THE FIRST SESSION

  • 2015 Chicago South Asian Film Festival Awards; THE CROW’S EGG Wins Best Film

    Kaaka Muttai, The Crow's Egg The 2015 Chicago South Asian Film Festival, presented by Zee Cinema, announced the winners of Jury and Audience Awards for Best Feature and Short Films of the 2015 Festival and presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Ms. Sharmila Tagore, an Indian cinema icon.

    The Jury Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Kaaka Muttai (The Crow’s Egg)” (Director: M. Manikandan) / India / Chicago Premiere – When a pizza parlor opens on their playground, two carefree slum boys are consumed by the desire to taste this new-fangled dish called ‘Pizza’. Realizing that one pizza costs more than their family’s monthly income, they begin to plot ways to earn more money inadvertently beginning an adventure that will involve the entire city.

    The People’s Choice Awards for Best Feature Film was presented to “Dukhtar (Daughter)” (Director: Afia Nathaniel) / Pakistan/ Chicago Premiere – In the mountains of Pakistan, a mother and her 10 year-old daughter flee their home on the eve of the girl’s marriage to a tribal leader. A deadly hunt for them begins.

    The People’s Choice Awards for Best Feature Film was presented to “Sundar” (Director: Rohan Kanawade)/ India/ Chicago Premiere  – Bangles, jhumkas, bindi, lipstick, blouse, sari and attitude to carry; Jayu walked in public and played dandiya during Navratri (nine days Hindu festival). Onlookers laughed and whistled mockingly. It was just another reason to make fun of him. He didn’t care, because it was his happiness, he was living. Until, he laid his eyes on his mother, who stood in between those onlookers. She beat him up before the entire neighborhood… It’s Navratri, again. Tonight is the last night. But this year, all he could do is look at others as they marched towards the dandiya ground, all dolled up.

    The 2015 Chicago South Asian Film Festival Awards: The Jury Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Kaaka Muttai (The Crow’s Egg)” (Director: M. Manikandan) / India/ CHICAGO PREMIERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzOp7hRXOLo The Jury Award for Best Short Film was presented to “The Blue Sweater” (Director: Dhaneesh Jameson) /United States/ CHICAGO PREMIERE The Audience Award – People’s Choice Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Dukhtar (Daughter)” (Director: Afia Nathaniel) / Pakistan/ CHICAGO PREMIERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo5xat8WLjU The Audience Award – People’s Choice Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Sundar” (Director: Rohan Kanawade) / India/ CHICAGO PREMIERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJOUGcr55A The Chicago’s Choice Award for Best Short Film was presented to “The First Session” (Director: Ryan Logan) / United States/ CHICAGO PREMIERE  

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  • 2015 Seattle South Asian Film Festival Reveals Lineup; Opens with Comedy FOR HERE OR TO GO?

    FOR HERE OR TO GO? The 10th annual Seattle South Asian Film Festival slated for October 15-25, announced a lineup of 59 films from 9 countries, under the theme “Coming Home”. Sri Lanka is in the spotlight at 2015 Seattle South Asian Film Festival with a program of films and the attendance of veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker and recipient of the 2014 Tasveer Emerald Award Prasanna Vithanage. A retrospective of Vithanage’s work will take place over the first weekend of the Festival and the filmmaker himself will appear at Q&As following each of the four films included in the retrospective, at a symposium titled “Human Rights and the Politics of Filmmaking in South Asia,” and at a reception to be held in his honor. Opening Night kicks off the 2015 Seattle South Asian Film Festival with the dramatic comedy FOR HERE OR TO GO?, (pictured above) a humorous look at personal battles faced by immigrants living in America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4F3A_e4zAc Pakistani-American comedian Fawzia Mirza will grace the Festival’s Centerpiece Gala to present her short film THE FIRST SESSION and perform her one-woman play, “Me, My Mom, and Sharmila.” Mirza is known for her web series “Kam Kardashian” and sketch comedy series “Brown Girl Problems” and was named to Indiewire’s Top 10 Creatives of 2014. The 2015 Seattle South Asian Film Festival closes with THE SPECTACULAR JIHAD OF TAZ RAHIM with the director Raghav Murali and actor Rahsaan Islam expected to attend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMzbTIfi-FI Local films featured at SSAFF 2015 include DRAWING THE TIGER by Amy Benson and Scott Squire, FLYING KISS by Tarun Seth, THREADS by Cathy Stevulak, SONGS OF THE BARDS OF BENGAL- THE BAULS AND FAKIRS by Monalisa Dasgupta, and THE DECISION by Joydeep Das. Further highlights include a new documentary AMONG THE BELIEVERS, a timely look into radical Islam in Pakistan and the conditions that led to its rise. Filmmakers Hemal Trivedi and Mo Naqvi are expected to attend the screening. A double-feature presentation on partition includes A THIN WALL by director Mara Ahmad and PEACE, DAAL, AND PARTITION by director Paisley Smith.

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