By Businessofcinema.com Team 8 October 2007, 06:49 PM

MUMBAI: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya has been chosen as the opening night film for the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council (MIAAC) Film Festival held in the US.

The screening will be followed by a star studded reception at Madame Tussauds. Also, Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear starring Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta will be the closing night film at this festival that will be held in New York from 7-11 November, 2007.

Gearing up for its seventh year, MIAAC Film Festival promotes, showcases, and celebrates the unique voices and talent of filmmakers' that tell compelling stories about the South Asian subcontinent to a broad audience.

Saawariya, which is released by Sony Pictures is the first Indian movie produced by a Hollywood production house. The movie is based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's short story, White Nights. The film marks the debut of Ranbir Kapoor (Rishi Kapoor's son) and Sonam Kapoor (Anil Kapoor's daughter) and also stars Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee.

Sony Pictures chairman and CEO Michael Lynton says, "India has a rich and a prolific film history. We at Sony Pictures recognize the potential and importance of the Indian market. This historic co-production encourages the integration of two of the world's biggest and dynamic film production communities and offered an excellent opportunity for the enormous talent in India to interact with a premiere Hollywood studio."

MIAAC festival director Pooja Kohli Taneja adds, "Saawariya indicates Sony's recognition of the importance of the Indian market and its desire to team up with the film industry in India. This is an important milestone for the Indian film industry and it is our honor to showcase it as the opening night film for this year's film festival."

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