London Indian Film Festival 2019 Brochure

Home , Anubhav Sinha, Bhaji on the Beach, Gulshan Devaiah, Lust Stories, Manmarziyaan, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki

Artist Chila Kumari Burman. Photo by Cary Rajinder Sawhney that June Movies 20- Pack a 2019 29 Punch www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk Celebrating our 10th Birthday, the UK and Europe’s largest South Asian film festival is literally stuffed to the rafters with a rich assortment of entertaining and thought provoking independent films.

This year’s highlights include a red Our Film, Power & Politics strand offers carpet opening night at Picturehouse a critical insight into the fast moving Central with the exciting World political changes of South Asia. The Premiere of cop whodunit Article 15, astonishing documentary Reason by starring Bollywood star Ayushmann Anand Patwardhan, Bangla suspense Khurrana directed by Anubhav Saturday Afternoon and Gandhian Sinha. Our closing night marks the black comedy #Gadhvi are a few return of Ritesh Batra, the director films to look out for. of The Lunchbox with the premiere We are expecting a host of special of Photograph starring the legendary guests, including India’s most famous Nawazuddin Siddiqui. indie director Anurag Kashyap of Our themed strands in this brochure Sacred Games fame, and UK Asian start with the Young Rebel strand, legend Gurinder Chadha. Make sure which literally knocks out all the you buy your tickets in advance for stereotypes with a fistful of movies these! exploring younger lives. See director We are delighted to welcome back our Rima Das’ award-winning teenage hit regular partners including Title Sponsor Bulbul Can Sing. Coming-of-age comedy the Bagri Foundation for the fifth year The Lift Boy, or Roobha and Kattumaram in a row. Thanks to the BFI Audience premieres, presenting young lives Fund and to our many friends and taking a stand. supporters. The Bengal Tigers strand highlights the More guests will be confirmed region’s unique contribution to world soon so please do check out the cinema. One can catch Bengal’s hottest festival website for updates new talented filmmakers legendary www. Londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk director Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s new or hit Twitter and Instagram @loveliff film The Flight, alongside rarely seen #loveLIFF and Facebook: London Indian archival classics. Film Festival. Dive deep into our Extra-Ordinary Buy tickets via booking links on our Lives strand with amazing documentaries website, or directly at partner cinemas. and dramas from across South Asia. We look forward to seeing you there! We present rollicking Hindi hit The Man Who Feels No Pain. Don’t miss tense Kannada whodunnit Cary Rajinder Sawhney Arishadvarga, or the unforgettably Executive & Programming Director feel-good My Home India.

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Patrons : Shekhar Kapur, Tony Matharu, Lord David Puttnam, Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Thanks to Mark Adams, Omar Ahmed, Jay Arnold, Jane Backlog, Alka Bagri, Dr. Mukulika Banerjee, PARTNERS George Barker, David Bellfield, Shyam Benegal, Ganapati Bhat, Clare Binns, Bobbie, Anna Bogutskaya, Paul Bowman, Vibha Chopra, Paula Chattraj, Stuart Crane, Uma da Cunha, Kiran Dhanoya, Ted Doan, Dr Rachel Dwyer, Michael Hall, Diane Gabrysiak, David Garratt, Kirsten Geekie, Gali Gold, Gaylene Gould, Miranda Gower-Qian, Rachel Hayward, Elizabeth Horton, Latif Hussain, Mira Kaushik, Anjum Khan, Bill Lawrence, Jonathan Daniel Luther, Anjum Malik, Sarah-Jane Meredith, Bhavna Mistry, John Morgan- Tamosunas, Asjad Nazir, Dayanand Patil, Disha Patil, Veena Patil, Chelsea Pettitt, Navtej Purewal, Sridhar Rangayan, Piali Ray, Robert Rider, James Rocarols, Kazi Ruksana Begum, Dr Nilanjan Sarkar, Margherita Sciaulino, Ravi Sharma, Edward Simpson, Rosie Thomas, Sanjay Wadwa, Tyrone Walker-Hebborn, Matthew Whiteley, Bina Venugopal, Jason Wood, Aziz Zeria, Club Kali & DJ Ritu, Popchips, Spun Candy, our festival team and wonderful volunteers and many others.

4 5 OPENING NIGHT GALA CLOSING NIGHT GALA ARTICLE 15 WORLD PREMIERE PHOTOGRAPH ENGLISH PREMIERE 20 June | 18:15 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL 29 June | 17:15 | BFI SOUTHBANK 27 June | 19:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY

We are delighted to open our 10th birthday celebrations with the World Premiere of Cannes hit The Lunchbox took the world by storm with box office success in all Anubhav Sinha’s hard-hitting Article 15. India’s hottest male star Ayushmann Khurrana territories. Its director Ritesh Batra returns to the big screen with this nuanced romance (Andhadhun, Badhai Ho) plays a police officer from a privileged urban background, between unlikely lovers. Acting legend Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays Rafi, a humble street whose first posting is to rural north India, where three teenage girls have gone photographer outside the Gateway of India, Mumbai. He photographs an attractive missing. His honesty does not sit well with the existing, deeply entrenched corrupt young wealthy woman Miloni, who disappears without paying. Keeping her photo, system where, in 2019, a 1000-year-old practice where human beings are divided on he tries to fob off his marriage-peddling granny by sending her the photo to show his the basis of caste continues. Beginning as a riveting police procedural that is a True success, but impressed, she is soon heading to Mumbai to meet the marriage prospect. Detective-like deep-dive into the Indian bayou, Article 15 soon elevates to a gutsy Rafi manages to track down Miloni and convince her to pretend to be his fiancée, and, exposé of a deeply flawed structure. The film’s title is a reference to an article partly intrigued by rough diamond Rafi’s request and partly because she’s looking for of the Indian constitution that prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, something extraordinary, she agrees. race or sex. Special guests expected.

