2013.






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Feluda (short)
Directed by Shailesh Singh
India, 2014, 17 minutes, Language English, Hindi, Bengali
World Premier
Cast - Siddharth Kaushik, Niloy Kundu, Udai Paul 

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/77424652

Synopsis: The story sets its pace when Mahitosh Sinha Roy, an industrialist, an author by nature and a hunter by legacy stumbles upon a mysterious riddle written by his grandfather that he is eager to solve. And so he seeks the help of East India’s brightest private detective, Feluda.

About the Director: Shailesh Singh studied at The College of art, Delhi in 2009 where he was very inclined to take up illustration and graphic design as a profession. Following this inclination he interned with several prestigious Ad agencies while in college. However, despite great success while interning, he soon realized that his true passion lay in making films. He worked as a production assistant and Art Director in two short films, Timeout and Sleeping Awake, before he started with his first short film, the same year he finished college. His first film Feluda was inspired by Satyajit rays short stories which was followed by another short project Safdar Lives.

Friday, May 9, 2014, 6:00 pm, Theatre 1

FANDRY
Directed by Nagraj Popatrao Manjule
Marathi with English subtitles, 103 minutes, 2014, India
Cast - Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Avghade, Suraj Pawar Payeshari

Post screening Q&A with director Nagraj Manjule

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjHsL-_KG30&feature=youtu.be

Synopsis: Jabya, a boy like several others of his adolescent age, is born in a Kaikadi (untouchables Dalit) caste. He has fallen in love with a girl, his classmate in school, named Shalu. Incidently, Shalu is a girl from higher caste. Jabya's deep rooted inferiority complex, almost genetic, about his looks, his personality, his caste, his stunning poverty and above all his traditional hereditary source of livelihood prevent him all the while from expressing his soft feelings toward his long cherished love, Shalu. This is a story of Jabya's constant battle between his aspirations and his inferiority complexes, within him.

About the Director: Born and brought up in Karmala a very small town of Sholapur district in Maharashtra, he has closely seen how one has to struggle while getting an education if one belongs to a poor, backward family of a rural India. His First National Award winning short film 'PISTULVA' is a reflection of his 'felt experience', He has pursued his masters in Marathi literature from Pune University and Masters In communication studies from new art, science and commerce college Ahmednagar. He is one of the best and Important poets in Marathi literature in the last decade. His collection of poems 'Unhachya Kataviruddha' has received a very warm welcome in contemporary Marathi literature, and book won very renowned 'Damani literary Award', also praised by the stalwarts from Marathi literature.

Friday, May 9, 2014, 6:15 pm, Theatre 3

Mrs. Scooter
Directed by Shiladitya Moulik
India, 2014, Feature Film, 96 minutes, Language Hindi with English Subtitles
Cast – Anjali Patil, Satyakam Anand

Film Screening co-presented with Iman Cosmetics
 
Trailer: http://youtu.be/IIKv13eUicU

Synopsis: A mid-level clerk Bhushan brings home, on the same day, two things that are close to his heart – his new scooter and his new bride Aashima. But just one day later Bhushan loses his life in an accident separating his two prized possessions. The film follows the decline and decay of both Aashima and the scooter, who seem to have been abandoned by fate as well. Alone, unprotected and unloved their lives seem to be heading for a compromise forced by the people around them until the very end, when they are happily reunited by the unpredictable hand of fortune. The film is based in western UP and speaks a language we all relate to. The songs, the jokes, the rebels and the emotions are the pillars that hold together a realistic and gripping story of love. 

About the Director: Shiladitya Moulik is an adman waiting to make his way to the world cinema. Having done a film course from London Film Academy, he is rooted to the colors of Indian ethos and various cultures. Shiladitya has spent 12 years in the field of advertising – conceptualizing and writing for clients like Pepsi, Lays, Hero Honda, Airtel, Nokia etc. In this time he got the opportunity to work closely with the Bollywood stars like Saif Ali, Ranbir Kapoor, SRK to name a few. Along with television commercials, Shiladitya made several short films that won awards in London and India.

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Afternoon (short)
Directed by Anupam Barve
India, 2014, 12 minutes, Language English
Cast – Anjali Patil, Asmit Pathare
 
Trailer: http://youtu.be/CjCHFQHEauc

Synopsis: One of those warm, empty afternoons; when you don't like being left to yourself, neither do you like being compelled to speak; when you want someone to be around, yet have a sense of solitude and privacy.

