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OppenheimerBEST PICTUREAmerican FictionAnatomy of a FallBarbieThe HoldoversKillers of the Flower MoonMaestroOppenheimer – WINNERPast LivesPoor ThingsThe Zone of InterestACTOR In A Leading ROLEBradley Cooper (Maestro)Colman Domingo (Rustin)Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) – WINNERJeffrey Wright (American Fiction)Actress In A Leading ROLEAnnette Bening (Nyad)Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)Sandra Huller (Anatomy of a Fall)Carey Mulligan (Maestro)Emma Stone (Poor Things) – Winneractor In A Supporting ROLESterling K Brown (American Fiction)Robert De Niro (Killers of the Flower Moon)Robert Downey Jr (Oppenheimer) – WINNERRyan Gosling (Barbie)Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)Actress In A Supporting ROLEEmily Blunt (Oppenheimer)Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)America Ferrera (Barbie)Jodie Foster (Nyad)Da'Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) – Winneranimated Feature FILMThe Boy and the Heron – WINNERElementalNimonaRobot DreamsSpider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseCINEMATOGRAPHYEl CondeKillers of the Flower MoonMaestroOppenheimer – WINNERPoor ThingsCOSTUME DESIGNBarbieKillers of the Flower MoonNapoleonOppenheimerPoor Things – WINNERDIRECTINGJustine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall)Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon...

Juicy J has announced an expanded version of his latest album The Hustle Continues, which he released this past November.

Titled The Hustle Still Continues, the expanded album will be out on June 25th and will include nine new tracks, featuring Pooh Shiesty, Rico Nasty, Lord Infamous, Project Pat, Duski, Henry Az, and Kaash Paige. The collaborations add to the original album’s features with Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, Logic and more. It’s available for preorder now.

Juicy J teased the new songs on Friday with “Take It,...

Unpaused (Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Raj-dk, Nikkhil Advani, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Avinash Arun Dhaware, Nitya Mehra

Straightaway, I must say the anthology comes as a welcome surprise.

When I heard of a Covid anthology I thought it would one of those let’s-make-hay-while-the-sun-shines kind of obscenely exploitative ventures. Thankfully, the films are born out of compassion rather than greed. The Covid theme flows organically out of the stories, and the characters are never allowed to feel sorry for themselves. These are bright stories burnished with a directorial acumen that elevates the theme from a topical statement to an enduring experience.

In the story Rat-a-Tat(inaptly clever title just because it’s got a rat in it) one of my favourite segments of the omnibus, a 65-year old uperclass woman(Lilette Dubey) finds herself getting close to a young feisty Maharashtrian girl who moves in from nextdoor when a rat infests her apartment.

Juicy J offers a detailed look at his life in quarantine in the video for his new song, “Gah Damn High,” featuring Wiz Khalifa, off the rapper’s upcoming LP, The Hustle Continues, out October 14th via eOne.

“Gah Damn High” is classic Juicy J fare, packed with hooks and one-liners that range from goofy to flat-out bawdy. The song arrives with a mockumentary-style music video directed by Joe Weil that shows how Juicy J is passing the time during the Covid-19 pandemic — filling his days with yoga, painting, video games,...

Mention Teyana Taylor’s name, and it evokes kinetic experiences: aerobicized thrusts in Kanye West’s “Fade” clip, melting alongside Kehlani in a “Morning” homage to the 1998 camp-classic Wild Things, casually flexing in Jay-Z’s video for “Blue Magic.” As a dancer and model – she launched her career in her teens by choreographing Beyoncé’s “Ring the Alarm” video – Taylor leaves a visual imprint as distinct as anything by Rihanna, Ciara and other doyennes of black pop.

But as a musician, Teyana’s path has been less assured. An early...

Selected projects include four debut features and the second fiction feature from Pushpendra Singh.

Film Bazaar, organised by India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc), has selected five projects to participate in this year’s Work-in-Progress (Wip) Lab, four of which are from first-time directors.

The four debut features are Kannada-language Pedro, directed by Natesh Hegde, and Hindi-language titles Shankar’s Fairies, directed by Irfana Majumdar, Switzerland, from Ajitpal Singh, and The Knot (Uljhan), from Ashish Pant. The one project from a returning director is the Gujari-language The Shepherdess And The Seven Songs, directed by Pushpendra Singh (Lajwanti).

The mentors...

Indian-French co-production comprises four short stories tackling different issues that have plagued India since independence.

India’s Drishyam Films is teaming with France’s Backup Media to co-produce an anthology film, Tryst With Destiny, directed by rising Indian filmmaker Prashant Nair.

Currently in production, the film will comprise four short stories that tackle different issues that have plagued India since independence. The title of the film is taken from a famous speech by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, to the country’s parliament on the eve of independence on August 14, 1947.

Cast on the film includes actors...

Set in rural Assam, where the backwaters of India can almost leave you desperately moving your entire life in a wooden boat, Dhunu (Bhanita Das) – a young girl on the brink of puberty wishes to form a rock band. Even though she defies multiple norms set by the repressive, culturally appropriate elders of the village – the ones that want her to stop climbing trees like a boy while learning supposedly ‘womanly-ethics,’ her imagination and sincerity make us vouch for her. Supported by a single mother who is as important as the little girl in this quiet tale with cardboard dreams, Rima Das’s Dhunnu feels like a character made out of her own soul.

