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  • Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) announces Galas and a stellar line-up

    Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) announces Galas and a stellar line-up

    MUMBAI:  The 14 edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) held at ArcLight, Hollywood in Los Angeles, California from 6 to 10 April, 2016, announced its eclectic line-up of 27 films (16 features and 11 shorts) to be screened this year.

    The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of ground breaking Indian cinema globally.

    Opening the festival on April 6 is the U.S. premiere of the powerful Angry Indian Goddesses, from filmmaker and four-time IFFLA alum Pan Nalin. Anu Menon’s poignant Waiting, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Kalki Koechlin, closes the festival with its North American premiere on April 10. Gala tickets and passes are now available at http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/.

    Three films will have their world premiere at the five-day film festival namely, CRD by Kranti Kanade, Babu’s Dilemma by Collin D’Cunha, and Anurag Kashyap produced Mochi (The Cobbler) by Saqib Pandor. In addition, there will be two North American premieres, and ten U.S. premieres.
    More features and shorts from female filmmakers will be presented this year by IFFLA than ever before, including: Deepa Mehta’s gangster drama Beeba Boys; Leena Yadav’s Parched, a piercing examination of India’s patriarchal culture through the stories of four women; Ruchika Oberoi’s genre-bending triptych, Island City; and Rinku Kalsy’s documentary For the Love of a Man, about the fierce devotion shared by South-Indian superstar Rajinikanth’s fans; and in the shorts program, Payal Sethi’s Leeches, Megha Ramaswamy’s Bunny, Pritha Chakraborthy’s Ashrut (Silent Voices) and Sonejuhi Sinha’sLove Comes Later, among others.

    The festival also features two LGBT titles, Hansal Mehta’s politically-charged Aligarh and the short Daaravtha (The Threshold) by Nishant Roy Bombarde, which are bold and compelling statements from filmmakers.

    Tamil cinema has recently emerged as a force on the world stage, and this is exemplified in the two fascinating? Tamil features in the program: Visaaranai (Interrogation) and Kirumi (Virus).

    Highlights in the shorts program include the world premiere of Mochi (The Cobbler), an impressive directorial debut from Saqib Pandor, produced by Anurag Kashyap, and the North American premiere of Anuj Gulati’s The Manliest Man, a boldly told, absurdist tale that reveals a visionary emerging director.

    Attending the festival this year to present their films will be a host of celebrated filmmakers, including Bhaskar Hazarika (Kothanodi), KrantiKanade (CRD), Hansal Mehta (Aligarh), Prashant Nair & Swati Shetty (Umrika), Pan Nalin(Angry Indian Goddesses),Ruchika Oberoi (Island City), Q (Brahman Naman) and Leena Yadav (Parched).
    IFFLA will also host stars from a number of films, including Kalki Koechlin (Waiting) and many of the actors featured in Angry Indian Goddesses.

    Talking about the impressive line-up, Christina Marouda, Founder of IFFLA said, “India’s independent filmmakers are taking bold risks, defying convention, and responding to injustice in each of these visionary films, and the results are breathtaking.” Mike Dougherty, the Director of Programming adds, “I’m extremely excited for our Los Angeles audience to experience these films, which have garnered raves from around the world, or are making their world premieres with us.”

    Complete Line-up

    OPENING NIGHT GALA

    ANGRY INDIAN GODDESSES
    India/2015/115min/DCP/Hindi and English
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Pan Nalin

    Logline: When an eclectic group of women gathers to celebrate the impending nuptials of a close mutual friend, sparks fly as they each discover the power – and the fury – of the angry goddesses that lie within.  

    CLOSING NIGHT GALA

    WAITING
    India/2015/92min/DCP/Hindi and English
    North American Premiere
    Director: Anu Menon

    Logline: While their spouses lie in comas, two strangers develop a deep connection in the hospital to help support each other through the trials of waiting and grief.

    FEATURES

    •ALIGARH
    India/2015/114min/DCP/Hindi
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Hansal Mehta
    Logline: The true story of Dr. ShrinivasRamchandraSiras, a linguistics professor at Aligarh Muslim University whose outing and threatened termination caused an uproar.

    •BEEBA BOYS
    Canada/2015/103min/DCP/Punjabi and English
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Deepa Mehta (IFFLA alum)
    Logline: A ruthless and charismatic Sikh Canadian gangster leads his crew into war for drugs, money and respect.

    •BRAHMAN NAMAN
    UK/2015/90min/DCP/English
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Q
    Logline:  A team of misfits at Bangalore University makes an alcohol-fueled cross-country journey to the National Quiz Championships, determined to defeat their archrivals and lose their virginities.

    This year’s Sundance Film Festival heard non-stop buzz about director Q’s latest brazen cinematic provocation: a 1980s-set coming-of-age sex comedy. There’s much more on this film’s mind than young lust and sexual hijinks…but it does have plenty of that to spare!

