Los Angeles Indian Film Festival
Encyclopedia
The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) is an annual film festival held in Los Angeles
, California
. Established by Christina Marouda in 2003, as a nonprofit organization
devoted to paving the way for a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and diverse culture by providing the public with a selection of films from and about the Indian diaspora by Indian and international filmmakers.
It features features, documentaries and shorts and presents Grand Jury and Audience Choice awards in the following categories: Best Feature, Best Documentary, and Best Short. The IFFLA's Cinematic Scoring Achievement Award is given to composers, honouring film scores.
, she watched several Indian films, growing up with the films of Satyajit Ray
and Nargis
, and watched several mainstream Bollywood
films, Bengali films
and Tamil films
during a trip to India in 1999. Whilst enjoying the "ride from laughter to crying" that Hindi films can take audiences on, the festival was not looking to promote Bollywood cinema as much for there were already outlets for this. Marouda has expressed her admiration for director Mani Ratnam
, Rajiv Menon
's Kandukondain Kandukondain
and The Apu Trilogy.
Awards:
Audience Award for Best Picture - Kannathil Muthamittal
(Mani Ratnam
)
. The festival was attended by Quentin Tarantino
.
Awards:
Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature:
VALLEY OF FLOWERS (Pan Nalin)
Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary:
Q2P (Paromita Vohra)
Grand Jury Prize for Best Short:
TEA BREAK (Srinivas Sunderrajan)
Audience Award for Best Feature:
Outsourced Directed by John Jeffcoat
Audience Award for Best Documentary:
DIVIDED WE FALL directed by Sharat Raju
Audience Award for Best Short:
MONSOON directed by Shyam Balsé
.
Program:
Awards:
Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature:
Sita Sings the Blues (Nina Paley)
Program:
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Established by Christina Marouda in 2003, as a nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
devoted to paving the way for a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and diverse culture by providing the public with a selection of films from and about the Indian diaspora by Indian and international filmmakers.
It features features, documentaries and shorts and presents Grand Jury and Audience Choice awards in the following categories: Best Feature, Best Documentary, and Best Short. The IFFLA's Cinematic Scoring Achievement Award is given to composers, honouring film scores.
Founding
Marouda, a film lover of Greek descent established the festival to garner greater appreciation amongst Western audiences to all forms of Cinema in India. Growing up in CreteCrete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, she watched several Indian films, growing up with the films of Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
and Nargis
Nargis
Nargis Dutt , born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting carer began in 1942 with Tamanna...
, and watched several mainstream Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
films, Bengali films
Bengali cinema
Bengali cinema refers to the Bengali language filmmaking industries in the Bengal region of South Asia. There are two major film-making hubs in the region: one in Kolkata, West Bengal, India and the other in Dhaka, Bangladesh .The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s, when the first...
and Tamil films
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
during a trip to India in 1999. Whilst enjoying the "ride from laughter to crying" that Hindi films can take audiences on, the festival was not looking to promote Bollywood cinema as much for there were already outlets for this. Marouda has expressed her admiration for director Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi starring Anil Kapoor in 1983...
, Rajiv Menon
Rajiv Menon
Rajiv Menon is an Indian cinematographer and film maker. He is known for directing critically acclaimed Tamil films like Minsaara Kanavu and Kandukondain Kandukondain.-Early Life:...
's Kandukondain Kandukondain
Kandukondain Kandukondain
Kandukondain Kandukondain is a 2000 Tamil musical and romantic film based on Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility. Directed and co-written by Rajiv Menon, the film features an ensemble cast of Ajith Kumar, Mammootty, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai and Abbas in the lead roles...
and The Apu Trilogy.
2003
The first IFFLA was held in 2003.Awards:
Audience Award for Best Picture - Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
(Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi starring Anil Kapoor in 1983...
)
2006
Awards:- Cinematic Scoring achievement Award - Gingger ShankarGingger Shankar-Career:Gingger was raised in Los Angeles as well as India. Growing up within one of India's most acclaimed musical families, she learned singing, violin, dance, and piano. She studied opera vocals from Rose Marie Cardinale, famed opera star. She also modeled and acted in stage productions...
- Shankar is a Tamil violinist who received the award for her contributions to The Passion of the ChristThe Passion of the ChristThe Passion of the Christ is a 2004 American drama film directed by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus. It depicts the Passion of Jesus largely according to the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John...
.
