The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2020
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The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2020 The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival and Birmingham Indian Film Festival are back from 17th – 20th September 2020 at BFI Southbank London, Ciné Lumière London, and Millennium Point (Birmingham). The festival will run in accordance with UK government guidelines, with health and safety measures that cinemas have mindfully set up. This year’s all-female directorial line-up follows the hybridised festival’s successful outing LoveLIFFatHOME.com which featured events with Mira Nair and Deepa Mehta, Shabana Azmi, Anurag Kashyap, Ayushmann Khurana, as well as crossover talents, Freida Pinto & Adil Hussain (Life of Pi, Star Trek), alongside LIFF “best of” classic features and short films soon to hit a TVOD format. LIFF & BIFF 2020 Highlights At BFI Southbank, Arati Kadav brings the Anurag Kashyap produced Sci Fi film Cargo, and Deepti Gupta showcases top Indian musician Sona Mohapatra, getting candid about the discrimination of women in music, having faced death threats, and ousted big names in the Indian Me Too movement, in the documentary Shut Up Sona. At Ciné Lumière, the festival is book-ended with a double bill with the highly anticipated Busan hit Roam Rome Mein, the directorial debut by Brick Lane actress, Tannishtha Chaterjee, who also stars in it, alongside an Italian cast, and Indian stalwart, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, & Bollywood star Vidya Balan produced short film Natkhat (The Brat) that she also stars in. The ups and downs of the American Asian immigrant experience is examined often comedically, in The MisEducation of Bindu by Prarthana Mohan, starring David Arquette, Priyanka Bose and rising Hollywood star, Megan Suri, executive produced by the
Duplass brothers. A screening of German film maker Maja Meniers’s Sheffield Doc Festival hit, Breaking Barriers – The Casteless Collective about a musical uprising from an underprivileged slum area in Tamil Nadu, South India to fight caste discrimination, empower women and support the LGBTQ+ community, will close the festival. Cary Rajinder Sawhney MBE, Executive & Programming Director of LIFF commented: “It’s been an adventure this year to transform Europe’s largest South Asian film festival into both a digital version that continues to attract good audiences and an actual physical film festival and we are delighted to be dipping our toes into cinemas again with the support of our regular cinema partners BFI Southbank and Ciné Lumière and new partners Millennium Point in Birmingham, presenting a power packed all female programme“. Title Sponsor, Alka Bagri, trustee of the Bagri Foundation, said “Championing diverse film-making has always been a big part of the work that the Bagri Foundation does, and to highlight this stellar line-up of women-made films, is a particular delight. The highs and lows of human lives, told through the female gaze, continues to be rare. We congratulate LIFF on their resilience in this tough year, and as cinemas reopen to the public, for those who feel comfortable, we hope you enjoy this glimpse into important narratives on the big screen.” LIFF 2020 Schedule Double Bill – Roam Rome Mein (Every Inch of my Being) & short film Natkhat (The Brat) Brick Lane actress Tannistha Chatterjee’s directorial debut is a psychological drama as Raj (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), travels to
Italy, in search of his missing sister and the magical characters he meets on a journey of awakening. Vidya Balan stars as a doting mother trying to teach her young son about the importance of gender equality in the short film Natkhat (Brat). Thu 17 Sep, 20.00 at Cinè Lumière – click here to book tickets. Sun 20 Sep, 17.00 at Millennium Point (Birmingham) – click here to book tickets. Cargo A spaceship that stores the dead and prepares them for rebirth is the setting in the out of this world spectacular fantasy parable by Arati Kadav, executive produced by Anurag Kashyap starring Vikrant Massey, Shweta Tripathi and Nandu Madhav. Fri 18 Sep, 20.30 | BFI Southbank – click here to book tickets The MisEducation of Bindu Prarthana Mohan directs a funny and charming coming-of-age story about a high-school teen trying to fit in starring Megan Suri, Priyanka Bose, David Arquette, executive produced by Hollywood’s Duplass brothers. Sat 19 Sep, 19.30 at Ciné Lumière – click here to books tickets. Shut Up Sona Outstanding doc directed by Deepti Gupta about singer and #MeToo activist Sona Mohapatra’s fight for equal rights despite opposition from internet trolling and anonymous death threats. Sat 19 Sep, 20.40 | BFI Southbank – click here to book tickets.
