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NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline MAY 07, 2021 | The Indian Eye 26

new York indian Film Festival announces opening

night, centerpiece and closing night Films

Celebrating Birth Anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi, Satyajit Ray and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

Our Bureau
NEW YORK, NY

he annual New York Indi-
an Film Festival (NYIFF)
Thas announced its high-
ly-anticipated showcase films for
opening night, centerpiece and
closing night. NYIFF is North
America’s longest-running and
most prestigious Indian film fes-
tival. For the second year NY-
IFF’s virtual film festival will be
powered by MovieSaints. The
dates are June 4 to 13, 2021.
“The Covid-19 situation in
India is heartbreaking and our
thoughts and prayers are with
those who have lost their loved
ones.” said Aseem Chhabra,
NYIFF Festival Director.
“But we made a promise
to our audience in the United
States and elsewhere. The show
must go on. We present the best
of Indian cinema from 2020 and
2021.”
“For 21 years, NYIFF has
showcased the most impactful best filmmakers and storytellers an society and female identity.” the Dalai Lama. International
and esteemed films and docu- featuring India and its culture.” The entire work was shot using musicians U2 and AR Rahman
mentaries celebrating India, its Award-winning filmmaker, a handheld camera to add a re- contributed to the title track.
people and its heritage,” said Prithvi Konanur expressed that alistic touch and feel to this so- With new voices joining the
Suman Gollamudi, IAAC Exec- he “wanted to hold a mirror to cial thriller. global dialogue about injustice
utive Director. society” in Where Is Pinki. Se- The documentary feature is and systemic racism and the re-
“The caliber of films on the curing praise at the Interna- produced and directed by mak- surgence of nationalism in cities
2021 lineup includes notable tional Film Festival in Goa, this ers of the Emmy-nominated like Hong Kong, the documen-
works by award-winning film- narrative offers a gritty glimpse film, The Journalist and the Ji- tary has been hailed as a timely
makers, which aim to capture into the perspectives and expe- hadi. On October 2, 2019, the reminder about non-violence
stories that have a truly pro- riences of everyday people. The world commemorated the 150th movement.”
found message about our world complex tale weaves together birth anniversary of Mahatma The above films will be
today. These films have re- the story of Bindu and Girish, Gandhi, inspiring award-win- rounding out an exciting and
ceived exceptional praise from a working couple in Bangalore ning filmmaker, Ramesh Shar- keenly relevant 2021 lineup. In
critics and audiences around with an eight-month-old baby ma, to revisit the icon’s life and addition to Mahatma Gandhi,
the globe.” girl, Pinki. When the baby goes philosophy that still endures this year’s festival will celebrate
“For the second straight year, missing, Pinki becomes a fran- today. Shot in India, South milestones of two more Indian
we are partnering with Mov- tic effort of search that forces Africa, the U.S. and Europe, icons: Ahimsa is a tribute to
ieSaints to reach a wider audi- the film’s characters to confront the film tracks the influence Mahatma Gandhi and the film’s
ence virtually.” said Rakesh strange places, people and situ- of Gandhi’s non-violence ap- screening marks the 150th birth

Kaul, Vice Chairman, IAAC. ations that require each of them proach on world leaders from anniversary of the Father of the
“Even during this time of social to reconcile their past, present Martin Luther King Jr. to the Nation and The Music of Saty-
distancing, this technology al- and futures. Critics have called late Congressman John Lewis, ajit Ray is a documentary that
lows us to continue the mission it “a hard-hitting social com- Lech Walesa, Nelson Mandela, celebrates the 100th birth cen-
of NYIFF and spotlight the very mentary on contemporary Indi- Vaclav Havel and His Holiness tenary of Satyajit Ray.

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