Press
NEW JERSEY INDEPENDENT SOUTH ASIAN CINE FEST
PRESS RELEASE
October 9 thru 11
at
Rutgers University, New Jersey
www.njisacf.org
Discover and experience unusual stories of unsung heroes and heroines, memorable films, breathtaking
performances, intimate and in-depth discussions with Bollywood and Independent filmmakers and actors at the 3rd New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest (NJISACF).
Produced by the Asian American Film and Theater Project, this 3-day long film festival will demonstrate the richness, versatility and power of South Asian independent cinema, which, in spite of shoe-string budgets and no Bollywood or big studio backing, is becoming stronger and bigger every day and is being hailed as great cinema by the international film critic community.
NJISACF is the first and only of its kind South Asian cine fest held in New Jersey, and its mission is to introduce a target audience of about 250,000 South Asians as well as the mainstream American population in the New Jersey-Pennsylvania-New York-Connecticut area to some of the alternative brilliant films that reflect the complex experiences of being a South Asian in the 21st century perhaps more truthfully than some of the big banner commercial films do. NJISACF also introduces and promotes upcoming South Asian
maverick filmmakers.
After an overwhelming success and popularity as well as rave reviews in its first two years (2007 and 2008), the 3rd NJISACF (website address: www.njisacf.org) will be held on October 9 thru 11, 2009 with a Gala Opening night celebration on Friday, October 9th, at the Westin in Princeton, NJ, and film screenings on October 10th and 11th at the Rutgers University, NJ. This three-day cine fest will showcase an outstanding array of more than 30 brilliant films by talented South Asian filmmakers from the USA, Europe, Canada, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal and many other countries.
These films will create a focused, lively environment for conversation, education and exploration of issues that face South Asia and the South Asian diaspora, as well as create a prolonged space where the pertinent social-political-cultural issues that form the core subject of these films can be discussed and understood. The screening of the acclaimed feature, short, documentary and animated films of all genres will be accompanied by filmmaker Q&As, and panel discussions on various topics related to the craft and business of filmmaking. Jury prizes will be awarded for excellence in various categories. The internationally acclaimed veteran Indian filmmaker Mr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan will also attend the festival.
In the spirit of being a truly South Asian film festival, NJISACF 2009 will have spotlights on the cinema from or about Sri Lanka and Afghanistan by screening new and classic films by major directors from the two countries both ravaged by war. The spotlight sessions will be attended by filmmakers from both countries. At the NJISACF 2009 audiences will get a rare opportunity to be the first to watch US premieres of about half-a-dozen independent films from all over the world. Some of the films which will have their US premieres at the festival are: Barah Aana / Short Changed starring Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Raaz (of the film MONSOON WEDDING fame) and Tannishtha Chatterjee (of the film BRICK LANE fame); Loori a feature-film based on locations in Afghanistan and USA by the exiled Afghan director Saeed Orokzai; A Climate for Crime, new film by the internationally and critically acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan of India (Adoor Gopalakrishnan will be one of the many esteemed guests at the film festival); 2 films by the internationally celebrated filmmaker, Prasanna Vithanage (also attending the festival), from Sri Lanka;
NJISACF 2009 will also introduce brilliant works by some first-time diaspora filmmakers from North America and Europe.
NJISACF 2009 will have its gala opening night film screening (the film: 7 Days in Slow Motion, an English language film by the first-time director and Disney veteran, Umakanth Thumrugoti), and Red Carpet, cocktail and dinner on October 9th attended by South Asian filmmakers, distributors, producers and actors, and South Asian and mainstream American media.
The complete film program with screening schedule and online ticketing information will be available at the NJISACF website www.njisacf.org by third week of September.
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