    •CRD
    India/2016/108min/DCP/Hindi and English
    World Premiere
    Director: Kranti Kanade (IFFLA alum)
    Logline:  As aspiring writer Chetan prepares to compete in a prestigious college theater festival, he explores his creative impulses in radical, hilarious and destructive ways.

    •FOR THE LOVE OF A MAN
    India/2015/82min/DCP/Tamil and English
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Rinku Kalsy
    Logline: An entertaining and unforgettable look at the godlike devotion by millions of fans for South-Indian super-star Rajinikanth.

    •ISLAND CITY
    India/2015/111min/DCP/Hindi
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Ruchika Oberoi
    Logline: Three stories set in the sprawling city of Mumbai reveal the absurd, bittersweet and heartbreaking ways three characters attempt to push back against society’s plans for them.

    Oberoi brilliantly plays with genre as her film effortlessly shifts from absurdist comedy to escapist fantasy to realist drama (there’s even a tinge of science fiction). Though each character’s journey is markedly different, their goals are similar: to push back against the demands forced on them without any regard for their personal desires. Oberoi’s unique vision won the Best Young Director Award of the Venice Days section at the 2015 Venice Film Festival.

    •KIRUMI (Virus)
    India/2015/99min/DCP/Tamil
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Anucharan Murugaiyan
    Logline:  An irresponsible young man finds work as a police informant, but his careless tactics soon anger some of Chennai’s most dangerous criminals, and put him and his loved ones in jeopardy.

    First-time director Anucharan Murugaiyan delivers a riveting, white-knuckle thriller from a script co-written with rising star and Tamil filmmaker M. Manikandan (director of 2015 IFFLA Audience Award winner THE CROW’S EGG). Their collaboration is a fine example of Tamil cinema’s recent emergence as a force on the world stage, and a superb elevation of the crime genre into a stylish, sophisticated look at corruption from the inside.

    •KOTHANODI (The River of Fables)
    India/2015/117min/DCP/Assamese
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Bhaskar Hazarika
    Logline:  A darker side to motherhood is revealed in these Assamese folktales about four women’s strange and unsettling relationships with their children.

    •MASAAN (Fly Away Solo)
    India, France/2015/109min/DCP/Hindi
    Director: Neeraj Ghaywan (IFFLA alum)
    Logline:  Four very different lives intersect along the Ganges, each longing to escape the moral constructs of a small town.

    In the past year, IFFLA alum Neeraj Ghaywan’s debut feature has become one of the most celebrated independent Indian films in recent memory. Its premiere in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section saw the film win the prestigious FIPRESCI prize, and the section’s jury honored Ghaywan with the Promising Future Award. The film’s release in India garnered rave reviews and is poised to make stars of its talented young cast, including Vicky Kaushal, Richa Chadha and Shweta Tripathi.

    •OTTAAL (The Trap)
    India/2014/81min/DCP/Malayalam
    U.S. Premiere
    Director:  Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair
    Logline: When an orphan’s kind grandfather falls ill, the young boy is confronted with the bleak fate of millions of children worldwide.

    Winner of the Crystal Bear in the Generation Kplus section of the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival, OTTAAL is directed with patient mastery by director Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair, and anchored by a heartbreaking performance from its young lead, Ashanth K. Sha.

    •PARCHED
    India/UK/USA/2015/117min/DCP/Hindi
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Leena Yadav
    Logline: Four small-town women struggling with mistreatment and misogyny find surprising ways to take control of their lives.

    Leena Yadav’s drama premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, and went on to play the Stockholm International Film Festival, where it won the festival’s Impact Award. With vivid, lived-in performances and a script by Yadav that never simplifies what is a complex reality for many Indian women, PARCHED spotlights a harsh patriarchal culture and the women and girls who remain steadfast within it.

    •UMRIKA
    India/2015/102min/DCP/Hindi
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Prashant Nair (IFFLA alum)
    Log line: A young man must learn the truth about what happened to his older brother after he left their small Indian village for the magical, faraway land of “Umrika.”

    Showcasing winning performances by Suraj Sharma (LIFE OF PI) and Tony Revolori (THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL), UMRIKA won the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award along with other accolades at festivals around the world. With a moving mix of humor, piercing loss and sacrifice, writer-director and IFFLA alum Prashant Nair captures the power of stories about the faraway, mythical places that are never quite real, but we still risk everything to reach.

    •VISAARANAI (Interrogation)
    India/2015/108min/DCP/Tamil
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Vetri Maaran
    Logline: When a Tamil-speaking immigrant lands in jail on trumped up charges, he must navigate a labyrinth of police brutality and corruption.

