Film Guide & Events
2010 Events

OPENING NIGHT GALA - APRIL 20, 7:30 PM

The Opening Night Gala will officially set the eighth annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles into motion. Get ready for a red carpet gala and the los Angeles premiere of COOKING WITH STELLA directed by Dilip Mehta. The film reunites star Lisa Ray with producer and co-writer Deepa Mehta. The two had previously worked together on BOLLYWOOD/HOLLYWOOD and the critically acclaimed WATER. Dilip Mehta and Lisa Ray will be in attendance. The Gala will benefit the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, an independent non-profit research institute working to find improved treatment and a cure for multiple myeloma. With support from the Screen Actors Guild, the Canadian Consulate of Los Angeles, and Telefilm Canada, the Opening Night Gala will be sponsored by Chakra Cuisine and Divya Wines, specifically created to be paired with Indian cuisine.

More info


IFFLA 2010 INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARD PRESENTED TO SANFORD PANITCH AND UDAY SHANKAR ASHOK AMRITRAJ HONORED WITH IFFLA’S INDUSTRY VANGUARD AWARD

Thursday, April 22, House of Blues Los Angeles
Sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Reliance MediaWorks.

The Industry Leadership Award was created in 2008 to recognize the achievements of entertainment industry executives who have surmounted challenges to make Indian entertainment content a global phenomenon. This year we honor three individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership within the Indian entertainment community. Sharing the 2010 Industry Leadership Award are Sanford Panitch and Uday Shankar. Ashok Amritraj will receive IFFLA’s Industry Trailblazer Award.

Under Sanford Panitch’s leadership, Fox International Productions recently released the Bollywood film, MY NAME IS KHAN, one of the highest grossing Bollywood films of all time. Previously, Panitch served as President of Filmed Entertainment for New Regency Enterprises and Executive Vice President of 20th Century Fox (1997-2000) where he was the executive on TITANIC and initiated the DR. DOLITTLE franchise. Over the course of his career, Panitch has supervised over 75 feature film productions including THE FUGITIVE, OFFICE SPACE, and MR. AND MRS. SMITH.

As CEO of STAR India, Uday Shankar has led the company’s transformation from a leading broadcaster to an integrated media company with a significant presence in regional broadcasting, film production, cable, DTH and home shopping. He also manages STAR’s international businesses. Prior to joining STAR India, Shankar served as CEO of STAR joint venture MCCS for over three years. Before that, Shankar was the editor and news director at the TV Today group, launching channels Aaj Tak and Headlines Today. He was also responsible for launching the news division of Sahara TV.

Ashok Amritraj is CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment and one of the most successful producers in Hollywood. He has produced box office hits such as BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, WALKING TALL, and PREMONITION. During the span of his 30-year career, Ashok has worked with every major studio in Hollywood, having produced or executive produced films earning a worldwide gross in excess of $1 billion. This year, Amritraj celebrates the production of the landmark 100th film of his career. 

Keynote speaker: Uday Kumar, Head of United States Business Affairs, Reliance MediaWorks

The awards will be presented on April 22, 2010, at the IFFLA Industry Leadership Award Luncheon at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. The show will include performances by TAAL Dance Collective, and So You Think You Can Dance choreographers Nakul Dev Mahajan (NDM Bollywood Dance Produtions Inc) and Luther Brown.




IFFLA RHYTHM VILLAGE PRESENTED BY RUKUS AVENUE

Rhythm Village celebrates the symbiotic relationship between film and music in Indian Cinema and culture.

In 2008, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles & Rukus Avenue jointly-curated a music program that became known as Rhythm Village. Each year thereafter, the Arclight Courtyard is thoroughly transformed into a vivid display of color, movement and sound. Every performance is intended to extend and enhance the film-goers experience from the theater into a lively outdoor setting. This unique experience is not to be missed!