Breaking Barriers Directed by German director Maja Meiners, this documentary follows a protest music band in South India, mixing folk music with rap and rock to take on the big social issues facing Indian society including caste discrimination, the oppression of women, LGBTQ+ people and those from underprivileged and marginalised backgrounds, as represented by the band members themselves, who are led by PA Ranjith, a very famous and controversial director in Tamil cinema. Sun 20 Sep, 17.00 at Ciné Lumière – click here to book tickets. About the Bagri Foundation The Bagri Foundation is a UK registered charity, inspired by unique and unexpected ideas that weave the traditional and the contemporary of Asian culture. Through a diverse programme of film, visual arts, music, dance, literature, courses and lectures, the Bagri Foundation gives artists and experts from across Asia, or those inspired by the continent, wider visibility on the global stage. www.bagrifoundation.org About The BFI Audience Fund The BFI Audience Fund invests £5.6m of National Lottery funding each year to expand access and encourage greater enjoyment of cinema by connecting audiences with great films – in venues, at events and online. www.bfi.org.uk/audience-fund Dimple Kapadia & Himesh Patel
star in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ Dimple Kapadia and ‘Yesterday’ star Himesh Patel feature alongside John David Washington and Robert Pattinson in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’, released on 24th August 2020. John David Washington is The Protagonist in this original sci- fi action spectacle: armed with only one word and fighting for the survival of the entire world, he journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. Not time travel Inversion. The international cast of Tenet includes John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Martin Donovan, Fiona Dourif, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Himesh Patel, Clémence Poésy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, with Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh. Nolan wrote and directed the film, utilizing a mixture of IMAX® and 70mm film to bring the story to the screen. Tenet is produced by Emma Thomas and Nolan. Eagerly awaited biopic Shakuntala Devi to release on Amazon Prime Amazon Prime Video announced the global premiere of the eagerly awaited Hindi title, Shakuntala Devi on the streaming service will be on 31st July 2020. Directed by Anu Menon
(Waiting, Four More Shots Please S1) and produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Vikram Malhotra of Abundantia Entertainment, the biographical drama stars National Award winning actress Vidya Balan in the lead, essaying the role of the globally renowned Indian mathematics genius, who was popularly known as the ‘human computer’. Shakuntala Devi also stars Sanya Malhotra (Dangal, Badhaai Ho), who will be seen playing the role of Shakuntala Devi’s daughter with whom the genius enjoyed a complicated but extraordinary relationship, alongside Jisshu Sengupta (Mardaani 2) and Amit Sadh (Breathe, Kai Po Che) in pivotal roles. The screenplay is written by Anu Menon and Nayanika Mahtani, while the dialogues are penned by Ishita Moitra. Prime members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide can watch the endearing story of Shakuntala Devi starting 31st July 2020. About Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video is a premium streaming service that offers Prime members a collection of award winning Amazon Original series, thousands of movies and TV shows—all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place. Find out more at PrimeVideo.com. About Abundantia Founded in 2013, Abundantia is India’s premier content company focused on developing and producing progressive, insight-based and uniquely Indian stories for a global audience. Operating across Film, TV and Digital platforms, Abundantia’s first title, Baby, met with spectacular success in 2015 and its next film, Airlift (2016), was a massive hit at the box-office, earning unprecedented critical and audience acclaim. Abundantia notched up another winner with Toilet-Ek Prem Katha
and also boasts of titles like Chef – the remake of Jon Favreau’s Hollywood indie by the same name as part of its filmography. In 2017, Abundantia created a buzz in the digital space with India’s premiere Amazon Original, Breathe. The second season of the show, which marks the digital debut of movie star Abhishek Bachchan, will be released on 10 July, 2020. In March 2019, Abundantia also announced its latest series, THE END, which has Indian superstar Akshay Kumar leading the cast. There is an active pipeline of digital content under development at Abundantia, which includes a serialized drama based on the book Men Who Killed Gandhi, and a multi-season procedural crime-drama series on the bestselling Rita Ferreira books. New Digital London Indian Film Festival, 25th June – 5th July 2020 The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival and Birmingham Indian Film Festival have joined forces to offer a spectacular showcase of films and “In Conversation” interviews by leading South Asian talent from 25th June to the 5th July 2020. This includes the UK Premieres of much awaited films including Bollywood Director Prakash Jha’s upward mobility schooling drama Pareeksha, the searing gangster feature Moothon and the ‘American Pie’ style comedy The MisEducation of Bindu, among others.
After being challenged by the global pandemic, the festival has morphed into an online offering with www.LoveLIFFAtHome.com as the UK and Europe’s largest showcase of Indian Subcontinental cinema, showcasing the UK’s lockdown audiences a free programme, filled to the brim with great movies including rarely seen classics such as Kerala stalwart, Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s BFI Sutherland Trophy winner Elippathayam (Rat-Trap), Bengali master, Buddhadeb Das Gupta’s epic award-winning tale Uttara (The Wrestlers) through to the visually ravishing widescreen vista of Sturla Gunnerson’s documentary Monsoon. By complete contrast are new conversations with some of India’s hottest Bollywood talent including Ayushmann Khuranna who talks candidly about his rapid rise to fame from Vicky Donor to latest hits Article 15 which world premiered at the festival last year, through to the pan-Indian heroine of all seasons Vidya Balan, who discusses her new short film Natkhat and the importance of safeguarding women’s rights, while acclaimed character actor Adil Hussain gives rare insights into his craft. The festival finishes with conversations by some of the world’s best loved Indian talent including Hollywood star Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire, Love Sonia) and Canadian director Deepa Mehta (Fire, Earth, Water) talking about their careers. Each of these unique conversations will be available online peppered throughout the festival giving our audience exclusive access to some A-list talent. Mixing it up further, the festival explores issues around Black Lives Matter and racism with a rare screening of the timeless, Mississippi Masala. Starring a young Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury, Mira Nair’s classic film explores issues of race, class and privilege as an Indian woman born in Africa and raised in America, falls in love with a black African American man in rural Mississippi.
