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On Sunday, July 30, the United Nations World Day against Trafficking In Persons, organizations throughout the world will band together for a united day of action to end human trafficking and modern slavery.

Today, there are more than 45 million lives whose most essential and precious human rights have been stolen from them. Men, women, children—each one a life with infinite potential and possibility.

In partnership with the Un Voluntary Trust Fund and Charidy.com, the United for Freedom Giving Day will gather organizations and individuals committed to the cause to raise awareness, resources, and restore essential freedoms and human rights to countless lives.

With a united goal of $600,000 and 9 participating organizations, it will be a day of sweeping collective impact.

“Many people are unaware of the many faces of modern slavery. It can be a young boy or girl working in a sweatshop. Or entire families forced to work without pay,...

This week Six Degrees of Murder investigates the murder of Michael Reese, who died after being shot in the back of the head. Birmingham, Ala, Feb. 18, 2015, and 40-year-old Michael Reese is shot to death in his own home. Reese was shot in the back of the head as let the dog out and fell face first into two studs sticking out of  timber being used for some construction, he was left lying in this position. It later transpired that Cindy Reese had been having an affair with the local pastor, Jeff Brown. At her trial she claimed her...read more...

Central Michigan University is investigating an allegation that a student with a severe peanut allergy was covered with peanut butter while passed out during a hazing incident at the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity last fall, the school’s spokeswoman confirmed to People.

Heather Smith said alleged victim Andrew Seely spent the fall 2016 semester as a student at the university.

“We take these types of things very seriously,” Smith told People. “So the Cmu Police Department and Cmu’s Office of Student Conduct responded immediately and started looking into it. The alleged incident would have taken place off-campus, so we involved the Mt.

The masterful and heart wrenching film about the trafficking of a thirteen year-old girl Sold is now available digitally on many different platforms. This award-winning narrative feature film is based on the best selling novel by Patricia McCormick of the same name. The film places the audience in the shoes of a child who is trafficked to a prison brothel. Ultimately, she must risk her life to gain back her freedom.

Sold is co-written and directed by Academy and Emmy award winner Jeffrey Brown. The film is produced by award-winning impact producer Jane Charles, and executive produced by two-time Academy Award winner, Emma Thompson. The film stars Gillian Anderson, David Arquette along with a great Indian and Nepali ensemble cast including Seema Biswas, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Tillotama Some, Sushmita Mukerjee, Ankur Vikal and Parambrata Chatterjee.

One of the most amazing things about Sold is that by telling the story...

When Gillian Anderson signed on to be part of the upcoming film Sold about the human rights issue of sex trafficking, she quickly realized the role would mean more to her than most. "It really wasn't saying yes to the role," Anderson tells People. "It was saying yes to being a part of the global conversation, saying yes to being an activist in this movement against trafficking to help get people educated." The film, based on the best-selling novel by Patricia McCormick, tells the harrowing story of a young girl who risks her life in a desperate attempt for freedom...

When Gillian Anderson signed on to be part of the upcoming film Sold about the human rights issue of sex trafficking, she quickly realized the role would mean more to her than most. "It really wasn't saying yes to the role," Anderson tells People. "It was saying yes to being a part of the global conversation, saying yes to being an activist in this movement against trafficking to help get people educated." The film, based on the best-selling novel by Patricia McCormick, tells the harrowing story of a young girl who risks her life in a desperate attempt for freedom...

Brutal yet sensitively rendered, putting a human face, if a fictional one, on an issue that rarely gets one. Almost Dickens for the 21st century. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for movies about girls and women

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have not read the source material

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

A movie based on a young-adult novel about child sex trafficking? Oh dear. But Sold is… Well, it’s not exactly a newsflash that there are children in the world who are sex slaves, nor that there are men in the world who will pay to rape children. Sold is hardly entertaining in the way that we generally mean when we talk about movies. Perhaps the best word to describe this brutal yet sensitively rendered film is enlightening, for putting a human face, if a fictional one, on an issue that rarely gets one.

