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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline MAY 01, 2026 | The Indian Eye 28

New York Indian Film Festival 2026 Lineup and

Nominations, Led by ‘Baksho Bondi,’ ‘Flowers of Acacia’,

and ‘The Elysian Field’, Signaling Regional Cinema Surge

OUR BUREAU continues its dual mission of champi-
oning emerging voices while honor-
New York, NY
ing cinematic excellence, reinforcing
he New York Indian Film Fes- its position as a key global platform
tival (NYIFF), North Amer- for Indian Independent Cinema.
Tica’s longest-running festival “This year’s nominated films rep-
dedicated to Indian independent cin- resent the range and depth of story-
ema, has announced the full lineup telling in India today,” said Festival
and official nominations for its 2026 Director Aseem Chhabra. “From
edition, spotlighting a diverse slate human dramas to comedies, and nar-
of films across 15 languages and un- ratives that reflect the angst of Mil-
derscoring the growing dominance of lennials and Gen Z, these works re-
regional storytelling in contemporary flect a cinema that is both rooted and
Indian cinema. globally resonant.”
This year’s nominations are Suman Gollamudi, Executive Di-
led by Baksho Bondi (Shadowbox), rector of IAAC, added: “NYIFF con-
Flowers of Acacia, Romantic Affairs, tinues to serve as a critical launchpad
Ha Lyngkha Bneng (The Elysian for independent filmmakers on the
Field), and Victoria, which dominate global stage and remains committed
the Best Film race - highlighting a to amplifying distinctive voices across
strong showing from regional cinema Indian cinema.”
across Bengali, Punjabi, Assamese, Dr. Nirmal Mattoo, Chairman
Khasi, and Malayalam industries. of IAAC, said: “The New York Indi-
The festival will present Far- an Film Festival stands as a powerful
han Akhtar’s classic Dil Chahta Hai cultural bridge. The 2026 lineup and
(2001), marking the film’s 25th an- nominations reaffirm our commit-
niversary and revisiting one of Hindi ment to showcasing the richness, di-
cinema’s most influential coming-of- versity, and artistic excellence of Indi-
age films. an cinema on an international stage.”
This year’s program includes 19 cial LGBTQ shorts program. Tighee (Marathi) as the closing film; The New York Indian Film Fes-
narrative (features), four documen- Previously announced highlights and the centerpiece Flowers of Aca- tival is presented annually by the In-
taries (features) and 27 shorts (nar- include the 4K restored version of cia (Punjabi). do-American Arts Council (IAAC), a
ratives and documentaries) including the cult classic Sholay; BAFTA win- Presented by the Indo-American nonprofit dedicated to promoting Indi-
several world premieres, and a spe- ner opening film Boong (Manipuri); Arts Council (IAAC), NYIFF 2026 an arts and culture in the United States.

2026 AWARD NOMINATIONS

• Kavisha Mahanta (Aakuti)
BEST FILM BEST DIRECTOR BEST ACTOR
• Sayan Karmakar (Baksho Bondi)
• Baksho Bondi (Shadowbox) • Lakshmipriya Devi (Boong) • Aryuun Ghosh (Adamya) • Best Documentary (Feature)
• Flowers of Acacia • Senna Hegde (Avihitham) • Chandan Bisht (Baksho Bondi) • Breaking the Code
• Romantic Affairs • Ranjan Ghosh (Adamya) • M.K. Raina (Batt Koch) • Déjà Vu
• Ha Lyngkha Bneng (The Elysian • Anmol Sidhu (Flowers of Acacia) • Nikhil Yadav (Vimukt) • Marriage Cops
Field) • Pradip Kurbah (The Elysian Field) • Sanat Chattopadhyay (Maya Satya • I, Poppy
• Victoria Bhram)
BEST SCREENPLAY BEST SHORT (NARRATIVE)
BEST DEBUT FILM BEST ACTRESS • Aasmani
• Anshulika Dubey (How To Not
• Aakuti (Longing) Have Sex) • Bharti Achrekar (Tighee) • Aashirwad (Blessings)
• Batt Koch • Kasvi Sonkorison (Romantic Affairs) • Tumhari Bari Jo! (Jo’s Turn)
• Baksho Bondi (Shadowbox) • Anusha Rizvi (The Great Sham- • Meenakshi Jayan (Victoria) • Razaa
• Room at the Farm
• Boong suddin Family) • Revathy Asha (Aasmani)
• Early Days • Nikhil Mahajan & Prajakt • Tillotama Shome (Baksho Bondi) BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)
• How to Not Have Sex Deshmukh (Tighee) BEST CHILD ACTOR • Ruptured Lines
• Tighee (Motherhood) • The Last Resort
• Victoria • Priyankar Patra (Early Days) • Daria Bedi (Aasmani) • This Tree Won’t Fall
• Vimukt (In Search of the Sky) • Tannishtha Chatterjee (Full Plate) • Gugun Kipgen (Boong) • Waai

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