    SHORTS

    •ASHRUT (Silent Voices)
    India/2014/26min/DCP/Bengali
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Pritha Chakraborty
    Logline: An intimate documentary portrait of three sisters and their mother that explores the women’s unrealized dreams and confinement to domesticity.

    •BABU’S DILEMMA
    India/2015/24min/HDCAM/Hindi and English
    World Premiere
    Director: Collin D’Cunha
    Logline: An immigrant construction worker in Dubai who can barely make ends meet must find a way to send an expensive gift to his wife back in India.

    •BUNNY
    India/2015/15min/DCP/Non-dialogue
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Megha Ramaswamy
    Logline: A young girl mourns the death of her stuffed bunny.

    •CHHAYA (The Shadow)
    UK/2015/10min/DCP/Non-dialogue 
    Director: Debanjan Nandy
    Logline: Fantasy and reality vehemently clash in the nursing home quarters of a lonely widower.

    •DAARAVTHA (The Threshold)
    India/2016/30min/DCP/Marathi
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Nishant Roy Bombarde
    Logline: Torn between a patriarchal Indian upbringing and his natural urge to identify with the opposite gender, an adolescent boy discovers his sexuality.

    •LEECHES
    India/2016/27min/DCP/Urdu and Dakhani
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Payal Sethi
    Logline: A woman embarks on a dangerous journey to save her young sister from being sold as a One-Day Bride.

    •LOVE COMES LATER
    USA/2015/10min/Blu-ray/English
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Director: Sonejuhi Sinha
    Logline: An undocumented motel worker faces a life-altering decision when she discovers she’s pregnant.

    •MAST QALANDAR
    India/2015/15min/DCP/Punjabi and Hindi
    U.S. Premiere
    Director: Divij Roopchand
    Logline: All this rap-loving Sikh boy wants for his thirteenth birthday is a new hairdo.

    •MOCHI (The Cobbler)
    India/2016/20min/Blu-ray/Hindi and Marathi
    World Premiere
    Director: Saqib Pandor
    Logline: When a struggling shoe repairman loses an expensive pair of shoes, his entire world starts to crumble.

    •PLAYGROUNDS
    India/2014/18min/Blu-ray/Hindi and Tamil
    U.S. Premiere
    Directors: ShamikSen Gupta, Pallavi MD
    Logline: When a rickshaw driver discovers a young boy in the back seat of his auto, he embarks on a dark journey to find the child’s parents.

    •THE MANLIEST MAN
    India/2016/23min/DCP/ Hindi and Bundeli
    North American Premiere
    Director: Anuj Gulati
    Logline: When the village potter fails to produce a son, the community Chief calls for a “manlier” man to help the family bear a male offspring.

    About IFFLA
    Now in its 14th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.

    The five-day festival is the premiere platform for the latest in cutting-edge global Indian cinema and bridges the gap between the two largest entertainment industries in the world – Hollywood and India. The festival will showcase more than 25 films from the Indian filmmaking community across the globe, host the highly anticipated Opening and Closing red carpet Galas, and the Closing Awards ceremony.

    About ArcLight Cinemas
    ArcLight Cinemas, created by Pacific Theatres, a privately owned, Los Angeles based company with 60 years of theatrical exhibition history throughout California, Hawaii and Washington. ArcLight Cinemas operates five theaters in California including Hollywood, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, El Segundo and La Jolla, and one theater in Bethesda, Md., with additional theaters under construction in Chicago and Santa Monica, California, slated for a 2015 opening. ArcLight also owns and operates the historic Cinerama Dome and programs the TCL Chinese Theatre and IMAX in Hollywood. Pacific Theatres currently operates theaters in Los Angeles that include The Grove and The Americana at Brand in Glendale, CA.

    Christina Marouda, Founder of IFFLA and participant filmmakers are available for interviews. Kindly let us know if you would like to speak to anyone of them.

  • ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    There are a few makers who make films out of newspaper headlines and TV reports of real life events (usually negative or tragic ones); all that matters is that they have to be controversial. For a film, what matters the most is that a paying moviegoer has to identify with what is unwinding on screen. But, what some makers don’t follow that rule because they seek medal and awards more than rewards. Yet, when they make such a film, why do they insert a disclaimer at the start of the movie that the film is a work of fiction? 

    Aligarh is the story of a professor from Aligarh Muslim University with different sexual leanings. Since the makers claim it to be totally their own work of fiction, I would like to say the story ‘coincides’ with the case of Professor Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, whose real name the film does not shy from using, disclaimer notwithstanding! 
    As the legend goes, Siras, played by Manoj Bajpai, was a linguist, head of the department of modern Indian languages at Aligarh Muslim University, who specialised in Marathi. He was a poet too. A man in his 60s with a failed marriage, his leanings were towards homosexuality. 

