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IFFLA 2025
The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) opens its doors to cinema lovers from May 6 to May 10 this year for its 23rd annual edition. As in previous years, the lineup includes an impressive line-up of feature films and short movies, reinforcing its role as a leading platform for South Asian cinema in the U.S. This year’s festival underscores that commitment with two compelling feature directorial debuts – Varsha Bharath’s Bad Girl opening the festival and Lawrence Valin’s Little Jaffna closing it – bookending the event with bold new storytelling.
This year’s lineup showcases a dynamic collection of South Asian stories from around the globe, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the U.S., the U.K., and Canada, along with international co-productions from France, Singapore, and Norway. This year IFFLA will feature 27 films, including seven narrative features, one documentary feature, 18 shorts, and a special two-episode screening of an anthology series. The festival includes two world premieres, six North American premieres, three U.S. premieres, and 14 Los Angeles premieres, highlighting a diverse and exciting slate of new voices and perspectives.
IFFLA kicks off with the debut of Varsha Bharath’s Tamil drama Bad Girl, a NETPAC Award winner and Tiger Competition selection at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Produced by veteran filmmaker Vetrimaaran (Asuran, Visaranai) and presented by director Anurag Kashyap (Gangs of Wasseypur), this audacious coming-of-age story is both sharp and subversive, following a young woman unapologetically carving her own path. The movie has music by Amit Trivedi.
The film festival wraps up on May 10th with a movie by another debutant, Lawrence Valin – Little Jaffna – which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. Set in Paris’s lively La Chapelle district, the film offers a gripping portrayal of the Tamil diaspora, exploring the rich traditions, struggles, and resilience of the immigrant community, balancing cultural heritage with integration into French society.
At the heart of this year’s lineup is Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears), fresh off its Grand Jury win at Sundance. Rohan Kanawade’s debut feature is a groundbreaking exploration of queer intimacy within India’s rigid societal norms.
Aranya Sahay’s (Saaya) Humans in the Loop presents a tender, layered portrait of a single mother navigating her relationship with her teenage daughter while working as a data annotator—one of the invisible workers behind India’s growing AI industry. The screening will include a special panel on responsible technology and AI ethics, featuring filmmakers and industry experts.
Deepak Rauniyar’s (White Sun, Four Nights) Pooja, Sir is a taut police procedural following a female detective investigating the disappearance of two boys in a Nepalese border town. Meanwhile, Rima Das’ (Bulbul Can Sing, Tora’s Husband) Village Rockstars 2 continues her acclaimed coming-of-age saga, chronicling a teenage girl’s pursuit of music amid life’s harsh realities.
Other standout features include the North American premiere of Raam Reddy’s (Thithi) The Fable, a mysterious tale led by Manoj Bajpayee, who plays an estate owner confronting unexplained fires consuming his land. The film also boasts a stellar cast, including Priyanka Bose, Tillotama Shome, and Deepak Dobriyal. Shot on 16mm, the movie promises to be a surreal experience for cinema lovers. This is director Raam Reddy’s second film, after his 2016 debut “Thithi” that received universal acclaim.
The documentary A Fly on the Wall, from Nilesh Maniyar and Shonali Bose (Margarita with a Straw), delivers a deeply personal and unflinching portrait of a man asserting autonomy over his final moments.
IFFLA will also present the Los Angeles premiere of the television series DUI Shaw, a psychological drama from Bangladeshi filmmaker Nuhash Humayun, blending supernatural horror with South Asia’s stark realities. Following the screening, Humayun – an IFFLA shorts alum – will lead a masterclass, offering insights into his filmmaking journey from Bangladesh to Hollywood.
Short Films
This year’s shorts competition showcases 18 films that have captivated major international festivals, with 10 female directors bringing bold, diverse narratives to the forefront. Highlights include: There is Yash Saraf’s 16-movie “Moti”, an absurdist comedy about a dog-turned-boy due to COVID. – The comical but stunning transformation of one living being to another leaves a family bewildered but holds a mirror up to the tumultuous times we live in.
While watching Jaskirat Singh’s “As Dusk Falls”, the Indian diaspora in North America will instantly connect with the story of Navraj, a young Punjabi man in Chandigarh, who has nursed dreams of migrating to Canada. When the long-awaited moment finally arrives, he faces his biggest emotional challenge – that of breaking the news to his beloved grandmother. The short film is Jaskirat Singh’s debut as a filmmaker and promises to be the film festival’s sentimental favorite for viewers.
In the 39-min short film “Tracker”, a gripping psychological thriller set in an Orwellian workplace, director Udit Khurana raises questions about privacy protection, while narrating a story centered around a crime.
The shorts lineup also showcases the South Asian diaspora in the U.S., featuring talent from Los Angeles to New York.
Brooklyn-based Sunita Prasad directs “Sleep Training,” which explores the challenges of a new Mom as she adjusts to the arrival of a loved one in her life, while wondering how to react to the career-changing news of acceptance into a prestigious writing program. A different dimension of motherhood is explored in this thoughtful short about parenting challenges.
In “Free as a Bird”, starring veteran actor Ashish Vidyarthi, Mumbai-based filmmaker Aditya Khude brings to light the lack of privacy in India’s financial capital, where everything needs to be shared, from a form of transportation to a place where couples can secretly hang out.
The line up includes Mehr Kaur’s I’m Dead Right? starring Sakina Jaffrey (House of Cards, Billions), Nik Dodani’s (Atypical, The Parenting) Blue Boy, and Jaron Henrie-McCrea’s Hey Babe, featuring Kiran Deol and Rupak Ginn
Highlights also include:
- Am I The Skinniest Person You’ve Ever Seen (HotDocs, IDFA, DOXA) – Eisha Marjara’s haunting personal documentary on her battle with anorexia.
- bonVoyage pour monVoyage (Student Academy Award winner) – Akshit Kumar’s animated travelogue.
- Bunnyhood (Sundance, Cannes’ La Cinefondation) – Mansi Maheshwari’s frenetic animated comedy about teenage betrayal.
- The Feast (Clermont-Ferrand Special Jury Prize) – Rishi Chandna’s story of resilience amid climate change.
- Landscapes of Longing (IFFR) – A powerful autofiction on migration and memory by Alisha Tejpal, Mireya Martinez, and Anoushka Mirchandani
Rich diversity of South Asian cinema
“Beyond individual highlights, this year’s lineup celebrates the rich diversity of South Asian cinema with a strong emphasis on female-driven narratives both in front and behind the camera,” said Anu Rangachar, IFFLA’s Artistic Director. “We are thrilled to present an expanded lineup that not only showcases an exciting mix of talent, ranging from fearless new voices to returning alums and established auteurs, but also sparks vital crucial conversations. These films reflect complex and timely themes such as gender identity, migration, sexuality, mental health, climate change, and responsible technology, ensuring a truly thought-provoking and unforgettable festival experience.”
The festival runs May 6–10, 2025, at Landmark Theatres Sunset and the WGA Theater. Passes and tickets are available now at www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Due to its great success last year, IFFLA is furthering its dedication to supporting filmmakers by expanding its Industry Day to a two-day forum offering South Asian film and TV creatives meaningful connections with industry leaders and the opportunity to win a $10,000 Pitch Competition Grant.
For more information and to purchase passes and tickets, visit www.indianfilmfestival.org. Follow IFFLA on Facebook (/indianfilmfestival), Instagram (@indianfilmfestival), and X (formerly Twitter) (@iffla).