“Village Rockstars” runs as part of the 9th edition of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, that runs at 15 cinemas, across London, Birmingham and Manchester, from 21st June to 1st July, with 27 films, including features and short films,...

Exclusive: Label is designed to drive Asian cinema into Us.

Kino Lorber is launching a theatrical distribution label, Silk Road Cinema, dedicated to award-winning arthouse films from India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia.

The Us distributor is partnering with New York and Mumbai-based independent director-producer Shrihari Sathe to curate the collection and collaborate on distribution strategy.

Silk Road Cinema will release around six titles a year throughout North America, in theatres and across all other platforms including DVD and VOD, starting with five titles acquired by Sathe and Alan McAlex’s 3 Monkeys.

The five titles include Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar and Geetu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, which were Pakistan and India’s submissions respectively to the 87th Academy Awards; 1000 Rupee Note [pictured], directed and produced by Sathe; Avinash Arun’s Killa, which won a Crystal Bear at Berlin in 2014; and award-winning drama Harud, directed by Aamir Bashir.

Sathe, who met Richard Lorber when he was a juror...

Following his vintage feature Bombay Velvet, Gangs of Wasseypur director Anurag Kashyap is taking a darker turn. His new film — which he wrote, produced and directed — Raman Raghav 2.0 follows notorious serial killer Raman Raghav. Over the 1960’s in Mumbai, Raghav committed various crimes including murder and assault.

With the lead killer portrayed by Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Manjhi – The Mountain Man), the film focuses on his new obsession, a cop (played by Vicky Kaushal) as Raghav watches and creates situations where both characters go head to head. Ahead of a Cannes premiere in Directors’ Fortnight, the first trailer has landed below for the film also featuring Vipin Sharma (Taare Zameen Par), Amruta Subhash (Killa) and winner of Miss India Earth 2013 Sobhita Dhulipala.

Raman Raghav 2.0 is set to premiere at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Mumbai-based Film City is presenting a package of nine Marathi-language films at Film Bazaar, as part of the Maharashtra state’s initiative to promote Marathi culture.

“It’s the first time the Maharashtra government is promoting Marathi films at Film Bazaar, as a first step towards creating international exposure for Marathi films,” said Sanjay Bhokare, managing director of Film City, who is also the deputy secretary of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs.

The company’s joint managing director Sanjay Patil has brought a delegation of nine directors to Film Bazaar and their nine producers for the Producers’ Lab. The company has arranged industry screenings for all the films, which are also available in the Viewing Room.

The films are mostly first features such as Mrunalini Bhosale’s Kapus Kondyachi Goshta, Jayprad Desai’s Nagrik, Bhaurao N. Karhade’s Khwada, Shrihari Sathe’s 1000 Rupee Note, Abhijit Panse’s Rege and Atul Jagdale’s Ganvesh.

The package...

Mumbai-based Jar Pictures is attending Film Bazaar with a busy, multiple-language slate, including Ajitpal Singh’s The Man Who Broke The Mountain, to be co-produced by Mexican writer-producer Guillermo Arriaga [pictured].

The Hindi-language drama, based on the true story of India’s “Mountain Man” Dashrath Manjhi, was selected for the Mumbai Mantra/Sundance Screenwriters Lab in 2012.

Arriaga, who wrote Babel and produced Venice Golden Lion winner From Afar, was a mentor at the lab.

Jar’s Alan McAlex and his partner Ajay G. Rai are also producing the next film from Liar’s Dice director Geetu Mohandas, Malayalam-language Mulakoya, which will shoot next year in Lakshadweep Islands, Kerala and Mumbai. The project was selected for this year’s Drishyam/Sundance Screenwriters Lab.

Following its success with Avinash Arun’s award-winning Killa, which opened in France last month, Jar is also producing Arun’s next Marathi-language film, Boomerang.

The company will also produce the next project from Crossing Bridges director...

Mumbai-based Jar Pictures is attending Film Bazaar with a busy, multiple-language slate, including Ajitpal Singh’s The Man Who Broke The Mountain, to be co-produced by Mexican writer-producer Guillermo Arriaga [pictured].

The Hindi-language drama, based on the true story of India’s “Mountain Man” Dashrath Manjhi, was selected for the Mumbai Mantra/Sundance Screenwriters Lab in 2012. Arriaga, who wrote Babel and produced Venice Golden Lion winner From Afar, was a mentor at the lab.

Jar’s Alan McAlex and his partner Ajay G. Rai are also producing the next film from Liar’s Dice director Geetu Mohandas, Malayalam-language Mulakoya, which will shoot next year in Lakshadweep Islands, Kerala and Mumbai. The project was selected for this year’s Drishyam/Sundance Screenwriters Lab.

Following its success with Avinash Arun’s award-winning Killa, which opened in France last month, Jar is also producing Arun’s next Marathi-language film, Boomerang. The company will also produce the next project from Crossing Bridges director...