Sold, a hard-hitting film about child sex trafficking based on the book by Patricia McCormick, has been garnering rave reviews at film festivals all over the world. This award winning film, directed by Jeffrey D Brown tells the unforgettable story of a girl who risks everything for freedom after being trafficked from her mountain village in Nepal to a brothel in India.

One of the coolest things is that the film is being used as a conduit for change and to raise awareness and money to help eradicate this human rights tragedy. One of the main campaigns they have going on now is at Indiegogo (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sold-a-film-about-child-trafficking#/). With the money they raise there, the makers are not only going to get the film released in as many theaters as possible in March of 2016, but also to support the effort to rescue and rehabilitate children that were trafficked.

To create the sounds of Sold, director Jeffrey D. Brown worked with composer and musician John McDowell. Mr. McDowell seemed a perfect fit for Sold because he previously worked on and created the acclaimed soundtrack for the Oscar winning documentary Born in Brothels. For Sold, he took his work for Born Into Brothels and created a new sound full of harmony while keeping to the roots of Indian classical music and it perfectly frames the scenes in the film.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4JAr_UOg-e

Recently the film ran a campaign on Indiegogo, which was an extension of their efforts to raise money not only to get the film released to more theaters in March, but also to raise money to support and fight child trafficking. Though the time is over, in an exciting event, the film’s campaigning is once again being highlighted on Indiegogo (http://igg.

Oscar-winning Director, Jeffrey Brown, started the Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for his film Sold last week, in an effort to heighten awareness of child trafficking and to rescue & rehabilitate children. Based on the international bestselling novel by Patricia McCormick, Sold tells the story of an extraordinary thirteen-year-old girl who is trafficked across the Nepal-India border and forced to work in a brothel in Kolkata, India.

Educating a child to the age of 16 reduces their risk of being trafficked by 80%. This is why funds raised through Indiegogo will be used to spread trafficking awareness through the film's release, and to prevent child trafficking through education in areas where children are most at risk, including India and areas affected by Nepal's recent earthquake.

The campaign highlights perks rewarded to funders, including packages with the acclaimed stars of Sold, three nights in London and breakfast with Gillian Anderson, Karaoke with David Arquette at his new club, Blind Dragon, in West Hollywood, and other rewards upon donation, including a chance to win a free trip to his/her choice of India or Nepal. Learn more about these perks and take action here.

Charities and Organizations fighting against Human Trafficking have come out in support of the film and Indiegogo campaign, including Childreach International, Walk Free, Ecpat, United Way, Rotary Clubs International and Stolen Youth.

Sold has been awarded the Jury Award, Best Narrative Feature, Audience Award, Best Feature and was shown as the opening screening in four film festivals in 2014.

Director Jeffrey Brown says, “The more funds we raise, the more cities we will open our film in and the bigger impact we will have. We are using our film to support initiatives which will keep girls from being trafficked by keeping them in school in vulnerable communities."

Join this special campaign to help prevent child trafficking here.

Kerem Sanga’s The Young Kieslowski earned Best American Independent Feature award as the 18th Sonoma International Film Festival came to a close.

Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar (pictured) was named Best World Feature and Galen Knowles’ Far From Home won best documentary.

Best Narrative Short went to God Has His Head In The Clouds by Gianluca Sodaro, Cindy Allen’s Fish Out of Water won Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short was presented to Jack Anderson for Wirecutters.

The Stolman Audience Award of $1,000 for Best American Independent Feature went to The Week by John W Mann and Jon Gunn, while Jeffrey Brown’s Sold claimed the $1,000 A³ Audience Award for world cinema prize and Cowspiracy by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn took the $1,000 A³ Audience Award for best documentary.

“We are already looking forward to our 19th,” said festival executive director Kevin W McNeely. “Our 18th reached a new high of films from around the world...