About the Director: Anupam Barve is a Film Director from Pune, India currently working in London, UK. Despite coming from a rich and varied theatre background, he has since gained considerable experience in the field of cinema. His most recent Short Film-°© - Fresh Suicide has been very successful at various festivals and competitions all over. Anupam is currently in the process of adapting and developing The Shadow Lines, a much acclaimed novel by renowned author Amitav Ghosh into a feature length screenplay.



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My Dear Americans (short)
Directed by Arpita Kumar
US, 2014, 7 minutes, Language English
Cast - Ansuya Nathan, Gugun Deep, Rebecca Bara

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/91655928

Synopsis: A short narrative funded by Film Independent and PBS, My Dear Americans is about a Sikh woman’s defiant spirit. A recent immigrant to the U.S, Tejpreet is reluctant to embrace her new American identity. In contrast, her husband celebrates everything that mildly reeks of America. On America’s most patriotic holiday, the fourth of July, they have a threatening racist encounter that crushes the Sikh man’s enthusiastic spirit. Witnessing her husband’s devastation, Tejpreet makes a choice against hate and turns the situation around, if only momentarily.

About the Director: Arpita Kumar grew up in India and works as a filmmaker and film professor in California. She makes film with her partner, Vineet Khosla, under the production banner of Arpita Kumar Talkies and has worked internationally on films in Cuba, U.K., Peru, Bolivia, India, and the U.S. She was selected as one of the thirty emerging filmmakers for Film Independent’s Project: Involve fellowship for 2012- 2013 in Los Angeles, CA.

Friday, May 9, 2014, 6:30 pm, Theatre 4

SONGS OF THE BLUE HILLS
Directed by Utpal Borpujari
India, 2013, 96:30 minutes, English and Nagamese with English subtitles
Cast – Guru Sademmeren Longkumer, Lipokmar Tzudir, Lamtsala Sangtam

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJwhiDjOTc0

Synopsis: At the turn of the 20th Century, Naga folk songs had taken a back seat as the early Western missionaries opposed singing of folk songs. But now, traditional folk music has staged a comeback, as younger Naga musicians are trying to marry their music with other forms of music to take these traditional, ancient sounds to a much wider, worldwide audience.

About the Director: A National Award-winning film critic-turned-filmmaker, Utpal Borpujari has extensively written on cinema, politics, society, literature and culture, among other things, before turning a scriptwriter and filmmaker. His debut documentary “Mayong: Myth/Reality” was screened at several renowned Indian and international film festivals.

Friday, May 9, 2014, 9:30 pm, Theatre 4

Faith Connections
Directed by Pan Nalin
India/France 2013, Documentary, 117 minutes, Hindi with English subtitles
Cast – Kishan Tiwari, Hatha Yogi Baba, Vivekanandji, Umeshji, Mamta Devi

Trailer: http://vimeo.com/66136711

Synopsis: Filmmaker Pan 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 deeply 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.

About the Director: Pan Nalin kick-started his career with creation of tv series WAGLE KI DUNIYA in association with India’s legendary cartoonist R. K. Laxman and reached global limelight with his debut feature film SAMSARA. Nalin, a self-taught filmmaker, was born in a remote village in Gujarat. He made several short films and documentaries before venturing into feature films.


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Ammaji (short)
Directed by Prashant Bhargava
USA/India, 2014, 28 minutes, Language Hindi with English Subtitles World Premier
Cast - Savitri Bhargava

Synopsis: From acclaimed director PRASHANT BHARGAVA (PATANG, SANGAM, RADHE RADHE) AMMAJI is an intimate, personal and universal portrait of his grandmother Savitri Bhargava (1914-2006). Paralleled with preparing her late husband’s favorite meal, Ammaji recounts her joys and struggles from sacrificing her dreams at her engagement at the age of 11 to raising her five children. During an era often forgotten in our modern world, Ammaji triumphs as the lead matriarch of a joint family with strength, spirituality and humor. The documentary, while simple in form, is gracefully told with rare compassion and wisdom.

