By Mabel Pais

“NYIFF is known around the world for its top-notch, out-of-the-box programming, and this year is no different.

The New York audience is sophisticated, well-traveled, educated and discerning; as such, our content reflects what we think will resonate with the cinephiles of this cosmopolitan city and will keep them coming back for more.” –  Aroon Shivdasani, Founder-Executive & Artistic Director, IAAC.

“We had to make some tough choices but I’m thrilled with our selections representing new independent Indian and South Asian cinema, as well works from the South Asian Diaspora”  –  Aseem Chhabra, NYIFF Director

About NYIFF

The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is the oldest, most prestigious film festival screening premiere of feature, documentary and short films made from, of, and about the Indian subcontinent in the Independent, arthouse, alternate and diaspora genres. Six days of screenings, post-screening discussions, industry panels, award ceremony, special events, nightly networking parties, red carpet galas, media attention and packed audiences build an awareness of Indian cinema, entertain & educate North Americans about the real India, and add to the amazing cultural diversity of New York City.

For further information, visit www.iaac.us/NYIFF2018/index.htm

About IAAC

The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) is a not-for-profit, secular service and resource arts organization charged with the mission of promoting and building the awareness, creation, production, exhibition, publication and performance of Indian and cross-cultural art forms in North America. The IAAC supports all artistic disciplines in the classical, fusion, folk and innovative forms influenced by the arts of India.  IAAC works cooperatively with colleagues around the United States to broaden their collective audiences and to create a network for shared information, resources and funding.

Its focus is to work with artists and arts organizations in North America as well as to facilitate artists and arts organizations from India to exhibit, perform and produce their works here.

For further information, visit  www.iaac.us

 About Qube Cinema,Inc.
Qube Cinema, Inc., a provider of end-to-end digital cinema technology and solutions, is the distribution partner for the festival.  The company draws on decades of experience in cinema and provides a seamless digital environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and post-production companies with DCI compliant products that are flexible, reliable and cost-effective.

For further information, visit www.qubecinema.com

About Qube Wire

Filmmakers increasingly rely on Qube Wire for secure and reliable movie content delivery to the festival.

To sign up for Qube Wire service, visit www.qubewire.com

 The longest-running, most prestigious South Asian Film Festival in North America,NYIFF, kicked off on May 7 at the Village East Cinemas in the lower east side of Manhattan at 181-189, 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003.

The Festival continues until May 12 at the location.

The Festival boasts 78 shorts, documentaries and feature filmsscreened over the period of 6 days.

Festival Highlights:

The opening night red carpet took place on Monday, May 7th from 6 pm to 7 p.m. outside the Village East Cinemas, preceding the U.S. premiere of Ravi Jadhav’s Marathi language film NUDE(with English subtitles).

The closing night red carpet will take place from 5-6 p.m., May 12, once again outside the Village East Cinemas, preceding the New York premiere of veteran NYIFF director Hansal Mehta’s biopic on Islamic fundamentalist Omar Saeed Sheikh, OMERTA, at 6 p.m.

The centerpiece slot was occupied by Miransha Naik’s Konkani language film JUZE(with English subtitles), making its North American premiere at NYIFF on May 10.

The entire festival schedule comprising of 78 films in 11 languages (English, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu, Konkani, Bengali & Assamese), is available on the festival’s website.  The programming boasts four world premieres, two international premieres, six North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and 11 New York premieres from four South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka), as well as North America and the United Kingdom.

NYIFF 2018 paid tribute to two Indian film industry icons who passed away in the last four months: Hollywood/Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor and the India’s first female superstar Sridevi. Kapoor’s tribute comprised of two masterpieces Academy Award winner James Ivory’s: SHAKESPEARE WALLAHand HEAT AND DUST. The festival also screened AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PRINCESS, starring New York author and chef Madhur Jaffrey, as part of its Merchant-Ivory Retrospective. To honor Sridevi’s memory, NYIFF showcased the actress’ 2012 return to Bollywood in ENGLISH VINGLISH, shot primarily in New York City.

Additional highlights at the festival included:

Discovering the Film and Television Market in India Panel Discussion

Shooting films in New York State Panel Discussion

The Inclusion Rider’s Role in Diversifying Hollywood Panel Discussion

Networking events and nightly parties

The NYIFF 2018 winners will be announced at the awards night ceremony on May 12 from a list of nominated films for

Best Film:

BALEKEMPA

JUZE

LIGHT IN THE ROOM

NUDE

TAKE OFF

Best Director:

Atanu Ghosh (MAYURAKSHI)

Ere Gowda (BALEKEMPA)

Rahul Nair (LIGHT IN THE ROOM)

Chezhian Ra (TO-LET)

Nishil Sheth (BHASMASUR)

Best Screenplay:

CHUMBAK

CRD

HER, HIM, THE OTHER

THE HUNGRY

JUZE

Best Actress:

Sushama Deshpande (AJJI)

Vinitha Koshy (LIGHT IN THE ROOM)

Kalyani Mulay (NUDE)

Parvathy (TAKE OFF)

Bindu Raxidi (PADDAYI)

Best Child Actor:

Mittal Chouhan (BHASMASUR)

Kapil Garo (ISHU)

Chandra Kiran GK (SUMMER OF MIRACLES)

Ali Halji (NOBLEMEN)

Rushikesh Naik (JUZE)

Best Short:

AL-WAR

HUMMINGBIRD

MAACHER JHOL (The Fish Curry)

JAAN JIGAR

MANDI (The Market)

Best Documentary:

ABU

BIRD OF DUSK

CHILDREN PLAYING GOD

LIMITLESS

NAKED WHEELS

On a par with the procedures of the Oscars and Golden Globes, the jurors send their decisions directly to KPMG, who bring the envelopes for the winning films and filmmakers to the awards ceremony on May 12, immediately following the closing night film.

(Mabel Pais writes on the Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health and Wellness, and Spirituality)