Texas is not just for cowboys anymore. The first Dallas-Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (Dfw Saff) is coming next month. Described as the "first-ever festival of South Asian independent cinema in North Texas," the event will be held at the Angelika Film Center in Plano (Shops at Legacy) from Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 1. The festival will present 14 shorts, documentaries, and narrative features, kicking off with Mahesh Pailoor's Brahmin Bulls, a father-son drama that stars Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Sendhil Ramamurthy (TV's Heroes) and Indian veteran actor Roshan Seth. The centerpiece presentation will be sex-traffic drama Sold, starring Gillian Anderson and David Arquette, produced by Emma Thompson and directed by Jeffrey D. Brown. Closing things out will be the world premiere...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Bollywood legend Nana Patekar closed the annual London Indian Film Festival on Thursday night, which has now entered into its fifth year. The actor was invited to attend the closing gala, where his film Hemalkasa was screened to a full house at Cineworld Haymarket. The film is based on a true story of a married couple, who practice medicine in the village of Hemalkasa and educate villagers on health, as well as looking after abused animals. The director of the film Samruddhi Porey also attended the event, as well as a number of special guests which included Sunny and Shay, Asad Shan, Asjad Nazir, Jeffrey Brown and many more.

Both Nana and Samruddhi took part in a Q&A after the film’s screening with Eastern Eye Editor Asjad Nazir, where they spoke about the film and their experiences of making it. “The moment the script came to me, it...

Renowned cinematographer Santosh Sivan will conduct a Masterclass at the upcoming London Indian Film Festival on July 11 at the BFI (British Film Institute) Southbank.

Sivan is the only Indian member of the American Society of Cinematographers. He shot to prominence on the national stage with Mani Ratnam’s Thalapathi and is celebrated for his work on Roja, Dil Se, Iruvar and Kaala Pani. His international credits include Bride & Prejudice and Mistress of Spices. Sivan debuted as a director with Halo, followed by Malli, both films aimed at children. His next film, The Terrorist, premiered at BFI London Film Festival.

Director, producer and actor Farhan Akhtar will also deliver a talk at the same festival.

The London Indian Film Festival (July 10-17) will open with Jeffrey Brown’s Sold and close with Hemalkasa directed by Samruddhi Porey.

Also read: London Indian Film Festival unveils lineup...

Hemalkasa to close London Indian Film Festival

The 2014 London Indian Film Festival, that will be held from July 10-17, unveiled its lineup. While Jeffrey Brown’s Sold will open the festival, Marathi-language film Hemalkasa directed by Samruddhi Porey will be screened as the closing film.

Featuring Nana Patekar, Sonali Kulkarni and Mohan Agashe; the film is a biopic that follows the selfless journey of Dr. Prakash Baba Amte and his wife Dr. Mandakini Amte, a couple who dedicated their lives to a project for the development of tribal people of Maharashtra. This is the world premiere of Hemalkasa.

Praveen Morchhale’s Barefoot to Goa, Amit V Masurkar’s Sulemani Keeda, Shilpa Ranade’s Goopi Gawaiiya Bagha Bajaiiya, Anup Singh’s Qissa, Kaushik Ganguly’s Apur Panchali and Kr Manoj’s Virgin Talkies are some of the well-known films that will be screened at the festival.

Also screened will be Kannada...

Fifth edition runs July 10-17 and will also feature the UK premiere of Million Dollar Arm.

Sold will receive its European premiere as the opening film of this year’s London Indian Film Festival.

Executive produced by Emma Thompson and starring Gillian Anderson, Jeffrey D. Brown’s film tells the story of a young Nepali girl who is trafficked to Kolkata, India.

Thompson commented: “It is wonderful to have our film premiered at London Indian Film Festival, to raise awareness of child-trafficking, which is an issue close to my heart and is shockingly on the increase world-wide. We hope that this film willmake people think and highlight the support for key charities such as The Helen Bamber Foundation and others working in this difficult area in India, Nepal and elsewhere.”

Other highlights of the festival include the UK premieres of Craig Gillespie’s Million Dollar Arm, starring Jon Hamm and Suraj Sharma, and [link=nm...

