IFFLA 2024

The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) opens its doors to moviegoers in Los Angeles with its 22nd edition scheduled between June 27 to 30, 2024. The screening will happen at Landmark Theaters Sunset, close to Hollywood. 

The line-up of twenty films includes a diverse mix of feature films, short movies, and a docu-series. Movie connoisseurs in Hollywood will get to view some fine work by filmmakers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and even some from the United States, with unique stories told through a South Asian lens.

Diversity on display

IFFLA’s Artistic Director Anu Rangachar said, “The eclectic lineup covering most of the vast and diverse South Asian regions, including the diaspora, is directed by a majority of incredibly talented first-time filmmakers debuting with their works. The lineup organically reveals some of the themes such as solidarity and resilience, tender love, and familial violence, inherent to the South Asian communities around the globe.”

The movie line-up this year includes the much-awaited LA premiere of noted Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi’s 50th movie “Maharaja.” The drama-thriller is one of the year’s eagerly awaited movies, not just for the lead actor’s milestone (his 25th movie was a sentimental gem), but also for its cast which includes Hindi director-actor Anurag Kashyap. The on-screen chemistry of the lead actors is certain to make the “closing night” selection at IFFLA an epic one. 

A man and a woman talk in a kitchen in a still from the film Maharaja
A still from Vijay Sethupathi’s 50th movie Maharaja (image courtesy: IFFLA)

Women-centric movies

Other notable attractions include Bangladeshi director Leesa Gazi’s social drama “A House Named Shahana.” The movie is a stirring depiction of the societal challenges faced by women in South Asia (and possibly other cultures too), where marital separation is seen as a curse. Co-written by the lead actor Aanon Siddiqua, who is incidentally making her on-screen debut, the film promises to be an eye-opener. 

An desi bride weari g a veiul, nosering and head ornament, in a still from a movie 'A House Named Shahana'
A still from Leesa Gazi’s social drama ‘A House Named Shahana’ (image courtesy: IFFLA)

Several other women-centric movies dominate this year’s screenings, like Malayalam director Christo Tomy’s “Undercurrent.” Set during the wet monsoons in the state of Kerala, the movie stars leading actors Parvathy Thiruvothu and Urvashi in an intriguing plotline. 

Two women hold hands in a scene from director Christo Tomy’s 'Undercurrent.'
A scene from director Christo Tomy’s women-centric movie ‘Undercurrent’ (image courtesy: IFFLA)

Short films

Several short films are making their mark at IFFLA this year. “Hema,” directed by Ritvik Dhavale, examines the life of an Indian immigrant in Los Angeles, struggling to come to terms with life in the West.

“Ade (on a Sunday),” directed by London-based writer-director Theja Rio and set in the hills of under-represented Nagaland, captures the (mis) adventures of two young boys on a Sunday afternoon. From Pakistan, a 6-minute short “Out Beyond”, reveals how a teenager finds an avenue for his passion in the claustrophobic confines of a bathroom. 

Find the complete list of movies at https://indianfilmfestival.org/
June 27-30 2024
Tickets go on sale from May 20th. https://indianfilmfestival.org/box-office/

Anuj Chakrapani loves music and cinema among all art forms. He believes their beauty lies in their interpretation, and that the parts is more than the sum. Anuj lives in the SF Bay Area and works for a...