    Having been appointed head of a department, he had managed to create some jealous enemies and, one day, when he takes his newly cultivated same sex friend, a cycle rickshaw puller, home for obvious reasons, his detractors conduct a sting on him. A couple of lathi wielding video journalists barge into his bedroom and film him in the act. 
    Next day, the video footage as well as pictures are out in the media and Siras is suspended from the university. 

    The rest of the film is about his battle to prove that his different sexual leanings did not make him an abnormal man nor take away his knowledge or expertise from him. His case is covered and advocated by a Delhi based cub journalist, Rajkumar Yadav, who is convinced that Siras is framed. As it happens, an NGO comes on the scene and fights Siras’ battle in court. The homosexuality law is in a limbo for a time as the Supreme Court declares its reservations on this law under Section 377, making Siras a non-criminal but is reversed soon thereafter to turn him to a criminal again! 

    The film is like a few other such films where a journalist follows his/her instincts on a particular case. Rather rare in India. 

    What is good about Aligarh is the excellent performance from Bajpai, aptly supported by Yadav. 

    Aligarh will earn rave reviews; it is not designed to earn at the box office. 

    Direction: Hansal Mehta
    Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Rajkumar Yadav

    ‘Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive:’ Distant second


    Tere Bin Laden, the 2010 satire was woven around 26/11 attacks on American targets including the World Trade Centre twin towers and the US of A’s war on terror that followed with prime objective being on finding Osama Bin Laden. Because of the moderate success of that film, that a sequel would follow was a forgone conclusion. The production of the sequel followed two to three years later but, surprisingly, there seemed to be no party interested to take it to the market till now.

    A small time journalist in Pakistan, Ali Zafar, desperate to migrate to the US to make a career there, spots a Bin Laden look alike, Pradhuman Singh, and thinks he has found his passport, visa and whatever it takes to travel to the US. Ali dresses up Singh to look ditto like Laden and shoots his video to announce to the world that he had been able to track down the most sought after terrorist by the US.

    In the sequel, Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive, Manish Paul, son of a North India halwai, has dreams of making movies and comes to Mumbai to pursue his dream. He sells the idea to the Shetty Sisters to back his film. The sisters agree but, just when the film was to take off, the real Laden is killed by the US marines.

    Paul’s dream is shattered. If Laden is dead, there is no sequel. But, there is an opening for him when it is reported that people are demanding proof from the US President of Laden’s death since his dead body was never on display. Paul decides to use this doubt in people’s mind as an opportunity to make his sequel. The news is all over the media. 

    Across the seven seas, there is pressure on the US President to end the controversy once and for all. He delegates the work to CIA chief, Sikander Kher, who has a sidekick in Mia Uyeda to sort this out. The idea is to find a Laden look alike, shoot him on camera and produce the pictures. And, that is when they come across media coverage of Singh, Paul and the sequel. That sets CIA after Singh.
    Somewhere in terrorist stronghold closer to India, an arms dealer, Piyush Mishra, who makes money out of supplying arms to terrorists, learns of Laden look alike too and he wants to cash in on this to promote his business. 

    Now, Paul’s priority is the make his sequel and thus his debut as a filmmaker. CIA wants Laden killing to be shot on camera and, Mishra wants Laden alive so that his business would continue.
    The greed to encash a successful film with a sequel is fair. But, trying to repeat a fluke is not kosher. The script does not exist, looks like the makers have gone along and shot scenes as they came to mind. Direction is tacky and what the film does finally is to make you realise that the original was a total fluke. Technically, the film is purely functional.

    Let loose in front of camera, Paul and Singh do well. Piyush is more convincing than the rest. 

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive is stillborn. 

    Producers: Pooja Shetty Deora, Aarti Shetty
    Direcion: Abhishek Sharma
    Cast: Manish Paul, Pradhuman Singh, Sikander Kher, Piyush Mishra, Sugandha Garg, Mia Udeya

  • ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    There are a few makers who make films out of newspaper headlines and TV reports of real life events (usually negative or tragic ones); all that matters is that they have to be controversial. For a film, what matters the most is that a paying moviegoer has to identify with what is unwinding on screen. But, what some makers don’t follow that rule because they seek medal and awards more than rewards. Yet, when they make such a film, why do they insert a disclaimer at the start of the movie that the film is a work of fiction? 

    Aligarh is the story of a professor from Aligarh Muslim University with different sexual leanings. Since the makers claim it to be totally their own work of fiction, I would like to say the story ‘coincides’ with the case of Professor Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, whose real name the film does not shy from using, disclaimer notwithstanding! 
    As the legend goes, Siras, played by Manoj Bajpai, was a linguist, head of the department of modern Indian languages at Aligarh Muslim University, who specialised in Marathi. He was a poet too. A man in his 60s with a failed marriage, his leanings were towards homosexuality. 