Hard-hitting feature Sold will have its red carpet European Premiere at the opening of the Fifth annual London Indian Film Festival (10 – 17 July). Based on the bestselling novel Sold by Patricia McCormick, the film is a powerful drama based on real life events, and tells of a young Nepali girl’s struggle for survival after being sold into prostitution in Kolkata, and an American photographer (Gillian Anderson), who, against the odds, attempts to rescue her and other young women. The X Files and The Fall star Gillian Anderson is expected to participate in a Q&A in London at the film’s opening night amongst other talent.

Director Jeffrey D. Brown, Executive Producer Emma Thompson and Producer Jane Charles have worked tirelessly to bring this film to the screen researching every aspect of the story in depth with charities which deal directly with child trafficking in India including: Apne Aap, New Light,...

This year the 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) includes a lineup of narrative and documentary features and short films. The impressive program reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema, as well as the future of Indian filmmaking, with cutting-edge filmmakers and emerging voices bringing their acclaimed films to Los Angeles.

The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Iffla will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception. Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. The film is written and directed by Iffla alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.

Iffla 2014 wil l present more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.

“I'm thrilled and proud that Iffla's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. "We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films."

Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, Ugly an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of Netpac Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha , an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; Brahmin Bulls starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and Siddharth, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and Iffla alum Richie Mehta (Amal).

The festival's feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India's unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of

The Auction House , an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite Powerless, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; Faith Connections, Iffla alum Pan Nalin's beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning Shepherds of Paradise, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.

The Bollywood by Night series returns this year with Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bombay Talkies is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. Monsoon Shoutout is a thrilling debut by Iffla alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.

The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted Kush; Sundance award winner Love.Love.Love.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s The Fly.

Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website.

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.indianfilmfestival.org.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ indianfilmfestival

Twitter: https://twitter.com /iffla

Tumblr: http://indianfilmfestival.tumblr.com/

About Iffla

Now in its 12th 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, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.

Opening Night Gala

Sold

Los Angeles Premiere

USA/2014/97min

Director: Jeffrey D. Brown

Producer: Jane Charles

Executive Producer: Emma Thompson

Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown

Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant

Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.

Closing Night

Jadoo

Los Angeles Premiere

UK/2013/84 mins

Director: Amit Gupta

Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott

Screenwriter: Amit Gupta

Composer: Stephen Warbeck

Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey

Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.

Feature Films

Before My Eyes (Ankhon Dekhi)

Los Angeles Premiere

India/2013/107min

Director: Rajat Kapoor Producer: Manish Mundra

Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor

Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao

Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’

Brahmin Bulls

Los Angeles Premiere

USA/96min/2013

Director: Mahesh Pailoor

Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji

Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor

Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner

Mahesh Pailoor's tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid's Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.

Fandry

North American Premiere

India/2013/103min

Director: Nagraj Manjule

Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha

Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule

Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule

Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule's impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family's struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya's carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family's "untouchable" status, and the film's gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film's explosive conclusion - Manjule's socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.

Hank and Asha

Los Angeles Premiere

USA/2013/73min

Director: James E. Duff

Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison

Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison

Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides

James E. Duff's feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world's gotten smaller.

Liar's Dice

Los Angeles Premiere

India/2013/104min

Director: Geetu Mohandas

Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai

Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta

Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala's missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas' film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.

Phoring

North American Premiere

India/2013/128min

Director: Indranil Roychowdhury

Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal

Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha

Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee

Indranil Roychowdhury's stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel's presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.

Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013)

Los Angeles Premiere Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min

Director: Anup Singh

Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel

Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal

Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.

Siddharth

Los Angeles Premiere

Canada-India/2013/96min

Director: Richie Mehta

Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray

Screenwriter: Richie Mehta

Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee

A celebrated Iffla alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta's chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.

Ugly

North American Premiere

India/2013/128mins/Dcp

Director: Anurag Kashyap

Writer: Anurag Kashyap

Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari, Arun Rangachari

Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava

When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul's car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali's mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, Iffla alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that's sure to keep the heart racing.

Writers (Sulemani Keeda)

North American Premiere

India/2013/90min

Director: Amit V Masurkar

Writer: Amit V Masurkar

Producer: Datta Dave

Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani

Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar's slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they're on the path to selling out. Masurkar's film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new "hindie" cinema.