On Saturday 27th June 8pm to midnight UK time, the festival will present an exclusive UK premiere of Prakash Jha’s family film Pareeksha. Inspired by real events, the film starring Adil Hussain explores one teenager’s passion to study, in spite of being poor and the lengths a father will go, to seeing his son’s aspirations come true. This inspiring film highlights some of the gaping social inequalities facing many low income families around the developing world. The acclaimed film Moothon directed by Kerala child actress & film star turned director Geetu Mohandas, is produced by Cannes darling Anurag Kashyap; a gritty, fast paced, slum gangster story with a surprising LGBTQ+ romance seeded within, exploring conflicting emotions of love and loss. The MisEducation of Bindu directed by Prarthana Mohan is a coming of age comedy, starring Hollywood rising star Megan Suri, indie actor David Arquette and Priyanka Bose who also stars in Pareeksha. Tackling issues such as bullying, fitting in and identity, the film focuses on the peculiar and chaotic world of teenage misfits as the naïve Bindu arrives in an American high school and disastrously gets a crush on the wrong boy. The Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition The Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition showcases the best of South Asian and Diaspora cinema from emerging filmmakers. This year’s competition consists of 8 films from countries including India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The programme this year includes the UK premieres of TIFF hit ‘Darling’ in which a dreamy trans girl vies for the spotlight at an erotic dance theatre in Lahore, ‘Roqaia’, where a young girl finds herself in the middle of media frenzy after surviving a terrorist attack and ‘Migratory’, which was made during the Covid-19 lockdown. The festival runs from 25th June to 5th July 2020 and some
films are strictly time limited showings so please check the festival website for details. Feature and short films will only be available in the UK while the exclusive interviews will be viewable world-wide. Cary Rajinder Sawhney MBE, Executive & Programming Director of the festival says: “We are delighted that we have been successfully able to move the festival into a digital offering during the UK lockdown and especially want to thank the generous film companies, actors and directors who have contributed their time and effort to help us achieve this high quality free site, which we aim to evolve into the future so that more people across the UK can view Indian indie cinema. As well as classic LIFF films, we have some amazing new UK premieres that will continue LIFF’s reputation for showcasing the best of South Asian cinema.” Film Festival Schedule Thu 25th June – In Conversation with Ayushmann Khurrana – 6pm onwards – GLOBALLY VIEWABLE Thu 25th June – Satyajit Ray Short film competition – UK ONLY – ALL DAY from 6pm to end of festival 5th July Fri 26th June – Moothon 8pm-10pm UK Time – UK ONLY – TIMED Sat 27th June – Pareeksha 8pm to 12 midnight – UK ONLY – TIMED Sat 27th June – In Conversation with Adil Hussain – GLOBALLY VIEWABLE from 6pm Sun 28th June – Natkhat – UK ONLY – ALL DAY Sun 28th June – In conversation with Vidya Balan – GLOBALLY VIEWABLE from 6pm Sun 28th June – One Crazy Thing – UK ONLY – ALL DAY Tue 30th June – In conversation with Pratibha Parmar & Shabana Azmi – GLOBALLY VIEWABLE from 6pm Wed 1st July – In conversation with Deepa Mehta – GLOBALLY VIEWABLE from 6pm Thu 2nd July – Mississippi Masala – UK ONLY – ALL DAY
Thu 2nd July – Mira Nair – GLOBALLY VIEWABLE from 6pm Fri 3rd July – Moothon 8-10pm UK Time – UK ONLY – TIMED Sat 4th July – The MisEducation of Bindu – UK ONLY – ALL DAY Sun 5th July – In conversation with Freida Pinto – GLOBALLY VIEWABLE from 6pm Sun 5th July – Breaking Barriers: The Casteless Collective – UK ONLY – ALL DAY Click to watch on www.LoveLIFFAtHome.com About the Bagri Foundation The Bagri Foundation is a UK registered charity, inspired by unique and unexpected ideas that weave the traditional and the contemporary of Asian culture. The Foundation is driven by curiosity, a desire to learn and supports a myriad of exciting artistic programmes that challenge, engage and inspire. Through a diverse programme of film, visual arts, music, dance, literature, courses and lectures, the Bagri Foundation gives artists and experts from across Asia, or those inspired by the continent, wider visibility on the global stage. www.bagrifoundation.org Aditi Rao Hydari & Jayasurya star in ‘Sufiyum Sujatayum’ Malayalam film ‘Sufiyum Sujatayum’ starring Aditi Rao Hydari & Jayasurya makes its global premiere on Amazon Prime Video on 3rd July 2020. Directed by Naranipuzha Shanavas, Sufiyum Sujatayum is produced by Vijay Babu under his banner of Friday Film House. “Our endeavour is to create something which leaves behind a
