Tarsem Singh's 'Dear Jassi' to open LA's Indian Film Festival
The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) has chosen Tarsem Singh's Dear Jassi as its opening film. The festival, scheduled for June 27-30, will feature seven full-length films and a new industry segment. It will also present a series of South Asian short films emphasizing women's narratives. The majority of the screenings will take place at Landmark Theatres Sunset, with the opening and closing events hosted at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills.
About 'Dear Jassi' and other highlights of the festival
Dear Jassi, is based on true events and narrates the story of a Canadian-born Indian girl who falls in love with a rickshaw driver from a lower social class. The film stars Pavia Sidhu and introduces Yugam Sood in his acting debut. Other notable films include Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's Kill, Sundance Award-winner Girls Will Be Girls by Shuchi Talati, Christo Tomy's Undercurrent, Shaun Seneviratne's Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts, and Leesa Gazi's A House Named Shahana.
Festival to conclude with Nithilan Saminathan's 'Maharaja'
The IFFLA will conclude with the Los Angeles premiere of Nithilan Saminathan's Tamil-language film Maharaja. The film, a complex tale of revenge, features Vijay Sethupathi and filmmaker-actor Anurag Kashyap. Additionally, the festival will screen two episodes from the Riz Ahmed-produced documentary series Defiance: Fighting the Far Right, directed by Primetime Emmy Award-winner Satiyesh Manoharajah. This series explores the protest movement led by young British Asians in the late 1970s and early 1980s against anti-immigrant sentiment and attacks.
IFFLA's Artistic Director commented on festival lineup
Anu Rangachar, the artistic director of IFFLA, expressed her thoughts on the festival's lineup. She stated, "The eclectic lineup covering most of the vast and varied South Asian regions, including the diaspora, is directed by a majority of incredibly talented first-time filmmakers debuting with their works." The festival will also host its inaugural IFFLA Industry Day, a unique forum for South Asian film and TV executives in the US, featuring emerging South Asian voices and educational opportunities.
A short backed by Kashyap also in focus
The IFFLA Industry Day will also include a pitch competition with a $10,000 development grant for the winner. This year's shorts competition will spotlight women-focused stories told in 10 different languages by six female directors. Among these are the world premieres of Hema, directed by Ritvik Dhavale and starring Rajshri Deshpande, and debut director Shashwat Dwivedi's comedic tale Bobby Beauty Parlour, produced by Kashyap.