Documentary Features

The Auction House: A Tale of Two Brothers

World Premiere

UK/2014/85min

Director: Ed Owles

Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi

The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.

Faith Connections

Los Angeles Premiere

France-India/2013/115min/Dcp

Director: Pan Nalin

Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe

Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. Iffla alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.

Powerless (Katiyabaaz)

Los Angeles Premiere

India/2013/82min

Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar

Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler

Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa

In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.

Shepherds of Paradise

U.S. Premiere

India/2013/50min

Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan

Composer: Bilal Iran

Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, Shepherds of Paradise is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.

Bollywood By Night

Bombay Talkies

North American Premiere

India/117min/2013

Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap

Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga

Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui

A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?

Monsoon Shootout

Los Angeles Premiere

India-uk-Netherlands/2013/88min

Director: Amit Kumar

Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt

Screenwriter: Amit Kumar

Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa

A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.

Shorts

Aarti

Shorts Program 2

World Premiere

USA/2013/4min

Director: David Walter Lech

Producer: Terrie Samundra

A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.

Alchemy

Shorts Program 2

U.S. Premiere

India/2013/5min

Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh

Producer: Pritesh Varia

A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.

Bhiwani Junction

Shorts Program 1

Los Angeles Premiere

USA/2013/18min

Director: Abhi Singh

Producer: Abhi Singh

A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.

Black Rock (Kaatal)

Shorts Program 1

U.S. Premiere

India/2012/22min

Director: Vikrant Pawar

Producer: Film and Television Institute of India

Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.

The Fly (Makhi)

Shorts Program 2

World Premiere

India/2013/31min

Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni

Producer: Film and Television Institute of India

Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.

Beloved (Humsafar)

Shorts Program 2

U.S. Premiere

India/2012/6min

Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher

Producer: Dsk Supinfocom

A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.

Jaya

Shorts Program 2

USA/2013/19min

Director: Puja Maewal

Producer: Puja Maewal

Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.

Kush

Shorts Program 1

India/2013/25min

Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani

Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani

A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.

Little Gypsy (Kachho Gadulo)

Shorts Program 1

Los Angeles Premiere

India/2012/6min

Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat

Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom

Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.

Love.Love.Love.

Shorts Program 2

Los Angeles Premiere

Russian Federation/2013/12min

Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram

Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko

An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. Love. Love.Love. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Outpost

Shorts Program 1

U.S. Premiere

India-usa/2013/17min

Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai

Producer: Aditi Anand

In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.

Presence

Shorts Program 2

U.S. Premiere

India/2012/17min

Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan

Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan

Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.

Skin Deep

Screens with Writers

U.S. Premiere

India/2013/20min

Director: Hardik Mehta

Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari

Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility--that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.

Small Yellow Field (Tau Seru)

Shorts Program 1

Los Angeles Premiere

Australia-India/2013/8min

Director: Rodd Rathjen

Producer: Rodd Rathjen

In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad's curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.

The Puppet (Tamaash)

Screens with Shepherds Of Paradise

Los Angeles Premiere

India/2013/32min

Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh

Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh

A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control...

From April 8th to the 11th, Indian films will once again be showcased in the Us at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). In its 12th year, Iffla boasts an incredible lineup of fabulous films that reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema. Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani says, “I’m thrilled and proud that Iffla’s line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora.”

Iffla 2014 presents 33 films that include feature films, documentaries and shorts. The festival will have three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.

Bollywood will be well represented with three outstanding films all showing during the festival’s run.

New Delhi, March 19: Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) will be celebrating its 12 years, and will run from April 8-13 at Arc Light Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival's home since its inception.

Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown's 'Sold', produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson, and will be closed by the culinary comedy 'Jadoo', a film by London-based director and Iffla alum, Amit Gupta.

The highlights of the festival will include Anurag Kashyap's 'Ugly', 'Liar's Dice', Irrfan Khan starrer 'Qissa' and Mumbai spotlight films 'Bombay Talkies' and 'Monsoon Shootout'.

Iffla's.