lasting impact and Sufiyum Sujatayum is a film made exactly on those lines. The theme of the movie is one that hasn’t been explored very often. The story is nuanced and complex, yet underlines one simple, universal truth – that love knows no rationality or bounds. There would not have been a more perfect choice than Aditi Rao Hydari and Jayasurya for the respective roles as both are known to do justice to every character that they portray. The music makes the movie a fitting tribute to the all-important emotion of love. With the movie releasing on Amazon Prime Video we are glad that the film will reach a global audience allowing them to revel in Malayalam cinema,” commented producer Vijay Babu. “Sufiyum Sujatayum is a special film for me. I been lucky to work with some incredible people across India, and this film marks my debut as the leading lady of a Malayalam film,” said Aditi Rao Hydari. Synopsis Sujata (mute – played by Aditi Rao Hydari) is in love with her neighbour, a Sufi priest (Dev Mohan) but her father gets her married off to a well-do-to NRI, in Dubai. Ten years have passed since and she thinks that she’s left that love in her past, until one day, she gets a call. Her husband (Rajeev – played by Jayasurya) decides to bring her back to the village. What follows, forms the crux of Sufiyum Sujatayum, a musical love story. “The Malayalam film industry is known for rolling out good stories,” said Jayasurya, one of the biggest superstars in the Malayalam film industry. “Sufiyum Sujatayum too keeps up with the tradition and depicts a story of a beautiful girl with an incomplete love-story. I play the role of the husband to Aditi’s character. An interesting and nuanced role of a husband that knows of his wife’s love for another man, and tries to find ways to keep his family together. There’s a lot
that we’re trying to convey through the film and one will have to watch the movie and be part of it to know how beautifully these sequences take place“. The film is shot by cinematographer Anu Moothedath and edited by Deepu Joseph. The soulful music in the film is composed by the talented M Jayachandran with lyrics penned by Hari Narayan and songs sung by Sudeep Palanad. The film is brought together by executive producer Vinay Babu. Sufiyum Sujatayum released on Amazon Prime Video on 3rd July 2020. Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema Narrated by Sharmila Tagore and others,’Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema’ by Mark Cousins is released in a 4- disc set on 18 May 2020 by BFI. Five years in the making, this bold follow-up to Mark Cousins’ The Story of Film: An Odyssey uses hundreds of clips from films directed by women to show how movies are made. Presented in thematic chapters, Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema looks at how a great opening shot is done, how to frame an image, how to introduce a character, how to film sex, dance and death, how work and love are portrayed in cinema, and how the genres such as comedy, melodrama and sci-fi work. Many famous female directors are included, but so are scores of forgotten women from every period in film history and from five continents. Women Make Film is a revealing eye-opener, a celebration of the art and craft of cinema, and a j’accuse to film history.
Women Make Film is now released by the BFI on Blu-ray in a 4-
disc set with additional features. It has also been released
on BFI Player’s Subscription service in five episodes; one
uploaded each week from 18 May – 15 June 2020.
Special features includes:
The Making of… (2020, 13 mins): a video essay by Mark
Cousins in which he discusses the influences,
motivations and methodology of Women Make Film
Mark Cousins and Barbara Kopple Q&A (2020, 18 mins): a
discussion following a screening of Women Make Film at
Toronto International Film Festival
Together (1956, 48 mins): two deaf-mute dock workers eke
out a humble East End existence in Lorenza Mazzetti’s
striking and poetic film
Trailer
Illustrated booklet with an introduction by Cari
Beauchamp, an essay by Mark Cousins, biographies and
full credits
Product details
RRP: £49.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1385 / 15
UK / 2020 / colour, black and white / 848 mins / optional
English language and English hard-of-hearing subtitles /
original aspect ratio 1.85:1 / 4 x BD50: 1080/50i, 5.1 DTS-HD
Master Audio (48kHz/24-bit), PCM 2.0 stereo audio (48kHz/24-
bit)
BFI DVD/Blu-ray releases can be ordered from home
entertainment online retailers or from the BFI Shop (online
only) at shop.bfi.org.uk.
About the BFI
The BFI is the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and
the moving image. It is a cultural charity that:Curates and presents the greatest international public
programme of World Cinema for audiences; in cinemas, at
festivals and online
Cares for the BFI National Archive – the most
significant film and television archive in the world
Actively seeks out and supports the next generation of
filmmakers
Works with Government and industry to make the UK the
most creatively exciting and prosperous place to make
film internationally
Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by
Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh
Berger CBE.
Keerthy Suresh stars in
thriller ‘Penguin’, out 19th
June 2020
The leading ladies of the Indian film industry – Samantha
Akkineni, Taapsee Pannu, Trisha and Manju Warrier, together,
released the teaser of Keerthy Suresh’s film, Penguin. The
spine-chilling crime thriller stars Keerthy Suresh (Mahanati)
as a pregnant mother who sets out on a dangerous and
physically demanding journey to unravel a mystery from her
past and save her loved ones. Penguin is produced by
Kartheekeyan Santhayanam and presented by Karthik Subbaraj
(Jigarthanda) and marks the directorial debut of Eashvar
Karthic.
