New York Indian Fest lineup to include Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka films

PanARMENIAN.Net - The New York Indian Film Festival has announced a far-ranging lineup that includes pics from neighboring Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Fest runs May 5-10, Variety reported.

Among the world premieres are “Acceptance,” by Ryan Matthew Chan, a Yale undergrad, about a boy who lies to his peers that he has been accepted into Harvard to join their circle, and “Songs of the Blue Hills,” helmed by Utpal Borpujari, which takes a look at the northeastern tribe of Nagas and their music.

Pakistan’s Oscar foreign-language film entry “Zinda Bhaag,” Nepal’s “Waiting for Mamu” and Sri Lanka’s “With You, Without You” are among the 34 narratives and 11 docs.

Highlights include “Fandry” by Nagraj Manjule, “Brahmin Bulls” by Mahesh Pailoor and Nagesh Kukunoor’s “Lakshmi.”

” ‘Fandry’ is, in my book, perhaps the best film made in India in 2013,” said fest director Aseem Chhabra.

The 14th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival opens May 5 with the previously announced “Ugly,” directed by Anurag Kashyap, and closes May 10 with Aparna Sen’s “Goynar Baksho.” The centerpiece film is Geethu Mohandas’ “Liar’s Dice.” Gurinder Chadha will be honored with a retrospective on the 25th anniversary of her film “Bhaji on the Beach.”