A still from Jadoo

The 12th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla), to be held from April 8-13, announced its 2014 line-up of feature films and short films.

Amit Gupta’s Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s closing night gala. The film premiered at the 2013 Berlinale.

As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold. The 2014 edition of the festival will present more than 33 films.

Program highlights include the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly, Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, Anup Singh’s Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost and the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha by James E. Duff.

Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, Mahesh Pailoor’s Brahmin Bulls and Richie Mehta’s Siddharth will also be screened at the festival.

The festival’s feature...

Slavery has been depicted on the big screen in countless films (most recently in Best Picture winner "12 Years a Slave"), but rarely is the topic of human trafficking depicted in a contemporary setting. The independent feature film "Sold," directed by Jeffrey D. Brown, executive produced by Emma Thompson, and starring Gillian Anderson, David Arquette, and Seema Biswas, will shed new light on the topic when the film opens the 12th Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles."Sold," an adaptation of the National Book Award-nominated novel by Patricia McCormick and based on true accounts, details a young girl's harrowing attempt at escaping her life in a brothel in India. "Because of 'Sold's' marvelous script and courageous and brilliant cast,” said Emma Thompson, “it is a story that we can All watch – so that we may understand the processes of slavery in modern India and feel able to act...

Sold directed by Jeffrey D. Brown will open the 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). The film is executive produced by Emma Thompson, and stars Gillian Anderson, David Arquette, Seema Biswas, Parambrata Chatterjee, Priyanka Bose, Sushmita Mukherjee and Tillotama Shome, among others.

Sold tells the story of a Nepali girl Lakshmi who was sold into a brothel in Kolkata. It is an adaptation of the Us National Book Award-nominated novel by Patricia McCormick, based on true accounts. The book has been translated into 32 languages.

Director Jeffery D. Brown and select cast will be in attendance at the opening night gala. Brown won an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 1986 for Molly’s Pilgrim.

In addition, Jasmine Jaisinghani was appointed as Iffla’s first-ever Artistic Director by Christina Marouda, Iffla’s Founder and Chair of the Board.

Jasmine Jaisinghani comes to Iffla from AFI...

Washington, Mar.6: Gillian Anderson starrer movie 'Sold' will be opening the 12th annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

The movie centers on the topic of child trafficking in India as viewed through one girl's journey; it has executively been produced by Emma Thompson, Deadline reported.

The movie directed by Jeffrey D. Brown also has David Arquette and Seema Biswas starring alongside Anderson.

The festival will run from 8- 13 April at the ArcLight Hollywood. (Ani)...

A film fest quickly gaining attention in fest-packed Los Angeles is the Indian Film Fest of La. With last year's high profile screenings of Gangs of Wasseypur, Midnight Children, and Eega, Iffla positioned itself as the best way to catch the latest high profile films from the subcontinent. This year's fest is scheduled for April 8-13 and the organizers have just announced the opening night film as Emma Thompson-produced child trafficking drama Sold. The film is directed by Jeffrey D. Brown and stars Gillian Anderson, David Arquette, and Seema Biswas. Perhaps not the Indian hit that Wasseypur was, but an interesting choice none the less. Here is more on the film: Through one extraordinary girl's journey, Sold illustrates the brutality of child trafficking, a crime...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

First thought upon hearing the plot for the just-announced comedy Save the Date: "another goddamn wedding movie?" First thought after seeing the cast: "I can't believe I'm going to be excited to see another goddamn wedding movie!" The script focuses on two sisters and their approaches to life and marriage: "one who's happy with the status quo and doesn't see any reason to marry her musician boyfriend while the other's obsessed with planning her upcoming wedding." (Melancholia much?) But the cast is already impressive: Alison Brie (Community, Mad Men) and Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls, Party Down) play the sisters and Marin Starr (Adventureland, Party Down), Geoffrey Arend (Super Troopers) and Mark Weber (Scott Pilgrim) are the supporting cast we've got so far. And I don't need any more than that -- ticket sold. The script is by graphic novelist Jeffrey Brown, and Mike Mohan will direct the film in July in La.