“Penguin has definitely been one of the most exciting and
interesting projects I’ve worked on,” said Keerthy Suresh. “Asa mother, Rhythm is both gentle and caring, but also fiercely determined. She’s complex, but authentic, and I think that will really strike a chord with audiences. I had a wonderful time working with the incredibly talented Eashvar Karthic to bring the story to life. It will be great to see a film in Tamil, Telugu that will be appreciated by audiences around the world.” “We are so happy to be a part of Prime Video’s ever-growing global community,” said Producer Kaarthekeyen Santhanam, Stone Bench Films. “While we’re not new to working with digital platforms, it’s fantastic to have collaborated on such an important project with a global partner like Prime Video.” “At Stone Bench Films, we are committed to telling unique stories, while ushering a new wave of Southern cinema, backed by fresh voices and perspectives. This marks the incredibly talented Eashvar Karthic’s directorial debut, on a script that he has written. Prepare to watch the powerhouse performer Keerthy Suresh in a completely different avatar.” noted Producer Karthik Subbaraj, Stone Bench Films. From 19th June 2020, Prime members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide can watch the much-awaited movie in Tamil, Telugu and with Malayalam dubbing. Amazon Prime Video to premiere of four South Indian
films After the digital premiere of the murder mystery film Ponmagal Vandhal, on Amazon Prime Video is gearing up for the premiere of four other South Indian films. Following Ponmagal Vandhal, Tamil film Penguin, starring Keerthy Suresh, and Kannada film Law, starring Ragini Chandran, Siri Prahlan and Mukyamanthri Chandru will be released in June. Penguin will be premiering on Prime on 19th June 2020, followed by Law on 26th June 2020. Dates for Sufiyum Sujatayum and French Biryani are yet to be announced. Ponmagal Vandhal is about a rookie lawyer, played by Jyotika, who leads to the reopening of a notorious 15-year-old case of a dead psycho killer, alleged to have kidnapped and murdered little girls. About Amazon Prime Video Prime Video is a premium (paid) streaming service that offers Prime members a collection of award winning Amazon Original series, thousands of movies and TV shows—all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place. Find out more at PrimeVideo.com. Rifco Theatre Company releases ‘Desi Lockdown’ series online Rifco Theatre Company has released five short films for their ‘Desi Lockdown’ series representing British South Asians in
lockdown. Each film in the Desi Lockdown series explores a different aspect of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown experience through drama, comedy and spoken word. From the experience of isolating with family, to the generational divides and new connections we are forming, individual experience and self- reflection and even the efforts to try and make your own version of mum’s favourite dish! The commissioned artists include: Jassa Ahulwalia, an actor, writer and filmmaker. Jassa came to prominence in BBC Three series Some Girls, followed by roles in Ripper Street, Peaky Blinders and Unforgotten. His lyrical and bilingual spoken word piece explores language and how we can connect through this time. Jaswinder Billan aka Billanidus has gone from fitness enthusiast to comedian. He wanted to create and express his experiences and life lessons in the form of comedy which have been showcased on his Instagram and Youtube channel Billanidus TV. His comedy sketch explores the cultural distance and physical nearness of living with your mum during quarantine. Radhika Jani is a filmmaker from North London. She found her feet through Bristol’s spoken word scene, wrote a string of articles published in gal-dem and Dazed. She also runs a podcast called Screaming in a Mini Cooperand her piece explores the separation living with a family member diagnosed with COVID-19 and the vast distance felt when only a door separates you. Nicky Rose Roshini attended University of Birmingham and went on to join Paines Plough as a Trainee Producer. Nicky has featured in music videos and performed in Dirty Protest’s night of short new plays, If That Makes Me A Bitch, Ok, at Summerhall during the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe. In her piece we see Nicky play each member of a family in isolation together and the tensions that ensue.
Harry Syed went from film school to directing music videos and along the journey he also had a music career producing remixes under the name Trailblazerz. His true love has always been comedy, having recently completed a pilot for a comedy series. ‘Push Back’, which he co-created, about a fictional creative agency in East London. His piece follows a young man in isolation attempting to re-create his mum’s signature dish. Rifco’s mission has always been to celebrate the contemporary British South Asian experience and nurture unheard voices and talent. The Rifco Associates programme is designed to address the lack of opportunity and pathways for British South Asian artists. The Desi Lockdown is no different. In these uncertain times, Rifco Digital remains open to support our fellow artists, light up talent on our digital platforms and share current and real stories to ensure that diverse British voices do not remain silent. Artistic Director Pravesh Kumar says, “In the current situation it feels important that we continue to support artists to create new work and have a voice. We want to remain connected with our audiences so they can be challenged, questioned and entertained from home. In creating this new work, we want to celebrate creativity even in the most difficult of times.” Alongside this new digital content Rifco Theatre Company are also streaming their acclaimed rap-infused play Mushy: Lyrically Speaking online for free during the isolation period, audiences can also go to the ‘Watch’ section of the website to see BananaSharma’s I Am British Asian and many videos from previous shows. All the Desi Lockdown films can be watched online at www.rifcotheatre.com and will be available on the ‘Watch’ section of the website. Videos:
Thanks Mum by Harry Syed
Through Her Bedroom Door by Radhika Jani
Quarantine with a South Asian family by Nicky Rose Roshini
Lock Da Down by Jaswinder Billan
Self-Isolation by Jassa Ahluwalia
All videos are fully subtitled in English.
About Rifco Theatre Company
Artistic Director, Pravesh Kumar founded Rifco Theatre Company
in 2000. The company is an Arts Council funded National
Portfolio Organisation, and since 2011, has been a Resident
Company at Watford Palace Theatre.
Rifco develops and produces new plays and musicals, touring
nationally to some of the UK’s most prestigious regional
theatres. They present theatre of scale and spectacle that is
authentic, topical, thought-provoking, rich and entertaining
which celebrates and reflects contemporary British Asian
experiences, culture and society.
Their success lies in understanding their audience. A vital
part of creating new work is through listening and working
alongside British Asian communities. Kumar’s work is
‘homegrown’ and he believes in gently challenging perceptions
and warmly reflecting the communities he knows.
Rifco is committed to diversifying the kind of work seen in
our British theatres. We do this by commissioning British
Asian playwrights and working with as many diverse actors,
designers and directors that we can find. The company defines
its work through five programme strands:
Rifco Theatre Company – new plays and musicals for the
middle scaleRifco Studio – new plays for the smaller scale
Rifco Associates – talent development programme
Rifco Digital – new creative content for distribution
online
British Asian Festival – biennial, multi-artform
celebration of British Asian talent
For further information visit www.rifcotheatre.com
Bagri Foundation London
Indian Film Festival 2020
goes online
Now in its 11th year, The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film
Festival 2020 and Birmingham Indian Film Festival have gone
digital. “The country may be in lockdown but that hasn’t
stopped us from bringing you #LoveLIFFatHome, a digital
version of the festivals where UK viewers can stream feature
films, shorts, Q&As and Masterclasses from the comfort of
their own home.”
