SVF

London Indian Film Festival prepares for ‘a quality international showcase’ beyond Bollywood

Cary Rajinder Sawhney has a double celebration up ahead. The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival founded by the seasoned British programmer will mark its tenth anniversary in late June. In addition, Sawhney has been selected to receive a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire award, which Queen Elizabeth II bestows every year as a part of her birthday celebrations.

“I don’t think I realised just how big the festival would become – think big!” LIFF’s programming director said about the first of his achievements in an email interview. “It’s also been pretty cool that our audiences are now 40% non-South Asian with lots of people just coming to see quality world cinema.”

This year’s edition includes screenings of new and recent independent films and documentaries from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, classic titles and discussions with filmmakers. The festival will be inaugurated on June 20 in London with Anubhav Sinha’s Article 15, which examines caste-based discrimination in rural India. Screenings will continue in cinemas in Birmingham and Manchester until July….Click here to read the full story