Just two days ago, we had reported that the lead pair of Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar were roped in to play the leads in a Punjab based intense love story and now we hear that the film has been titled Manmarziyan. In fact, it is also being said that the film will have a second male lead and the casting process for the same is on. The music will be given by Amit Trivedi and Avinash Arun of Killa fame has been roped in for cinematography. From what we hear, Ayushmann will also be crooning for a song in the film. Directed by Sameer Sharma, Manmarziyan is produced by Aanand L. Rai.

The jury has come to a decision. It's Chaitanya Tamhane's Marathi masterpiece Court that goes as India's official entry to the Oscars, beating other strong contenders including Neeraj Ghaywan's Masaan, Avinash Arun's Killa and Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Tamhane's evocative film gently and non-judgmentally questions the loopholes in the Indian legal system. While the film's intrinsic merits cannot be questioned, one of the jury members for the Oscar contender Rahul Rawail has gone on record to question the jury's chairperson Amol Palekar's competence. Rawail tweeted, "Just want to clarify that I am proud of Court and fully support its selection. I resigned from the Oscar jury because of Mr. Palekar's obnoxious behavior." Court's director Chaitanya Tamhane remained oblivious of the controversies. Says Tamhane, "It's still hard for me to believe that my film has been so warmly received the world over. I began visiting...

Besides the story and performances, upcoming release Masaan is also being talked about for its real locations and showcasing the heart of India. Masaan is set in the backdrop of Benaras city and it has been beautifully captured. And the credit for it goes to director Neeraj Ghaywan and National award winning cinematographer Avinash Arun.

Director Neeraj says, "This film had to be set in Benaras because it's starting from the point of death healing people. It's like how they come-of-age while dealing with death of someone really close. Benaras is a modern small town India, where a lot of the youth and people are struggling to find their way out from the shackles of socio-cultural or societal or financial crisis or individual crises...We became like the people of Benaras while shooting. And we just trusted anyone and everyone whom we met on our way for it."

While Avinash Arun,...

What happens when 10 National Award Winners come together in one film? Ever since Drishyam was announced earlier this year, the buzz for the film has been building with heightened anticipation for the July release.

Promising to have audiences at the edge of their seats, Drishyam will see Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran and Rajat Kapoor in what is touted to be 2015’s most riveting thriller.

From its inception, Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam has been making headlines.What is truly remarkable about this project is the fact that besides being one of the most anticipated films of 2015, Drishyam has 10 National Award winners coming together.

Apart from Ajay Devgn who has won National Award twice for Zakhm and The Legend Of Bhagat Singh and the talented actress Tabu who has won the National Award twice for Chandni Bar and Maachis, will now be spearheaded by Director Nishikant Kamat who won the National...

Indian feature strikes France and French-speaking territories deal.

Avinash Arun’s The Fort (Killa) has been sold by 3 Monkeys to Les Films Du Preau for France and French-speaking territories.

The Indian feature is in Competition at part of the Cannes Junior Screens selection, having previously won a Crystal Bear in the Generation Kplus strand of the Berlinale. It will receive a French theatrical release on October 7.

Shrihari Sathe, on behalf of 3 Monkeys and Emmanuelle Chevalier from Les Films Du Preau negotiated the all French rights deal.

It will be released in French cinemas on Oct 7.

Arun’s directorial debut follows a boy who moves from the big city to a small coastal town.

The film received support from Afcae Jeune Public, the youth branch of the French association of arthouse cinemas.

Ajay Devgn, who signed Drishyam remake long ago, decided to start the film next year, but circumstances led to the actor to prepone the Nishikant Kamat directorial and the film is slated to go on floor soon. Tabu, Shriya Saran and Rajat Kapoor are a part of this thriller which is a remake of a Malayalam blockbuster. And now, Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj have come together to be a part of the film. Vishal, who has won awards for a multiple national awards for films like Haider, Ishqiya among others, will be composing the music for the remake and Gulzar, who too is a national award winner, will be penning the lyrics for it. Interestingly, almost the entire cast and crew of Drishyam remake are National Award winners. While Ajay Devgn has won National Award twice for Zakhm and The Legend Of Bhagat Singh, the talented actress Tabu has won...

Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dhanak is one among the thirteen titles that the Generation section of the Berlin International Film Festival announced on Friday.

The Marathi-language film is Kukunoor’s latest after Lakshmi on child trafficking. The film will receive its world premiere in Generation K Plus competition.

Synopsis – Pari has decided to help her little blind brother Chotu get his eyesight back. So she sets out with him on a magical journey through Rajasthan where they encounter all sorts of colourful characters. More than anything they want to meet Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who on a poster has promised his viewers “new eyes”.

In 2014, Avinash Arun’s Killa was selected for Generation K Plus section where it also won the Crystal Bear for Best Film.

A still from Titli

Kanu Behl’s Titli took home South Asian International Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature. Avinash Arun’s Killa was adjudged the second best film.

The Best Director Award was presented to first-time writer-director Afia Nathaniel for her film Dukhtar. The tense drama, Pakistan’s official entry to the 2014 Academy Awards, was also presented with the festival’s Audience Award.

The jury awarded their Short Grand Jury Prize to Gitanjali Rao’s True Love Story, a stunning animated short about a 17-year-old orphan who uses his love of Bollywood cinema to help him woo the girl of his dreams.