To kick things off #LoveLIFFatHome has been showcasing the
winning films of the annual Satyajit Ray Short Film
competition exploring themes of the South Asian experience
akin to the humanist values of the legendary Indian director.
This is followed by highlights from some of the most popular
BFI Masterclasses and conversations with influential actors
and directors including Mani Ratnam and Santosh Sivan and
interviews with Farhan Akhtar and Tannishtha Chatterjee plus a
special In Conversation with Irrfan Khan, hosted by Asif
Kapadia.About The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) and Birmingham Indian Film Festival (BIFF), together make up Europe’s largest Indian film festival. Over the last 10 years we have garnered a reputation as the ‘Punk Rock of Indian Film festivals’, presenting a cutting-edge selection of the very best new independent cinema from the Indian subcontinent and its worldwide diaspora. This offering includes dramatic features, documentaries, short films and Screen Talks by South Asia’s greatest film-making talent. In reaction to the current challenging times, LIFF and BIFF are to deliver an online version of the festival that viewers can enjoy in the safety of their homes. For further information visit https://www.loveliffathome.com/ Netflix releases Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s ‘Sitara: Let Girls Dream’ Netflix, has released Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s ‘Sitara: Let Girls Dream’, the first Pakistani animated film to be released and distributed by the company, in over 190 countries. Written and directed by two-time Academy and three-time Emmy Award- winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, ‘Sitara: Let Girls Dream’ takes the audience on a journey through the old city of Lahore, where, Pari, a fourteen-year-old girl dreams of becoming a pilot and whose story is told through the perspective of her younger sister, Mehr. It is a story about the burdens of a family and the impact of a culture where
girls are still struggling to fully realize their dreams. Sitara is a silent film [no dialogue], which embodies this struggle. “Waadi Animations is proud to have created an animated short that is at par with the best of the world and we are delighted that Sitara will be available to a global audience on Netflix. We hope it will lead to thoughtful discussions as we also begin screening the film in schools and community centers around the world. We strongly believe that Investing in the dreams of young girls will lead to a more equitable world.” said Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Sitara won three awards at the Los Angeles Animation Festival (LAAF) 2019 in the categories of Best Produced Screenplay, Best Music Score and the Humanitarian Award.It is the only animation film from Pakistan to have won three awards at LAAF 2019. Chinoy had earlier launched a campaign with Gucci’s social impact initiative Chime for Change to #LetGirlsDream by encouraging girls around the world to share their dreams and gain inspiration from one another. A robust school outreach program is already underway across the world to encourage girls to hold meaningful conversations about their dreams and how to achieve them. More details for this campaign at www.LetGirlsDream.org. Bollywood Hollywood to
release rugby biopic ‘Jungle Cry’ Bollywood Hollywood Production announced today that they will give Sagar Ballary’s rugby biopic Jungle Cry a theatrical release in April 2020. Jungle Cry follows the incredible journey of 12 underprivileged children who came from the most extreme tribal areas, playing sports bare foot and went on to win to the prestigious U14 Rugby World Cup in England. Headed by Veteran Mumbai and Hollywood producer Prashant Shah (My Name is Khan, The Bruce Lee Project), Bollywood Hollywood Production is kicking off its theatrical distribution ambitions with the eagerly anticipated UK/India co-production rugby biopic. Directed by Sagar Ballary (Bheja Fry), the triumphant story features Abhay Deol (Hero, Line of Decent), Emily Shah (Fortune Defies Death), Atul Kumar (Manto), Stewart Wright (Doc Martin, Doctor Who) and Julian Lewis Jones (Invictus, Justice League). The film also features cameos by some of the top names in the sport, including world famous rugby referee Nigel Owens, Wales and British Lions fly half Phil Bennett and Collin Charvis, former captain of the Wales National Rugby Union Team. Emily Shah is also Executive Producer on the film. The ‘Jungle Crows’ rugby team came from the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences in Orissa, India which has over 30,000 children from tribal, underprivileged and orphaned backgrounds and strives to eradicate poverty through education and sports. The inspirational team, along with coaches Rudraksha Jena and Paul Walsh MBE, went on to make Indian and British history. Prashant Shah commented; “Jungle Cry is truly an inspiring film that promotes education, sports and helps eradicate poverty and create patriotism for every nation and we are very excited to release it to a global audience of cinema goers in
April 2020″. About Bollywood Hollywood Bollywood Hollywood Productions (BHP) started in 1999 with providing line producing services. In the last three years, it has grown from producing films with modest budgets of $5M to producing films with budgets well over $20M. Today it is credited with producing some of India’s most successful films including My Name is Khan and Kites which were acquired by major Hollywood Studios. Bollywood – the second largest film industry in the world – has depended on Bollywood Hollywood for production services in the US for over a decade. Spearheaded by Indian film industry veteran, Founder and CEO Prashant Shah, BHP created and pioneered Bollywood’s presence in the exclusive and competitive Hollywood arena. Over the years, BHP has expanded to Theatrical and Home Entertainment distribution of Indian films in North America and UK. ‘Sacch’, the first ever Bollywood, Pakistani & British collaboration The Pakistani, Bollywood and British film industries come together for the first time in ‘Sacch’, releasing on 20th December 2019 under the banner of HUM Films. Produced by renowned Scottish politician and former UK Parliamentarian Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh OBE, and directed by former model and