    Having been appointed head of a department, he had managed to create some jealous enemies and, one day, when he takes his newly cultivated same sex friend, a cycle rickshaw puller, home for obvious reasons, his detractors conduct a sting on him. A couple of lathi wielding video journalists barge into his bedroom and film him in the act. 
    Next day, the video footage as well as pictures are out in the media and Siras is suspended from the university. 

    The rest of the film is about his battle to prove that his different sexual leanings did not make him an abnormal man nor take away his knowledge or expertise from him. His case is covered and advocated by a Delhi based cub journalist, Rajkumar Yadav, who is convinced that Siras is framed. As it happens, an NGO comes on the scene and fights Siras’ battle in court. The homosexuality law is in a limbo for a time as the Supreme Court declares its reservations on this law under Section 377, making Siras a non-criminal but is reversed soon thereafter to turn him to a criminal again! 

    The film is like a few other such films where a journalist follows his/her instincts on a particular case. Rather rare in India. 

    What is good about Aligarh is the excellent performance from Bajpai, aptly supported by Yadav. 

    Aligarh will earn rave reviews; it is not designed to earn at the box office. 

    Direction: Hansal Mehta
    Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Rajkumar Yadav

    ‘Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive:’ Distant second


    Tere Bin Laden, the 2010 satire was woven around 26/11 attacks on American targets including the World Trade Centre twin towers and the US of A’s war on terror that followed with prime objective being on finding Osama Bin Laden. Because of the moderate success of that film, that a sequel would follow was a forgone conclusion. The production of the sequel followed two to three years later but, surprisingly, there seemed to be no party interested to take it to the market till now.

    A small time journalist in Pakistan, Ali Zafar, desperate to migrate to the US to make a career there, spots a Bin Laden look alike, Pradhuman Singh, and thinks he has found his passport, visa and whatever it takes to travel to the US. Ali dresses up Singh to look ditto like Laden and shoots his video to announce to the world that he had been able to track down the most sought after terrorist by the US.

    In the sequel, Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive, Manish Paul, son of a North India halwai, has dreams of making movies and comes to Mumbai to pursue his dream. He sells the idea to the Shetty Sisters to back his film. The sisters agree but, just when the film was to take off, the real Laden is killed by the US marines.

    Paul’s dream is shattered. If Laden is dead, there is no sequel. But, there is an opening for him when it is reported that people are demanding proof from the US President of Laden’s death since his dead body was never on display. Paul decides to use this doubt in people’s mind as an opportunity to make his sequel. The news is all over the media. 

    Across the seven seas, there is pressure on the US President to end the controversy once and for all. He delegates the work to CIA chief, Sikander Kher, who has a sidekick in Mia Uyeda to sort this out. The idea is to find a Laden look alike, shoot him on camera and produce the pictures. And, that is when they come across media coverage of Singh, Paul and the sequel. That sets CIA after Singh.
    Somewhere in terrorist stronghold closer to India, an arms dealer, Piyush Mishra, who makes money out of supplying arms to terrorists, learns of Laden look alike too and he wants to cash in on this to promote his business. 

    Now, Paul’s priority is the make his sequel and thus his debut as a filmmaker. CIA wants Laden killing to be shot on camera and, Mishra wants Laden alive so that his business would continue.
    The greed to encash a successful film with a sequel is fair. But, trying to repeat a fluke is not kosher. The script does not exist, looks like the makers have gone along and shot scenes as they came to mind. Direction is tacky and what the film does finally is to make you realise that the original was a total fluke. Technically, the film is purely functional.

    Let loose in front of camera, Paul and Singh do well. Piyush is more convincing than the rest. 

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive is stillborn. 

    Producers: Pooja Shetty Deora, Aarti Shetty
    Direcion: Abhishek Sharma
    Cast: Manish Paul, Pradhuman Singh, Sikander Kher, Piyush Mishra, Sugandha Garg, Mia Udeya

  • Naseeruddin Shah pledges support for Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2016

    Naseeruddin Shah pledges support for Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2016

    MUMBAI: After having accomplished a successful inaugural edition of an academic initiative focused on Film Preservation and Restoration last year, this year the Film Heritage Foundation in association with Viacom18 have once again joined hands with an aim to save and uphold the legacy of India’s cinematic heritage. 

    The inaugural event, which was held in the National Film Archive of India in Pune saw support from film industry stalwarts such as actor par excellence Naseeruddin Shah who was the Guest of Honor. At the inaugural event, filmmaker and archivist – Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and Chairman CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment & Group CEO Viacom18 Media Pvt- Sudhanshu Vats addressed the audience about the need to preserve India’s rich filmic legacy.

     The workshop titled ‘Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016’will take place from February 25th to March 6th in Pune and will involve lectures, presentations and practical classes that will be conducted by leading international experts in the field, for cinema enthusiasts who want to learn in-depth knowledge of the subject.