The Audience Award for Short Film was awarded to Veil by director Sreemoyee Bhattacharya.

The award ceremony took place at Manhattan’s Carlton Hotel on November 23rd, celebrating Saiff’s eleventh anniversary.

The Eleventh Annual South Asian International Film Festival ran from Tuesday, November 18th,...

Exclusive: Jar Pictures has unveiled a slate of upcoming productions headed by DoP Shanker Raman’s directorial debut Gurgaon and Gaurav Saxena’s feature version of his celebrated short film, Rangzen.

Ten-minute short Rangzen (which means freedom in Tibetan) premiered in the Generation Kplus competition at this year’s Berlin Film Festival and was also voted best international short at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival.

The feature will expand on the story of a Tibetan boy in Dharamshala coming to terms with his refugee identity.

Raman’s noir drama Gurgaon spotlights gender prejudice in the ‘new town’ of the film’s title, which is located close to New Delhi. Aamir Bashir and Pankaj Tripathi have been cast in the film, which is scheduled to start shooting early next year.

Raman describes Gurgaon as “a cautionary tale about social fragmentation that disintegrates first the community, then the family, and ultimately our sense of humanity.”

A renowned...

Mumbai-based Jar Pictures is producing the next feature from Killa director Avinash Arun, a Marathi-language drama entitled Boomerang.

“Boomerang is a drama based on one of my childhood experiences. Children will once again be integral to the story,” said Arun, who plans to start shooting during the 2015 monsoon.

Produced by Jar, Essel Vision and Mr Filmworks, Killa is about an 11-year-old who has to start life afresh in a new town with his mother. Essel Vision will release the film on 200 screens pan-India in February 2015.

A Film Bazaar Work-in-Progress Lab project in 2013, Killa won a Crystal Bear in Berlin and a Silver Gateway at the Mumbai Film Festival.

Jigarthanda at Saiff 2014

X, by eleven directors, will kickstart HBO’s South Asian International Film Festival (Saiff) on Tuesday. The festival will be held from November 18-23 in Manhattan.

Shrihari Sathe’s Ek Hazarachi Note, Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda, Kanu Behl’s Titli, Avinash Arun’s Killa and Afia Serena Nathaniel’s Dukhtar are the feature films to be screened at the festival.

The short films at the festival include Gaurav Bakshi’s Enough, Rajesh Jala’s 23 Winters, Gitanjali Rao’s True Love Story (animation), Atanu Mukherjee’s The Gatekeeper and Sreemoyee Bhattacharya’s Veil.

Raj and Dk’s Happy Ending, starring Saif Ali Khan, Ileana D’Cruz, Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey and Govinda, will be screened as the Centerpiece Film of the festival.

The festival will close with the screening of Nabeel Qureshi’s Na Maloom Afraad.

The 11th South Asian International Film Festival presented by HBO set to run from November 18-23 will open with the world premiere of Indian anthology X.

The festival – now under the guidance of new executive director Joya Dass – will close with the North American Premiere of Pakistani hit Na Maloom Afraad!

The roster includes Afia Serena Nathaniel’s Dukhtar, Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda and Killa, directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware.

The Centerpiece World Premiere is Raj Nidimoru and Krishna Dk’s Happy Ending (pictured).

For further details click here.

A still from Vinay Shukla and Khushboo Ranka’s Proposition for a Revolution

Nfdc Film Bazaar’s Work-in-Progress Lab has announced its selection in Fiction and Documentary categories.

The Work-in-Progress (Wip) Lab gives filmmakers a chance to have their rough-cut feature-length films viewed by an eminent panel of international advisers. These advisers have a one-on-one discussion with the filmmaker with an intention to help the filmmaker achieve an accomplished final cut of the film.

Nfdc Film Bazaar 2014 will be held from November 20-24 in Goa Mariott Resort.

Work-in-Progress Lab 2014:

Fiction :

Bokul by Reema Borah Highway by Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni Nil Battey Sannata by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari Tathagat by Manav Kaul Thithi by Raam Reddy

Documentary :

12 Acres by Rajesh Thind Maidaan (Home Ground) by Kavita Carneiro Nehi Mozo Hanü Dizo Le (Without You, I am Nothing) by Anushka Meenakshi and Iswar Srikumar Proposition for a Revolution by Khushboo Ranka...

Avinash Arun’s Killa and Surabhi Sharma’s Bidesia in Bambai have been nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2014. The awards will be held in Brisbane on December 11.

Killa’s nomination comes in Best Youth Feature Film category. The film that had its world premiere at Berlin International Film Festival this year was recently awarded at the Mumbai Film Festival.

The other nominations in Best Youth Feature Film category are 52 Tuesdays (Australia), Correction Class (Russian Federation), Sivas (Turkey, Germany) and Theeb (Jordan, Qatar, UAE, UK).

Bidesia in Bambai, revolving around migrants in Mumbai, has been nominated in Best Documentary Feature Film category. The other nominations in this category include 1001 Apples (Iraq), Sanda (Republic of Korea), Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait (Syria, France); and Wukan: The Flame of Democracy (Singapore).