British Asian filmmaker Zulfikar Sheikh who has previously directed more than 20 hit television serials in Pakistan, Sacch marks their maiden film venture under the banner of Elysee Productions. The film is scripted by award-winning Bollywood screenwriter Kumud Chaudhry, with dialogues by the celebrated Pakistani playwright Haseena Moin, highlighting the amalgamation of the Pakistani and Indian film industries on one cinematic canvas. Sacch features an ensemble of top talent that includes Scottish debutant actress Elysee Sheikh who performs the leading role in the film opposite Asad Zaman Khan and Humayoun Ashraf. The film also stars veterans Javed Sheikh, Nauman Masood, Uzma Gillani, Fazila Qazi, Ayesha Sana and a stellar supporting line-up including Zulfikar Sheikh and Tasmina Sheikh. The film boasts of an eclectic range of music directed by Bollywood’s Simaab Sen with talented lyricist Fatima Najeeb penning the songs. A host of popular Indian and Pakistani singers have lent their voice to the movie such as legendary Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Indian singing sensation Armaan Malik, with supporting vocals by Elysee Sheikh. The title song by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has already created waves by stirring a deep and meaningful emotional connect between the film’s narrative and music listeners. The heart wrenching melody of the song gives glimpses of the film’s lead characters’ great pain and despair and helps to raise the audience’s anticipation for the film’s upcoming songs. The film revolves around Shazaib who leads two lives, one based in Scotland and the other in Pakistan and how the desperation of his wife Sareena and him wanting a child leads him to kidnap his child from his first wife Shabana living in Pakistan. Shabana leaves Pakistan to track back her lost son but instead kidnaps Shazaib and Sareena’s youngest child who they finally managed to conceive. The story changes times and
fast forwards 25 years in which we can see both sons falling in love with the same girl called ‘Elysee’. Through various situations and circumstances the sons eventually find out they are brothers. Sacch is the brainchild of Director Zulfikar Sheikh, a second generation Asian born in Glasgow to Pakistani parents, who made their home in Scotland in the Fifties and Sixties. The subject matter is a portrayal of his personal creative take on British culture to include its adoption by his Asian community. Speaking about the inception of Sacch, Zulfikar Sheikh says “The film encapsulates British Culture and a way of life by virtue of the fact that it seems a natural state of being for minority communities who live and work here. Sacch is a new and fresh piece of work which I have spent several years to make, based on real life experiences coupled with my previous creative experiences.” Asian Film & TV Actors selected for the BAFTA Elevate initiative The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the 21 participants who will receive support as part of the BAFTA Elevate initiative. Among the actors selected are Anjli Mohindra, who appeared in Bodyguard as Nadia; Manjinder Virk who has appeared in Bad Move, Midsomer Murders and Ordinary Lies; Saskia Chana, who played Deniz in The Bisexual; Aysha Kala who is in Indian Summers and Shameless and Amir El- Masry who had a role in BAFTA-winning The Night Manager. Now in its third year, BAFTA Elevate supports individuals from
under-represented groups progressing to the next stage of their career, focusing on a different area of the film and television industry each year. This year, BAFTA Elevate is supporting actors from under- represented backgrounds, including disability, race, sexual orientation and people from lower socioeconomic groups. In previous years, Elevate has supported writers (2018) and female directors (2017). The initiative was developed in response to the under-representation of particular groups in key industry professions. BAFTA Elevate participants will receive a bespoke, year-long programme of support including networking opportunities, introductions, mentoring, tailored panel discussions, masterclasses and workshops on professional development. The BAFTA Elevate Jury The BAFTA Elevate participants have been selected by a jury of industry experts from across the television and film industries, including actors Himesh Patel (Yesterday, EastEnders), Ashley Walters (Top Boy) and BAFTA winner Chanel Cresswell (This Is England), alongside casting directors, producers and executives. The 21 participants, listed below, came together last night for the BAFTA Elevate 2019 launch event, which took place at BAFTA Piccadilly and was attended by jurors and leading industry figures. Mariayah Kaderbhai, Head of Programmes at BAFTA, said: “It was a pleasure to come together and celebrate the start of the Elevate journey for these actors. Our research across the industry has shown that people from under-represented groups are not offered the same as others. With Elevate, we want to help people to access opportunities as well as use BAFTA’s endorsement to encourage the industry to cast more openly.”