About the Director: Prashant Bhargava is an award-winning filmmaker and commercial director/designer, described by producer Anthony Bregman as "visionary and soulful", "masterful" by Roger Ebert and "a humanist and a real talent" by Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune. With his signature “hypnotically beautiful visuals”, “layered naturalistic performances” and a “colorfully vivid” poetic style, Prashant Bhargava stands at the leading edge as a director with "original storytelling and honest craft". Bhargava's filmmaking builds from his pioneering work as a commercial director and motion designer. Known for his intricately layered and lush visuals, Bhargava spearheaded over 100 campaigns for HBO including The Wire, Def Poetry Jam, Rome and OZ and films such as Born into Brothels, John Frankenhiemer’s Path to War, Mira Nair’s Hysterical Blindness, Raoul Peck’s Lumumba, and Denzel Washington’s Antwone Fisher. Bhargava's feature length directorial debut, PATANG (The Kite) has received rave reviews from Roger Ebert and The New York Times film review to name just a few.

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Saturday, May 10, 2014,12:15 pm, Theatre 3

Amka and The Three Golden Rules
Directed by Babar Ahmed
Mongolian with English Subtitles, 80 Minutes, 2014, USA
Cast - Genzorig Telmen, Dashnyam Maralgua, Hereltogoo Chuluunbaatar

Post Screening discussion with director Babar Ahmed

Trailer: http://youtu.be/78yREadv7sM

Synopsis: A ten year old Mongolian boy discovers a gold coin and soon his life spirals out of control. One of the few films to be ever produced in Mongolia.

About the Director: Babar Ahmed produced some of the International Monetary Fundand World Bank's most successful videos. His debut feature film "Genius" received multiple awards and was released nationwide on video.







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Ravi and Jane (short)
Directed by Stuart O'Rourke
Australia, 2013, 14 minutes, Language English and Tamil, Subtitles in English
Cast - Beth Aubrey, Katya Harvey, Sathya Ilanko

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/72620843

Synopsis: Recently arrived in Australia as a newcomer from Sri Lanka, ten-year-old Ravi is shy on his first day at school, but is soon befriended by his classmate Jane. The two become inseparable friends, but can their bond persist in the face of events beyond their control?

About the Director: Stuart began his career in London in 1999 as a freelancer in the television industry. Starting as a Videotape Operator, he then went on to work as a Production Assistant on the ITV drama series POIROT (2 x 2hr) for Carnival Films. As an independent he has filmed and directed a five-part travel series INSIDE INDIA and, more recently, a 1-hour documentary about the heavy metal music culture in Finland, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT METAL, which won the 2009 Mexico International Film Festival Silver Palm Award for Outstanding Achievement.

It’s A Wonderful Afterlife
Directed by Gurinder Chadha;
UK, 2010, 100 minutes, English
Cast - Shabana Azmi, Sally Hawkins , Sendhil Ramamurthy, Zoë Wanamaker, Jimi Mistry, Sanjeev Bhaskar , Mark Addy, Ray Panthaki, Goldy Notay, Shaheen Khan, Ash Varrez, Adlyn Ross.

Synopsis: Finding the perfect son-in-law can be murder. My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Shaun of the Dead meet in this charming and fun comedy romp about an Indian mother taking her obsession with marriage into frighteningly funny territory. Mrs Sethi, a widow, can't bear the thought of her daughter being alone and unhappy. Okay, she's a little plump and opinionated…but she would make a great wife for some lucky man, if only she were given a chance. When Mrs Sethi can no longer stomach the rudeness of families who refuse her daughter, she takes matters into her own hands with the only way she knows...Suddenly a police hunt begins for a serial murderer who cooks a killer curry. Mrs Sethi doesn't feel too guilty until the spirits of her victims come back to haunt her as they are unable to be reincarnated until their murderer dies. Mrs Sethi has no problem killing herself - she'll get to see her dead husband again – but how can she go before her daughter is married? The spirits realize that helping Mrs Sethi’s daughter find a suitable husband before the police catch her is their only chance for a wonderful afterlife. It's a big bloody wedding and a comic feast which takes the phrase 'I could murder a curry' to hysterical new heights.
A killer romantic comedy from Gurinder Chadha.