India hasn’t earned a nomination in the Best Film category. The nominations are Winter Sleep (Turkey, France, Germany), Leviathan (Russia...

Leviathan leads contenders; 36 films from 21 countries in the running.

Films in the running for the 2014 Apsa for Best Feature Film include Winter Sleep (Turkey, France, Germany), Leviathan (Russia), I’m Not Angry (Iran), The Owners (Kazakhstan), and Memories on Stone (Iraqi Kurdistan, Germany).

Leviathan, also nominated for Achievement in Cinematography for Mikhail Krichman, has received three nominations in total, the most for any film.

In total, 36 films from 21 countries are in the running for awards.

Nominees vying for the award in the Achievement in Directing category are: Rolf de Heer (Charlie’s Country, Australia), Andrey Zvyagintsev (Leviathan, Russia), Im Kwon-taek (Revivre, South Korea), Rakhshan Banietemad (Tales, Iran) and Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Winter Sleep, Turkey, France, Germany).

For the first time, a film from Syria has received a nomination, with Silvered Water, Syria Self-portrait (Syria, France) nominated for the Apsa for Best Feature Documentary.

Films from the China and Russia lead the nominations with six each, closely followed...

Chaitanya Tamhane’s “Court”

Chaitanya Tamhane’s debut film Court swept three awards in International Competition at the 16th Mumbai Film Festival. The film, produced by Vivek Gomber, won the Golden Gateway award for Best Film, Best Director and Jury Special Mention for Ensemble Cast. The International Competition Jury of the festival was headed by British director Peter Webber.

In India Gold competition, Bikas Mishra’s Chauranga took home the Golden Gateway award for Best Film. Avinash Arun’s Killa won the second Best Film and a Jury Special Mention for Best Ensemble Cast. The Jury was headed by Serbian filmmaker Goran Paskaljevic.

In Dimensions Mumbai short film section, the Jury awarded the Best Film to Disha Rindani for Mumbai 70. Unfit directed by Shristi Jain won the second Best Film. Ramachandra Gaonkar’s Selfie got a Jury Special Mention.

Complete list of awards:

International Competition:

Best film – Court, dir: Chaitanya Tamhane...

Indian films Court, Chauranga and Killa were the big winners at the close of the Mumbai Film Festival (Mff), which wrapped on Tuesday night.

Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court won best film and best director in Mff’s International Competition for first and second-time filmmakers, along with a Special Jury Mention for the ensemble cast. The film, produced by Vivek Gomber, also recently won best film in the Orizzonti section at the Venice film festival.

The jury for this section, headed by UK director Peter Webber, gave the Jury Grand Prize to Mexican film Gueros, directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios (see full list of winners below).

Chauranga, directed by Bikas Ranjan Mishra, won best film in the India Gold competition. Produced by Onir and Sanjay Suri, the film tells the story of a young ‘dalit’ boy who dares to write a love letter to a girl from a higher caste.

Avinash Arun’s Killa, about a young...

Elizabeth Ekadashi, directed by Paresh Mokashi, will screen as the opening Feature Film of the Indian Panorama section at the 45th International Film Festival of India 2014. The other highlights in the feature-film section include Kaushik Ganguly’s Chotoder Chobi, Rajat Kapoor’s Ankhon Dekhi, Rajeev Ravi’s Njan Steve Lopez, Shaji N. Karun’s Swapaanam and Avinash Arun’s Killa.

The Last Adieu by Shabnam Sukhdev has been chosen as the Opening Film of the Non-Feature Film section of Indian Panorama 2014.

Feature Films

Title of the Film Language Director Othello Assamese Hemanta Kumar Das Punashcha Bengali Souvik Mitra Chotoder Chobi Bengali Kaushik Ganguly Bodhon Bengali Ayananshu Banerjee Jodi Love Dile Na Praane Bengali Sudeshna Roy and Abhijit Guha Teenkahon Bengali Bauddhayan Mukherji Gour Hari Dastaan – The freedom File Hindi Ananth Narayan Mahadevan Ankhon Dekhi Hindi Rajat Kapoor 1-December Kannada P. Sheshadri Ri Khasi Pradip Kurbah 1983 Malayalam Abrid Shine North 24 Kaatham...

The 3rd Dharamshala International Film Festival (Diff) will open on October 30 with Rajat Kapoor’s critically acclaimed film, Ankhon Dekhi. The four-day festival will showcase feature films, documentaries, short films and animation films. Besides, Diff will also host Masterclasses, panel discussions and Harun Farocki Retrospective.

Feature films to be screened at the festival include Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, Hansal Mehta’s Citylights, Geetu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, Avinash Arun’s Killa, Khyentse Norbu’s Vara: A Blessing, Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi’s Zinda Bhaag, Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar, Gabriela Pichler’s Eat Sleep Die, Byamba Sakhya’s Remote Control, Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze’s Papusza and Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive.

The animation section will screen films by Shilpa Ranade, Gitanjali Rao and Nina Sabnani, among others.

Q’s Nabarun, a documentary about famous Bengali writer Nabarun Bhattacharya who passed away in July, will have its...

Nfdc Film Bazaar 2014 has extended the deadline for its Work-in-Progress (Wip) Lab and Viewing Room programs.