- Shankar is a Tamil violinist who received the award for her contributions to The Passion of the Christ
2007
April 17–22, 2007 at ArcLight HollywoodArcLight Hollywood
The ArcLight Hollywood is a 14-screen multiplex located at 6360 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, in the United States of America. All 14 screens feature stadium seating, and carry a THX certification for optimal sound and picture presentation. The building is located adjacent to the...
. The festival was attended by Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
.
- Opening Night film : ProvokedProvoked (film)Provoked is a 2007 UK based English language film, directed by Jag Mundhra. It stars Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson, Robbie Coltrane, Nandita Das and Steve McFadden. The film is loosely based on the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia who killed her abusive husband.Cinematography...
( Jag MundhraJag MundhraJagmohan "Jag" Mundhra was an Indian filmmaker best known for his early career as an American exploitation film writer-director and his later career as maker of such issue-oriented films as Bawandar and Provoked.-Early life:Mundhra was born at Nagpur, and grew up in a Marwari locality in Calcutta,...
) - Closing Night film : Vanaja (film) (Rajnesh DomalpalliRajnesh DomalpalliRajnesh Domalpalli is a Telugu film director from India. His first directorial venture, Vanaja, won several international awards including the Best First Feature award at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival.-Early life:...
). - Tribute Honorée : Deepti NavalDeepti NavalDeepti Naval is an acclaimed Indian actress. She has acted in over 75 Hindi films, and most often worked in arthouse and independent films, known as parallel cinema in India.-Early life:Born in Amritsar, Punjab, India...
.
Awards:
Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature:
VALLEY OF FLOWERS (Pan Nalin)
- Special Mention, VANAJA directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli
Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary:
Q2P (Paromita Vohra)
Grand Jury Prize for Best Short:
TEA BREAK (Srinivas Sunderrajan)
- Special Mention, PRINTED RAINBOW directed by Gitanjali Rao
Audience Award for Best Feature:
Outsourced Directed by John Jeffcoat
John Jeffcoat
John Jeffcoat is an American film director. He is most famous for his film Outsourced starring Josh Hamilton and Ayesha Dharker. The film has been adapted as a television series, and was recently picked up by NBC for their fall schedule after The Office....
Audience Award for Best Documentary:
DIVIDED WE FALL directed by Sharat Raju
Audience Award for Best Short:
MONSOON directed by Shyam Balsé
2008
22–27 April 2008 at ArcLight HollywoodArcLight Hollywood
The ArcLight Hollywood is a 14-screen multiplex located at 6360 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, in the United States of America. All 14 screens feature stadium seating, and carry a THX certification for optimal sound and picture presentation. The building is located adjacent to the...
.
- Tribute honoree: Madhuri DixitMadhuri DixitMadhuri Dixit is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Hindi films. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses and most accomplished dancers. She appeared in numerous commercially successful films and was recognised for several of...
. - Opening gala: AmalAmal (film)Amal , 2007, is a Canadian drama film directed and written by Richie Mehta. Set in modern-day New Delhi, India, it tells the story of a poor autorickshaw driver, Amal Kumar....
(Richie MehtaRichie MehtaRichie Mehta is a Canadian film director. His first feature film, Amal, was released in 2008, and has been nominated for Best Motion Picture and Best Director at the 29th Genie Awards....
) - Closing gala: Mumbai Cutting...A City UnfoldsMumbai CuttingMumbai Cutting is a 2010 anthology Indian film comprising eleven short films, telling eleven different stories based on life in Mumbai, which are directed by a host of eleven directors: Anurag Kashyap, Sudhir Mishra, Rahul Dholakia, Kundan Shah, Revathy, Jahnu Barua, Rituparno Ghosh, Shashanka...
Program:
- Docu shorts (QUAMAR - WORKING TO LIVE, SILENT HUES, UNDER THE AHMEDABAD SKY (Sotto Il Cielo Di Ahmedabad))
- BEFORE THE RAINS, A HOME IN THE SKY (Aevdhese Aabhaal), FOUR WOMEN (Naalu Pennungal), SUPER 30 (preceded by THE LOST RAINBOW)
- Narrative shorts (BEAST, LOVE STORY, THE LOST RAINBOW (Haravilele Indradhanush), MIDNIGHT LOST AND FOUND, THE MORNING RITUAL, THE RETURN (Vaapsi), REWIND, SARI (W)RAP, THREE OF US)
- KISSING COUSINS, THE POOL, LOST MOON (Khoya Khoya Chand), FROZEN
- Madhuri DixitMadhuri DixitMadhuri Dixit is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Hindi films. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses and most accomplished dancers. She appeared in numerous commercially successful films and was recognised for several of...
tribute: THE DEATH SENTENCE (MrityudandMrityudandMrityudand is an Indian Hindi movie released in 1997. It was directed and produced by Prakash Jha and stars Madhuri Dixit, Shabana Azmi, Ayub Khan, Mohan Agashe and Om Puri....