     Naseerudin Shah, in support of the Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop said “It is a matter of great pride for me to be here. On behalf of the entire film fraternity, I would like to thank Shivendra for this initiative. I am very proud that there are 50 films of mine in the archive list here. I can’t thank P.K. Nair Saab enough because he has inspired a generation of youngsters to follow him in his footsteps.”

     Extending support to this unique initiative, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment chairman & Group CEO Viacom18 Media Sudhanshu Vats said “What are we doing to leave behind a cinematic legacy for the younger generations? We need to preserve our films not just for the joy of entertainment but for safeguarding the ideas that help us learn about our cultural heritage. We at Viacom 18 feel honored to be a part of this initiative. I was convinced from the beginning because I believed in Shivendra and his passion for cinema. The movement has to grow now and I am sure it will when everyone comes together to work towards the cause. It makes me happy to know that now there is direct participation from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry of India. And at the end let us all remember, we can plan our future only by reflecting on our past so let’s all join hands together to save India’s cinematic legacy.”

    Film Heritage Foundation founder director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said, “The first edition was a great success and put us on the map to save India’s cinematic heritage. This year, the workshop is more advanced and intensive with greater focus on film archiving. NFAI agreed to open the doors for us this year. We have big plans and we wish to build an army of film archivists. Funding and technology are essential but we need educated skilled people as well. Film preservation is not a business; it is love… love for cinema. Mr. Sudhanshu Vats and the entire Viacom18 team – I cannot thank them enough. Sudhanshu had the foresight and believed in our vision and today we are celebrating our second year. Here’s to many more years of celebrating and trying to conserve India’s cinematic heritage together.”

    With a mix of technical workshops on the craft of preservation and lectures specially designed by David Walsh, Head of the FIAF Technical Commission, there will also be a daily screening of a restored classic preceded by an introductory talk on the restoration. One of the USP’s of this initiative, this year is that Thelma Ross from the Museum of Modern Art, New York will be conducting sessions in the specialized field of documentation and cataloguing.

  • Naseeruddin Shah pledges support for Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2016

    Naseeruddin Shah pledges support for Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2016

    MUMBAI: After having accomplished a successful inaugural edition of an academic initiative focused on Film Preservation and Restoration last year, this year the Film Heritage Foundation in association with Viacom18 have once again joined hands with an aim to save and uphold the legacy of India’s cinematic heritage. 

    The inaugural event, which was held in the National Film Archive of India in Pune saw support from film industry stalwarts such as actor par excellence Naseeruddin Shah who was the Guest of Honor. At the inaugural event, filmmaker and archivist – Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and Chairman CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment & Group CEO Viacom18 Media Pvt- Sudhanshu Vats addressed the audience about the need to preserve India’s rich filmic legacy.

     The workshop titled ‘Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016’will take place from February 25th to March 6th in Pune and will involve lectures, presentations and practical classes that will be conducted by leading international experts in the field, for cinema enthusiasts who want to learn in-depth knowledge of the subject.

     Naseerudin Shah, in support of the Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop said “It is a matter of great pride for me to be here. On behalf of the entire film fraternity, I would like to thank Shivendra for this initiative. I am very proud that there are 50 films of mine in the archive list here. I can’t thank P.K. Nair Saab enough because he has inspired a generation of youngsters to follow him in his footsteps.”

     Extending support to this unique initiative, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment chairman & Group CEO Viacom18 Media Sudhanshu Vats said “What are we doing to leave behind a cinematic legacy for the younger generations? We need to preserve our films not just for the joy of entertainment but for safeguarding the ideas that help us learn about our cultural heritage. We at Viacom 18 feel honored to be a part of this initiative. I was convinced from the beginning because I believed in Shivendra and his passion for cinema. The movement has to grow now and I am sure it will when everyone comes together to work towards the cause. It makes me happy to know that now there is direct participation from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry of India. And at the end let us all remember, we can plan our future only by reflecting on our past so let’s all join hands together to save India’s cinematic legacy.”

    Film Heritage Foundation founder director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said, “The first edition was a great success and put us on the map to save India’s cinematic heritage. This year, the workshop is more advanced and intensive with greater focus on film archiving. NFAI agreed to open the doors for us this year. We have big plans and we wish to build an army of film archivists. Funding and technology are essential but we need educated skilled people as well. Film preservation is not a business; it is love… love for cinema. Mr. Sudhanshu Vats and the entire Viacom18 team – I cannot thank them enough. Sudhanshu had the foresight and believed in our vision and today we are celebrating our second year. Here’s to many more years of celebrating and trying to conserve India’s cinematic heritage together.”