The submission deadline which was earlier September 30th, 2014 is now October 10th, 2014.

The eighth edition of Film Bazaar will be held from November 20-24, 2014 at the Goa Marriott Resort alongside the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) 2014.

For the first time at Nfdc Film Bazaar, there will be two Wip Labs: Wip Fiction and the first Wip Documentary. In each Wip Lab, four projects in their rough-cut stage will be selected to be presented to a panel of international film experts for their feedback. The newly introduced Wip Documentary will only consider creative feature length documentaries in the rough cut stage which are aimed at a theatrical release.

The Viewing Room will present films seeking finishing funds, world sales, distribution partners and film festivals to investors, world sales agents and film festival programmers attending the film bazaar.

The Mumbai Film Festival (Oct 14-21), recently saved by public donations following a funding crunch, unveiled its line-up today including the India Gold Competition and International Competition for first features.

The festival also announced that Catherine Deneuve will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, while master classes will be held by DoP Christopher Doyle and director Mahamat Saleh Haroun.

The International Competition includes Benjamin Naishtat’s History Of Fear, Sudabeh Mortezai’s Macondo and Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, fresh from its Venice success. The India Gold competition includes Bikas Mishra’s Chauranga, Avinash Arun’s The Fort (Killa) and Ms Prakash Babu’s Fig Fruit And The Wasps (see full list below).

Serbian director Goran Paskaljevic will head the India Gold jury, while the Dimensions Mumbai short film competition jury comprises directors Gauri Shinde and Homi Adajania, actors Satish Kaushik and Huma Qureshi and critic Rajeev Masand.

Key films outside the competition sections include Xavier Dolan’s [link...

Acclaimed French actor Catherine Deneuve, known for her iconic roles in films such as Repulsion (1965), Belle de Jour (1967) and Tristana (1970), and more recently in Dancer in the Dark (2000) and 8 Women (2002), will be conferred with the Lifetime Achievement award at the 16th Mumbai Film Festival. The festival will screen a selection of her movies as a tribute.

Side bar events of the festival include master classes by internationally acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle, of Paranoid Park, Lady in the water, Psycho, In the Mood for love and Chunking Express; and noted director and writer Mahamat Saleh Haroun known for his films, Girgis, Bye Bye Africa, A Screaming Man.

Chaitanya Tamhane’s Venice “Lion of the future” winner Court is the only Indian film in international competition. The India Gold competition will showcase films like Avinash Arun’s Killa, Bikas Mishra’s Chauranga, Venu’s Munnariyippu, Dr. Biju’s Names Unknown and Vivek Wagh’s Siddhant.

The 16th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival announced its line-up in a press conference today.

Here is the complete list of films which will be screened at the festival:-

International Competition

Difret

Dir.: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari (Ethiopia / 2014 / Col / 99)

History of Fear (Historia del miedo)

Dir.: Benjamin Naishtat (Argentina-France-Germany-Qatar-Uruguay / 2014 / Col / 79)

With Others (Ba Digaran)

Dir.: Nasser Zamiri (Iran / 2014 / Col / 85)

The Tree (Drevo)

Dir.: Sonja Prosenc (Slovenia / 2014 / Col / 90)

Next to Her (At li layla)

Dir.: Asaf Korman (Israel / 2014 / Col / 90)

Schimbare

Dir.: Alex Sampayo (Spain / 2014 / Col / 87)

Fever

Dir.: Raphaël Neal (France / 2014 / Col / 81)

Court

Dir.: Chaitanya Tamhane (India (Marathi-Gujarati-English-Hindi) / 2014 / Col / 116)

Macondo

Dir.: Sudabeh Mortezai (Austria / 2014 / Col / 98)

India Gold Competition 2014

The Fort (Killa)

Dir.: Avinash Arun (India (Marathi) / 2014 / Col / 107)

Unto the Dusk

Dir.: Sajin Baabu (India (Malayalam) / 2014 / Col / 118)

Names Unknown (Perariyathavar)

Dir.: Dr. Biju (India (Malayalam) / 2014 / Col / 110)

Buddha In a Traffic Jam

Dir.

The inaugural edition of International Film Festival of Colombo, the first major international film festival to be held in Sri Lanka, will screen a special package of Indian films curated by DearCinema.

The festival, to be held from September 2-7, is being organized by the Directors’ Guild of Sri Lanka with the support of Okinawa International Movie Festival in Japan.

The package comprises of award-winning and festival-favourite Indian films like Kanu Behl’s Titli, Avinash Arun’s Killa, Anup Singh’s Qissa, Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, Kaushik Ganguly’s Apur Panchali, Jahnu Barua’s Ajeyo, Shilpa Ranade’s The World of Goopi and Bagha and Rajeev Ravi’s Annayum Rasoolam.

Kanu Behl, Avinash Arun, Nagraj Manjule, Geethu Mohandas, Kaushik Ganguly, Jahnu Barua, Shilpa Ranade and Rajeev Ravi will be in attendance at the festival. Actors Geetanjali Thapa (Liar’s Dice) and Rasika Dugal (Qissa) will...