ALL PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 6PM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21
DJ BEN G & J-MOTION

THURSDAY, APRIL 22
CHEE MALABAR
SHAHEEN SHEIK
SURALI
SHAWN ISSAC
& A SPECIAL DANCE PERFORMANCE

FRIDAY, APRIL 23
MALA GANGULY
NDM
RASIKA MATHUR
NAUZAD SADRY
MEERA
& A SPECIAL DJ SET FROM AMOEBA MUSIC

SATURDAY, APRIL 24
GINGGER SHANKAR
KANWAR GILL
DHOL NATION
TASNEEM
MIDNIGHT RADIO



INDUSTRY SEMINARS AT CAA - APRIL 23, 1PM-5PM

"TOWARDS A GLOBAL MARKET PLACE FOR INDIAN THEMED CONTENT: EXAMINING THE TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS"
Sponsored By: Creative Artists Agency and Peter Rubin & Simon
Creative Artists Agency (2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067)

PANEL #1: THE FUTURE OF TALENT REPRESENTATION IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY
Moderator: Reena Singh, Director of Development, Disney Channel
Samrat Chakrabarti, Actor (THE WAITING CITY, BOMBAY SUMMER, LOINS OF PUNJAB)
Randi Hiller, Casting Director, Hiller Casting (IRON MAN, IRON MAN 2, CRASH)
Omi Vaidya, Actor (3 IDIOTS)
David White, National Executive Director, Screen Actors Guild

DEMO PRESENTATION: RELIANCE MEDIAWORKS PRESENTATION
Alan Silvers, Vice President, International Operations, Reliance MediaWorks

PANEL #2: ALTERNATIVE DISTRIBUTION PLATFORMS: TECHNOLOGY IN SEARCH OF A BUSINESS MODEL
Moderator: Blair Westlake, Corporate Vice President, Media & Entertainment Group, Microsoft Corp
David Wertheimer, Executive Director, Entertainment Technology Center, University of Southern California
Peter Broderick, President, Paradigm Consulting
Nick DeMartino, Senior Vice President of Media and Technology, American Film Institute

More info

Ticketing Details:

Tickets: $75

Please remember to bring your printed receipt and ID to the event. Guests without receipts will not be admitted. Please feel free to send questions or inquiries to Seminars@IndianFilmFestival.org.

Please Note:
Valet parking service is available at your discretion at Creative Artists Agency.
There will be no ticket sales at the door.



FINAL DRAFT DEMO

Saturday, April 24, 11:00am, ArcLight Hollywood - FREE

Final Draft is the top-selling software application specifically designed for writing screenplays, television scripts and stageplays. Its easy-to-use word processing and script formatting allow writers to focus their attention on the creative aspects of storytelling. Final Draft will demonstrate the many capabilities of their scriptwriting software. Come learn how it can help you realize your next great project. And for those familiar with the software, here's a chance to ask questions and learn about new functions that will optimize your usage.

This demo is a free, ticketed event. Tickets will be available at the IFFLA Will Call desk located in the ArcLight Hollywood Courtyard, starting Wednesday, April 21 at 6:00pm.


IFFLA FILM FUND STAGE READING

Sunday, April 25, 11:00am, ArcLight Hollywood - FREE

IFFLA FILM FUND is hosting a stage reading of AGAINST ITSELF by its first Development Grant-winning screenwriter Kranti Kanade. The story centers on a secular expatriate American schoolmaster in India who struggles against a tide of anti-Christian sentiment that threatens his students, his school, and his life. IFFLA Development Grant jury member and acclaimed screenwriter Gill Dennis (WALK THE LINE, THE TATOOED SOLDIER) noted about AGAINST ITSELF, “This script is haunting, gripping and gritty. Stunningly done, beautifully good, it dissects the great mess of our humanity with equal measures of humor and horror, while capturing the hectic multiplicity of India.”

This is a free ticketed event and open to the public. Guests must obtain ticket at IFFLA Will Call located in ArcLight Hollywood Courtyard.


CLOSING NIGHT GALA - APRIL 25, 7:00 PM

The eighth annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles comes to a close at this memorable red caroet Gala event featuring the Australian production of THE WAITING CITY, directed by Claire McCarthy and starring Radha Mitchell, Joel Edgerton and Samrat Chakrabarti. McCarthy, Mitchell, and Chakrabarti will be in attendance. Following the screening, the reception will be held at a local Hollywood venue where guests can experience delectable dishes by Chakra Cuisine coupled with unique wine by Divya Wines and beer by Western Liquors. The evening will start with the 2010 Awards Ceremony.

More info