About the Director: Gurinder Chadha was born in Kenya, and grew up in Southall, London, England. She began her career as a news reporter with BBC Radio, directed several award winning documentaries for the BBC, and began an alliance with the British Film Institute (BFI) and Channel Four. In 1990, Chadha set up her own production company: Umbi Films.

Saturday, May 10, 2014, 3:15 pm, Theatre 4

Rangbhoomi
Directed by Kamal Swaroop
India, 2013, Documentary Feature Film, 80 minutes, Language Hindi
Cast – Dada Saheb Phalke, Kamal Swarrop

Trailer: http://youtu.be/xFf-_IhaIf4

Synopsis: Rangabhoomi follows the film makers as he attempts to trace the contours of Dada Saheb Phalke’s life in Varansasi after he withdrew, disillusioned, from the world of cinema and decided to take up theatre. While in Varanasi, Phalke wrote a semi-autobiographical play titled “Rangabhoomi” which form the core of this cinematic exploration. Set in the visually thrilling landscapes of the old town of Varanasi, the film intertwines the personal engagement of Kamal Swarrop with the story of Phalke with Phalke’s journey and the play, deploying a vibrant palette of sounds, sights and characters in surrealist juxtaposition.

About the Director: KAMAL SWAROOP - One of the most unusual independent films of the 1980s, took a Diploma in Direction from F.T.I.I, Pune in 1974, after graduation. He made some science programmes and T.V. plays for I.S.RO Ahmedabad during 1975-76 and some documentaries for Films Division during 1977-78. He co-scripted and co-directed some feature films and did research and scripting for some other films. He wrote dialogue for some films for Saeed Akhtar Mirza & Kumar Shahani and Art direction for a Mani Kaul film. He wrote, produced & directed ‘OM-DAR-B-DAR’ for N.F.D.C. in 1971. This film was shown in many festivals abroad and won Filmfare Critics Awards in 1989. His documentary ‘Phalke Children’ won a National Award for Best Historical Short Film in 1995. He has also conducted workshops & lecturers for visual arts and communication.

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Horn Please (short doc)
Directed by Shantanu Suman and Istling Mirche
India, 2013, 32 minutes, Language English
Cast - Bapi Bit

Trailer: http://www.projecthornplease.com/portfolio-post/horn-please-trailer/

Synopsis: Horn Please is a documentary that encapsulates various aspects of an age-old folk art form of India, the Truck Art, an art form that makes journeys through the dusty highways of India, incredible in more ways than one. With a kaleidoscope of bright paints, motifs, typography and unique couplets, these Indian trucks take you on a rather colorful journey of diverse cultures and beliefs of the country.

About the Director: Istling Mirche - Istling Mirche is the Founder and Director of a Mumbai based production house, Talkies Films. Istling is an ad film director, and has some leading brands in his portfolio like P&G, Tata Sky, Jindal Steel and a few more.





Shantanu Suman - In August 2013, after graduating from the School of Art + Art History (University of Florida) with a Master of Fine Arts (Graphic Design) Shantanu moved to Asheville, NC to work as a freelance graphic designer. Being an ardent Indian street art fan, Shantanu dedicated the final years of his graduate studies to research, investigate, and document this vernacular art form from India for which he received various recognitions and scholarships. Shantanu hails from a city called Bhilai in India. His professional experience involves working as an Art Director at various leading advertising agencies in Mumbai and New Delhi. During his advertising stint at agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather, McCann, Publicis Communications, some of his work earned him appreciation and various national and international awards including the Cannes Silver Lion, Cannes finalist, D&AD Inbook, Clio bronze, AsiaPac finalist, Spikes finalist and couple of more.

GOYNAR BAKSHO
Directed by Aparna Sen;
India 2013, 141 Minutes, Bengali with English subtitles
Cast- Konkona Sen Sharma, Moushumi Chatterjee, Saswata Chatterjee, Paran Banerjee

There will be a post-screening discussion with Director Aparna Sen

Trailer: http://youtu.be/E3Eid2ffx74

Synopsis: Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay's famous tale of 3 generations of women & their changing position in society,seen in relation to a box of jewels, handed down from one generation to the next. A film by Aparna Sen.


About the Director: Aparna Sen is a renowned name in Bengali as well as Indian cinema. She has excelled both as an actor in film and theatre and as a director of parallel cinema. Aparna was born in 1945 in Kolkata.