Nfdc Film Bazaar 2014 is calling for entries for the Work-in-Progress (Wip) Lab.

For the first time at Nfdc Film Bazaar, there will be two Wip Labs: Wip Fiction and Wip Documentary. In each Wip Lab, four projects in their rough-cut stage will be selected to be presented to a panel of international film experts for their feedback.

The newly introduced Wip Documentary will only consider creative feature length documentaries in the rough cut stage which are aimed at a theatrical release.

Feature-length films of any genre in the rough-cut stage are invited to apply to the Wip lab. The submission deadline is September 30th 2014.

This year, the Film Bazaar will be held from November 20-24, 2014 at the Goa Marriott Resort alongside the International Film Festival of India 2014.

Kanu Behl’s Titli (Premiered in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section at Cannes Film Festival 2014), Avinash Arun’s Killa (Premiered at Berlin Film...

Still from Children of The Pyre

The 63rd Melbourne International Film Festival, which began on July 31 and will go on till August 17, is screening a total of 11 Indian films in different categories.

The lineup includes recent films like Kanu Behl’s Titli (world premiere at Cannes Film Festival 2014) and Avinash Arun’s Killa (world premiere at Berlin Film Festival 2014) as well as festival favourites like Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry.

A specially curated section at the festival, India in Flux: Living Resistance, will screen some of the most important Indian documentaries of recent times including Ashim Ahluwalia’s John & Jane, Rajesh Jala’s Children of the Pyre, Anand Patwardhan’s Jai Bhim Comrade, Deepa Dhanraj’s Invoking Justice, Farida Pacha’s My Name is Salt, Avijit Mukul Kishore’s Vertical City and Ranu Ghosh’s Quarter Number 4/11. These documentaries showcase the history of dissent and engagement with the ‘real’ while discussing matters of politics,...

India@Berlinale

What:

Film Discussion on ‘India@Berlinale’.

A discussion with Indian filmmakers whose films were selected for the Berlin Film Festival 2014. The conversation will include short clips from the selected films, and will be moderated by the Berlin Film Festival’s India Consultant Meenakshi Shedde.

Organised by the Goethe Institut at Max Mueller Bhawan.

When:

25 April 6.30 Pm

Entry:

Free and open to all.

Venue:

Galerie Max Mueller

Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

K Dubash Marg

Kala Ghoda

Mumbai 400001

About the event:

The Berlin Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale, is one of the top international film festivals in the world today. This year the Berlinale selected a record 12 Indian films, including international films by directors of Indian origin. This reflects the exciting vitality of Indian cinema today, as well as its young talent: three directors, who were selected by Berlin for their first feature films, are still in their 20s!

Arbhaat short film club event

What:

Arbhaat short film club in Pune, started by Umesh Kulkarni and Girish Kulkarni, will enter into its second season with the screening of short films of directors like Tarkovsky, Kieslowski, Herzog, Nolan and Szabo.

When:

3 April. 6.30 Pm

Entry:

Free and open to all.

Venue:

National Film Archives of India,

Law College Road

Pune

About the event:

Inaugural session of the second season of ‘Arbhaat Short Film Club’ will see the presence of filmmakers Onir (My Brother Nikhil, I Am), Gajendra Ahire (Anumati), Kiran Yadnyopavit (Taryanche Bait), Avinash Arun (Killa) and Shrihari Sathe (Ek Hazarachi Note).

Short films by Tarkovsky, Kieslowski, Herzog, Nolan and Szabo will be screened.

After the screening sessions, Umesh Kulkarni will conduct an interaction session with the guests, Onir, Kiran Yadnyopavit and Gajendra Ahire who will share their experiences as directors.

Cinematographer-director Avinash Arun will talk about his film Killa, which...

The Marathi feature film Killa which premiered recently at the prestigious film festival Berlinale has bagged the top award, Glasernen Bär (The Crystal Bear) for the best feature film and also got the Special Mention from the International Jury of KPlus. Killa is the third Marathi film to be selected in Berlinale in its entire history and it is the first Indian feature film to win this much coveted award. Produced by Madhukar R Musle, Ajay G Rai, Alan McAlex under the banner, Jar Pictures and presented by M R Filmworks, the film was a part of Nfdc Film Bazaar's Work-in-Progress (Wip) Lab in 2013. Jar Pictures' film Liar's Dice starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui earlier this year was in Sundance Film Festival 2014 in World Dramatics Competition section. The producer Ajay G Rai says, "The recognition from Berlinale underlines our faith and commitment to produce quality cinema. We feel honoured and proud...

Avinash Arun’s “Killa”

Avinash Arun’s debut film Killa, won the Crystal Bear at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival in the Generation KPlus section. Killa is about an 11 year old child who is coping with the death of his father and finds it difficult to adapt to a new place he has migrated to. Director Avinash Arun tells us more about the film.

You’ve been describing Killa as autobiographical. In what sense is it so?

I come from a small town called Solapur in Maharashtra. My father kept getting transferred from one place to another. It was very difficult for me to make friends in one place and suddenly, do it all over again. This went on and on. Later, I realized that it is necessary to explore. So this nostalgia resulted in the genesis of the idea of Killa while I was still at the Ftii.