    With a mix of technical workshops on the craft of preservation and lectures specially designed by David Walsh, Head of the FIAF Technical Commission, there will also be a daily screening of a restored classic preceded by an introductory talk on the restoration. One of the USP’s of this initiative, this year is that Thelma Ross from the Museum of Modern Art, New York will be conducting sessions in the specialized field of documentation and cataloguing.

  • Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brother’s creative arm Katalyst Creates is back with Tere Bin Laden – Dead or Alive, a sequel of the movie Tere Bin Laden.

    Katalyst Creates was behind the visual effects and visual packaging of the sequel as well.

    Director of the film Abhishek Sharma said, “Katalyst Creates under the creative leadership of Parth has become a one stop shop for world class VFX and out of the box promo production. He and his team have successfully generated intrigue and buzz around Tere bin Laden’s sequel besides creating amazing TV promos as well. Apart from the promotional material Katalyst Creates has done incredible VFX work on my film. The CG choppers and various terrains created by the team have garnered great response from the industry experts. Often such high quality work comes with unviable budgets but Katalyst Creates is unlike most others. I must say Katalyst Creates is a dream studio for any Indian filmmaker aiming to work at an international level.”

    “We have had a long association with Walkwater Media and Abhishek Sharma since Tere Bin Laden. With this current project, we have taken our relationship to the next level. I have been associated with this project right from the beginning and have left no stone unturned to bring out the best since. At Katalyst Creates we believe in creating industry benchmarks in the space of creative services and superseding the client requirements,” added Katalyst Creates creative and business head Parthsarthi Iyer.

    Walkwater Media’s Pooja Shetty said, “Katalyst creates has proven to be a very quality conscious and budget conscious film makers dream studio under the creative supervision of a very passionate technician Parthsarthi Iyer. Not only did we complete the job well within the budget than the industry norm but had constant support from Parth, which is invaluable.”

    Sri Adhikari Brothers Group CEO Manav Dhanda added, “VFX industry is fast evolving and we are proud that in an industry where the bar is forever being raised within a very short span of time, Katalyst Creates has successfully executed multiple marquee projects, which have created a base for us to take things to the next level. We also thank Pooja Shetty for reinstating trust in our team, after all only long term partnerships result in greater success.”

  • Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brother’s creative arm Katalyst Creates is back with Tere Bin Laden – Dead or Alive, a sequel of the movie Tere Bin Laden.

    Katalyst Creates was behind the visual effects and visual packaging of the sequel as well.

    Director of the film Abhishek Sharma said, “Katalyst Creates under the creative leadership of Parth has become a one stop shop for world class VFX and out of the box promo production. He and his team have successfully generated intrigue and buzz around Tere bin Laden’s sequel besides creating amazing TV promos as well. Apart from the promotional material Katalyst Creates has done incredible VFX work on my film. The CG choppers and various terrains created by the team have garnered great response from the industry experts. Often such high quality work comes with unviable budgets but Katalyst Creates is unlike most others. I must say Katalyst Creates is a dream studio for any Indian filmmaker aiming to work at an international level.”

    “We have had a long association with Walkwater Media and Abhishek Sharma since Tere Bin Laden. With this current project, we have taken our relationship to the next level. I have been associated with this project right from the beginning and have left no stone unturned to bring out the best since. At Katalyst Creates we believe in creating industry benchmarks in the space of creative services and superseding the client requirements,” added Katalyst Creates creative and business head Parthsarthi Iyer.

    Walkwater Media’s Pooja Shetty said, “Katalyst creates has proven to be a very quality conscious and budget conscious film makers dream studio under the creative supervision of a very passionate technician Parthsarthi Iyer. Not only did we complete the job well within the budget than the industry norm but had constant support from Parth, which is invaluable.”

    Sri Adhikari Brothers Group CEO Manav Dhanda added, “VFX industry is fast evolving and we are proud that in an industry where the bar is forever being raised within a very short span of time, Katalyst Creates has successfully executed multiple marquee projects, which have created a base for us to take things to the next level. We also thank Pooja Shetty for reinstating trust in our team, after all only long term partnerships result in greater success.”

  • Viacom18 partners FHF for Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016

    Viacom18 partners FHF for Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) have joined hands for the second time in a row with an aim to save and uphold the legacy of India’s cinematic heritage. 

    The workshop titled ‘Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016’ will take place from 26 February – 6 March in Pune and will involve lectures, presentations and practical classes that will be conducted by leading international experts in the field. 

    The workshop will be inaugurated by veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in the presence of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting secretary Sunil Arora, Viacom 18 Media group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, Film Heritage Foundation founder director Shivendra Singh Dungarpu and National Film Archive of India director Prakash Magdum.

    Extending support to this unique initiative, Vats said, “We strongly believe that every enterprise has to be global and social at the same time. At Viacom18, we know for a fact that India is a country of storytellers; in fact the largest and oldest stories in the world come from here. And so we realise how important it is to preserve our cultural heritage for the benefit of the future generations. We look forward to educate and interact with cinema enthusiasts during the course of the film preservation and restoration workshop 2016.”