Full list of 2019-20 BAFTA Elevate participants
Amir El-Masry (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Night
Manager, Age Before Beauty)
Anjli Mohindra (Bodyguard, Dark Heart, The Missing)
Anthony Welsh (Fleabag, Black Mirror, Pure)
Aysha Kala (Indian Summers, Shameless)
Faraz Ayub (Ackley Bridge, Line of Duty, Silent Witness)
India Eva Rae (Adulting)
James Harkness (The Victim, Wild Rose, In Plain Sight)
Kae Alexander (Kyrpton, Deep State, Fleabag)
Kellie Shirley (Eastenders, In the Long Run)
Manjinder Virk (Bad Move, Midsomer Murders, Ordinary
Lies)
Melissa Johns (Coronation Street, The Interceptor)
Micky McGregor (Wolfblood, I, Daniel Blake)
Nahel Tzegai (Sliced)
Naomi Yang (Lilting, Deep Water, Chimerica)
Noof McEwan (Vera, Hanna)
Rhoda Ofori-Attah (Coronation Street, Last Tango in
Halifax, Top BoyC)
Rhys Yates (Britannia)
Ronke Adekoluejo (Been So Long, Christopher Robin,
Doctor Who)
Saskia Chana (The Bisexual)
Tim Renkow (Jerk, Bobby & Harriet Get Married)
Tommy Jessop (Line of Duty, Casualty
About BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a
world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very
best work in film, games and television to public attention
and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and
internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round
programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes
workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring
schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies andcelebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. BAFTA Elevate was informed by the findings of a research report, commissioned by BAFTA in partnership with Screen Skills and the BFI, that examined the career success factors of film, games and television practitioners from under- represented groups. For more information visit www.bafta.org. Share European premiere of ‘The Sky is Pink’ at the BFI London Film Festival Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Shonali Bose’s much-anticipated drama, The Sky Is Pink, will receive its European Premiere at the 63rd BFI London Film Festival as part of the LOVE strand. The director, lead actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur will be attending the festival screening on Sunday 6th October 2019, BFI Southbank, NFT1. A second screening will take place on Sunday 7th October 2019, Vue West End, Screen 6. One of contemporary Indian cinema’s most lauded filmmakers, Bose (Margarita with a Straw, LFF 2014) returns to the BFI London Film Festival for the film’s European Premiere following its World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival on 13th September. The film stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim, some of the most
celebrated talent in contemporary Indian cinema that have garnered international and mainstream recognition. The film is produced by RSVP and Roy Kapur Films, in association with SK Global and Purple Pebble Pictures. Director Shonali Bose says, “I’m thrilled to bits and honoured to return to the Festival with this, my third film. The true story of The Sky is Pink is deeply connected with London, making this a very special screening.” Talking about the screening at the BFI London Film Festival, producer Ronnie Screwvala says, “We are delighted that our film will be premiered at such a prestigious festival. It is definitely a story that needs to be heard and felt by the audiences around the world. This opportunity is a privilege and we are excited to share this lovely film with the world.” Producer Siddharth Roy Kapur says, “We are overwhelmed that, after its World Premiere at TIFF, The Sky Is Pink will be screened at the esteemed BFI London Film Festival. At Roy Kapur Films, we believe in telling powerful stories that create a lasting impact. We are thrilled that our first production is being so well received.” Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas says, “It’s an honour for us to have our European Premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. The city of London plays a significant part in timeline of the film. In fact, we even shot some portions of the film here so that makes it even more special. The Sky Is Pink is a story that will surprise the audience in its representation of love in all its forms. I am so proud of what we’ve created. It’s a labour of love and we’re excited to finally hand it over to the audience.” Actor Farhan Akhtar says, “Ecstatic that our film The Sky Is Pink will have its European Premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. The city has a very close connection with our film’s narrative and I hope the audiences there enjoy this special
story.” Synopsis: The Sky is Pink is the incredible love story of a couple spanning 25 years, told through the lens of their teenage daughter. She is sassy, sardonic, spunky and also…dead. A fact she nonchalantly mentions at the very outset. “Get over it. It’s quite cool actually. You’ll see when you get here (which you do know you will right?!)” Unexpectedly humorous, warm and heart wrenching all at once as the magic of life and beauty of death manifest in one family’s unusual, courageous journey in this 100% true story. The Sky Is Pink is produced by RSVP and Roy Kapur Films in association with SK Global and Purple Pebble Pictures and is distributed by RSVP and will be on general release worldwide on 11th October 2019. For more information visit: www.bfi.org.uk Sky Cinema’s Hotel Mumbai set for UK release on 27th September Sky Cinema’s ‘Hotel Mumbai’ starring Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Jason Isaacs and Anupam Kher, is set for UK release on 27th September 2019. Inspired by the stories of survivors of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the film debuts Antony Maras as a talented new filmmaker, as he emotionally and viscerally captures one of the most harrowing terrorist attacks of the 21st Century. As well as directing, Maras also co-wrote the film with John Collee, researching heavily to show the event
with unrestrained truth. The film’s affecting portrayal has already seen critical and festival success, with its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 28th September last year. On the 26th November 2008, a wave of devastating terror attacks throughout Mumbai catapulted the bustling Indian metropolis into chaos. In the heart of the city’s tourist district, Jihadist terrorists laid siege to the iconic Taj Palace Hotel, whose guests and staff became trapped in a heroic, day-long fight for survival. “This is a powerful movie that we think will really resonate with audiences across the whole of UK and Ireland. And, similarly to our other releases, Sky Cinema customers will be able to watch on the same day that Hotel Mumbai is released into cinemas” said Julia Stuart, Head of Acquisitions at Sky Cinema Original Films, “following on from the success of Extremely Wicked, we’re delighted to be able to share another film that shares a true story with an engaged audience.” Hotel Mumbai features an ensemble cast that includes Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Lion), Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name, The Social Network), Jason Isaacs (The Death Of Stalin, Harry Potter), Nazanin Boniadi (Counterpart, Homeland) and Anupam Kher (Silver Linings Playbook, The Big Sick). It will be released in UK and Irish cinemas and be available on Sky Cinema from 27th September 2019.
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