Marathi-language film Killa directed by Avinash Arun won the Crystal Bear for the Best Film awarded by the Children’s Jury in Generation Kplus section at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. The section caters to children and young audiences at the festival.

The Jury said in its citation, “This film convinced us in all respects: with his good camera work and the great actors, but also because of its incredibly beautiful nature images which blend perfectly with the music. This film made us all want to discover India.”

The film also earned a Special Mention by the Generation Kplus International Jury. The Jury said, “A beautifully photographed story about the challenges of being a boy. This film had wonderful pace and rhythm. Never reverting to clichés, the fresh performances left us feeling we were right there with the characters.”

Killa revolves around a young boy Chinu who finds it...

Crystal Bears awarded to 52 Tuesdays in the Generation 14plus and Killa in the Generation Kplus sections.

Australian film 52 Tuesdays has picked up the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation 14plus strand of the Berlin International Film Festival.

The feature, directed by Sophie Hyde, centres on 16 year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence, which is accelerated when her mother reveals plans to gender transition and their time together becomes limited to Tuesday afternoons.

The film, which debuted at the Adelaide Film Festival last October and played at Sundance last month, was described by the jury as “both suprising and touching”.

A statement from the jury added: “The moving story is presented in a fascinating structure and convinces with strong characters, humour, clever ideas and sensitivity.”

The youth jury comprised Simon Kalmbach, Luca Kokol, Karla Laitko, Leonie Mo Munder, Paula Noack, Nicola Scholz and Florian Stündel.

A special mention was given to Spanish director Gabri Velázquez’s ärtico...

Crystal Bears awarded in the Generation 14plus and Generation Kplus sections.

Australian film 52 Tuesdays has picked up the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation 14plus strand of the Berlin International Film Festival.

The feature, directed by Sophie Hyde, centres on 16 year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence, which is accelerated when her mother reveals plans to gender transition and their time together becomes limited to Tuesday afternoons.

The film, which debuted at the Adelaide Film Festival last October and played at Sundance last month, was described by the jury as “both suprising and touching”.

A statement from the jury added: “The moving story is presented in a fascinating structure and convinces with strong characters, humour, clever ideas and sensitivity.”

The youth jury comprised Simon Kalmbach, Luca Kokol, Karla Laitko, Leonie Mo Munder, Paula Noack, Nicola Scholz and Florian Stündel.

A special mention was given to Spanish director Gabri Velázquez’s ärtico.

The Crystal...

T he 64th edition of Berlin International Film Festival that kicks off today has strong Indian presence with ten Indian films screening in various sections. The festival will be held from February 6-16, 2014.

Imtiaz Ali’s Highway and Jayan Cherian’s Papilio Buddha, which is in contention for the Teddy Award, will be screened in the Panorama section.

Pushpendra Singh’s Lajwanti, K. Hariharan and Mani Kaul’s Ghashiram Kotwal (1976) and Jessica Sadana & Samarth Dikshit’s Prabhat Pheri will be screened in the Forum section.

The Forum Expanded section will see the screening of Blood Earth directed by Kush Badhwar and Mount Song directed by Shambhavi Kaul.

Avinash Arun’s Killa and Gaurav Saxena’s Rangzen will be screened in the Generation K Plus section, targeted at children and young audience of the festival.

Satyajit Ray’s Nayak will be screened as a part of the Berlinale Classics section.

Here...

Mumbai, Jan 20: Marathi feature film "Killa" will have its world premiere at the forthcoming Berlin International Film Festival.

The film is one among 12 movies chosen from across the world to be screened in the Generation Kplus competition category of the fest.

Helmed by debutante director Avinash Arun, "Killa" deals with the universal conflict of migration and how it impacts the lives of people, especially children.

"Having a world premier at the Berlin film festival means a lot to me. I am enthralled. It's a very good news and for Marathi and as well as regional film makers in india. I will be able to represent my culture and my people on international platform," Arun said in a statement.

The film, produced.

Avinash Arun’s Killa and Gaurav Saxena’s Rangzen will receive world premiere in Generation Kplus competition at the upcoming Berlinale to be held from February 6-16, 2014.

A total of 60 short and full-length films from 35 countries have been selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions, meant for children and young people.

Avinash Arun’s feature debut Killa revolves around a young boy Chinu who finds it difficult to adjust to his new surroundings where he has migrated to, after his father’s death. But gradually he makes new friends and gains more confidence. Starring Amruta Subhash, Archit Deodhar, Parth Bhalerao and Shrikant Yadav, the film was part of Nfdc Film Bazaar’s Work-in-Progress (Wip) Lab in 2013.

Gaurav Saxena’s Rangzen, set in Dharamshala, tells the story of an 8-year-old Tibetan boy’s discovery of his exiled refugee identity. The short film is a prelude to Rangzen, the feature film project,...

Indian film Killa directed by Avinash Arun has been selected in the Generation K Plus progarmme of the Berlin International Film Festival 2014. It’s the story of a boy called Chinu who finds it difficult to adjust to his surroundings after he moves to a new place. But gradually he makes new friends and gains more confidence. An atmospheric coming-of-age story, in which the landscape and the weather play a decisive role. Read More...