), JOHNNY GADDAAR
- Narrative shorts (BEAST, LOVE STORY, THE LOST RAINBOW (Haravilele Indradhanush), MIDNIGHT LOST AND FOUND, THE MORNING RITUAL, THE RETURN (Vaapsi), REWIND, SARI (W)RAP, THREE OF US)
- MY HEART IS CRAZY (Dil To Pagal HaiDil To Pagal HaiDil To Pagal Hai is a Bollywood comedy/drama, released October 31, 1997, depicting the love lives of dancers in a musical dance troupe. The tag line is "Someone somewhere is made for you..." It was directed by Yash Chopra. It stars Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor, with an extended...
), THE SEA WITHIN (Ore Kadal), THE GLOW OF WHITE WOMEN - AN UNENDING JOURNEY, Shot in Bombay, BOBBY
- Docu Shorts (QUAMAR - WORKING TO LIVE, SILENT HUES, UNDER THE AHMEDABAD SKY (Sotto Il Cielo Di Ahmedabad))
- STARS ON EARTH (Taare Zameen ParTaare Zameen ParTaare Zameen Par is a 2007 Bollywood drama film directed by Aamir Khan, written by Amole Gupte, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. Gupte initially developed the idea with his wife Deepa Bhatia, who served as the film's editor...
), THE SKY BELOW
2009
April 21–27, 2009.- Opening Night Gala: The Fakir of VeniceThe Fakir of VeniceThe Fakir of Venice is a black comedy/drama in English and Hindi that is inspired by a true story. It is directed by Anand Surapur and stars Farhan Akhtar.-Plot:...
(Anand Surapur) - Centerpiece Gala: Heaven on EarthHeaven on Earth (film)Heaven on Earth a.k.a Videsh is a 2008 Canadian film directed and written by Deepa Mehta. Preity Zinta plays the leading role of Chand, a young Indian Punjabi woman who finds herself in an abusive arranged marriage with an Indo-Canadian man, played by theatre actor Vansh Bhardwaj...
(Deepa MehtaDeepa MehtaDeepa Mehta, LLD is a Genie Award-winning Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, most known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire , Earth , and Water , among which Earth was submitted by Indian government for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...
) - Closing Gala: Yes Madam, Sir (docu, Megan Doneman)
Awards:
Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature:
Sita Sings the Blues (Nina Paley)
Program:
- SIKANDAR - Piyush Jha, FIRAAQ - Nandita Das, AIR INDIA 182 (docu, Sturla Gunnarsson), THE DAMNED RAIN (Gabhricha Paus, Satish Manwar),
- GANDHI, MY FATHER - Feroz Abbas Khan, LITTLE ZIZOU - Sooni Taraporevala, LEAVING HOME: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF INDIAN OCEAN (Docu, Jaideep Varma)
- QUICK GUN MURUGAN - Shashank Ghosh, VIRASAT - Priyadarshan, KANCHIVARAM (Priyadarshan), CHILDREN OF THE PYRE (docu, Rajesh S. Jala),
- Sita Sings the BluesSita Sings the BluesSita Sings the Blues is a 2008 animated feature film written, directed, produced and animated entirely by American artist Nina Paley , primarily using 2D computer graphics and Flash Animation.It intersperses events from the Ramayana, illustrated conversation between Indian shadow puppets,...
(Nina PaleyNina PaleyNina Paley is an Americancartoonist, animator and free culture activist.She directed the animated feature film Sita Sings the Blues. She was the artist and often the writer of comic strips Nina's Adventures and Fluff, but most of her recent work has been in animation...
), SIDDHARTH THE PRISONER (Pryas Gupta), BOMBAY SUMMER (Joseph Mathew Varghese), LAMHE (Yash Chopra) - DHIN TAK DHA (short, Shraddha Pasi), SUPERMEN OF MALEGAON (docu, Faiza Ahmad Khan), NAYA DAUR (B.R. Chopra), 7 DAYS IN SLOW MOTION (Umakanth Thumrugoti)