    Dungarpur added, “After receiving a great response in the first year itself, we are back again with a longer, more advanced and intensive Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop for all those who understand the importance of the rich cinematic legacy of India and who wish to learn, explore and contribute and contribute to saving our film heritage. FHF would like to thank Sudhanshu Vats for being one of the first people from the media and film industry to have the vision to recognise the importance of our cause and for Viacom’s unstinting support.”

    With a committee of panelists including some of the most influential names from the industry from across the globe, this year the workshop will give practical training to help make abled archivists, which is a dire need for cinema in India. This also opens up a career alternative for film students of many acclaimed universities across India, allowing them to learn more in-depth knowledge on this topic. 

    With a mix of technical workshops on the craft of preservation and lectures specially designed by FIAF Technical Commission head David Walsh there will also be a daily screening of a great Indian classic.

    Extending his support to the initiative, Shah said, “When Shivendra called me and requested me to be the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016, I was very happy to accept. There has been a growing awareness about how much of our cinematic legacy has been lost over the years for various reasons and the urgent need to preserve what is left of it. I think it’s great that Film Heritage Foundation and National Film Archive of India have come together with FIAF to conduct this important workshop to train people in the highly specialised field of film archiving which is essential if we are to save our cinematic heritage.”

  • Viacom18 partners FHF for Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016

    Viacom18 partners FHF for Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) have joined hands for the second time in a row with an aim to save and uphold the legacy of India’s cinematic heritage. 

    The workshop titled ‘Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016’ will take place from 26 February – 6 March in Pune and will involve lectures, presentations and practical classes that will be conducted by leading international experts in the field. 

    The workshop will be inaugurated by veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in the presence of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting secretary Sunil Arora, Viacom 18 Media group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, Film Heritage Foundation founder director Shivendra Singh Dungarpu and National Film Archive of India director Prakash Magdum.

    Extending support to this unique initiative, Vats said, “We strongly believe that every enterprise has to be global and social at the same time. At Viacom18, we know for a fact that India is a country of storytellers; in fact the largest and oldest stories in the world come from here. And so we realise how important it is to preserve our cultural heritage for the benefit of the future generations. We look forward to educate and interact with cinema enthusiasts during the course of the film preservation and restoration workshop 2016.”

    Dungarpur added, “After receiving a great response in the first year itself, we are back again with a longer, more advanced and intensive Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop for all those who understand the importance of the rich cinematic legacy of India and who wish to learn, explore and contribute and contribute to saving our film heritage. FHF would like to thank Sudhanshu Vats for being one of the first people from the media and film industry to have the vision to recognise the importance of our cause and for Viacom’s unstinting support.”

    With a committee of panelists including some of the most influential names from the industry from across the globe, this year the workshop will give practical training to help make abled archivists, which is a dire need for cinema in India. This also opens up a career alternative for film students of many acclaimed universities across India, allowing them to learn more in-depth knowledge on this topic. 

    With a mix of technical workshops on the craft of preservation and lectures specially designed by FIAF Technical Commission head David Walsh there will also be a daily screening of a great Indian classic.

    Extending his support to the initiative, Shah said, “When Shivendra called me and requested me to be the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016, I was very happy to accept. There has been a growing awareness about how much of our cinematic legacy has been lost over the years for various reasons and the urgent need to preserve what is left of it. I think it’s great that Film Heritage Foundation and National Film Archive of India have come together with FIAF to conduct this important workshop to train people in the highly specialised field of film archiving which is essential if we are to save our cinematic heritage.”

  • UFO Moviez launches Nova Cinemas to fuel screen growth in non-metros

    UFO Moviez launches Nova Cinemas to fuel screen growth in non-metros

    MUMBAI: UFO Moviez India has launched a franchise brand called Nova Cinemas under its subsidiary Valuable Digital Screens Private Limited (VDSPL). 

    With this asset light initiative, VDSPL aims to recreate the screen growth in non-metro regions across India. Under Nova Cinemas, VDSPL will encourage local entrepreneurs to own and operate Nova branded theatres in various parts of the country.

    Contractually, Nova franchisees shall be required to use UFO’s service offering thereby providing a dedicated and captive customer base for UFO’s digital cinema & advertising business.

    The theatres will operate as franchisees of VDSPL. Local entrepreneurs will be primarily responsible to make the requisite investment for setting up of the theatres and will also be responsible for day to day operations of their theaters.  

    VDSPL will ensure that the theatre is set up at a competitive cost for the franchisees. VDSPL will also grant rights to use the brand ‘Nova Cinemas’ to the local entrepreneurs for a fee and take end to end responsibility of providing theatrical technologies as well as sourcing of film content.