Hindi, English with English subtitles. Hindi, Gujarati, English with English subtitles India 2019 | 120 Mins India/Germany/US 2019 | 110 Mins

Director: Ritesh Batra Dir: Anubhav Sinha With: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Farrukh Jaffar With: Ayushmann Khurrana, Sayani Gupta, Isha Talwar, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra

Q&A with Director Anubhav Sinha, cast and crew Q&A with Director Ritesh Batra

6 7 SPECIAL EVENT ARDAAS KARAAN WORLD PREMIERE 28 June | 19:00 | CINEWORLD FELTHAM

Following the mega success of Ardaas, we revisit the story of three elderly men

who live in Canada with their families, realising that each generation has a different

conflicting opinion about life. The elderly men believe spending time with each other

📽📽 💡💡 📽📽 💡💡 and communicating may help bridge their gap. But each time the family plans to spend time with each other they end up arguing. One day the elderly gentlemen come across LIGHTS CAMERASehaj and EXCELMagic who are full of positivity and agree to help them understand their LIGHTS CAMERA EXCEL families but are given a week to accomplish this. Will Sehaj and Magic manage to find Excel Executive Proudly Supports The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival a common thread for the three differing generations to live together in harmony? How will they use Ardaas (prayer) to convey their message about life? Executive & Chauffeur Service

Corporate Accounts

Punjabi with English subtitles TV / Film Production Transport India 2019 | 140 Mins Best In Class Business Transport Airport Transfers Director: Gippy Grewal With: Gippy Grewal, Mehar Vij, Gurpreet Ghuggi Event Management 0207 536 0003 www.excelexec.co.uk Global Car Services Q&A with Star and Director Gippy Grewal

8 ENGLISH PREMIERE LONDON PREMIERE UK PREMIERE BULBUL CAN SING CHUSKIT THE LIFT BOY YOUNG 25 June | 18:30 | STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE 23 June | 16:30 | WATERMANS 21 June | 20:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY* REBEL 26 June | 18:15 | BFI SOUTHBANK 29 June | 17:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY 22 June | 18:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE 28 June | 20:30 | GENESIS*

Young people challenge and change the world with fresh ideas and open hearts. We present a fist of films that depict young South Asians, some Assamese director Rima Das returns to Based on a true story in the mountains of The Lift Boy is a heart-warming are joyous and laugh- LIFF with this groundbreaking coming- Ladakh, we meet Chuskit - a joyous and entertainer that will leave you smiling out-loud while others of-age tale that has swept up prestigious strong-minded young girl whose dreams from ear to ear. When his father falls ill, present youth facing awards at Berlin, Dublin, Singapore and of going to school are cut short after an 24 year-old lay-about Raju is forced to real-life challenges in Mumbai film festivals. Three teenage best accident leaves her unable to walk. While take up his dad’s job as a liftboy at a posh South Asia today. friends in rural Assam, northeast India, her friends start school she is confined to apartment complex in Mumbai. As an are forging their distinct personalities, but life indoors in the company of her strict aspiring engineer, despite having failed as the girls secretly meet boys, they soon grandfather, Dorje, who is adamant she his exams four times, Raju detests having come face to face with outmoded cultural must stay at home. As her battle with to do what he considers menial work, traditions that challenge their family her grandfather intensifies and Chuskit’s believing it is beneath him. However over and place in the community, but most hopes are getting crushed the family time he learns that the job is more than importantly their bonds as loyal friends. decides on a dramatic path of change. just being confined to the lift and he gets Rima Das made a global splash with Village to know the residents of the apartment Rockstars and Bulbul Can Sing continues to building, as an inspiring connection prove her humane, world-class talent. begins to blossom with Maureen D’Souza, the owner of the complex.

25 June: BSL Signed screening

Assamese, Hindi with English subtitles Ladakhi with English subtitles English, Hindi with English subtitles India 2018 | 95 Mins India 2018 | 90 Mins India 2019 | 107 Mins

Director: Rima Das Director: Priya Ramasubban Director: Jonathan Augustin With: Arnali Das, Manoranjan Das, With: Jigmet Dewa Lhamo, Morup Namgyal, With: Moin Khan, Nyla Masood, Saagar Kale Bonita Thakuriya, Pakija Begam Yanchen Dolma

Q&A with Director Rima Das *Plays with short film Dada and the Punjabi Princess, Director: Dr. Chila Kumari Burman 10 11 EUROPEAN PREMIERE LONDON PREMIERE KATTUMARAM ROOBHA (CATAMARAN)

21 June | 20:30 | BFI SOUTHBANK 21 June | 21:00 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL 29 June | 16:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE 24 June | 18:45 | SOAS BRUNEI GALLERY

Part of an emerging queer cinema from Canadian Tamil Roobha is a stunning South India Kattumaram tells of patriarch young trans-woman struggling to find her Singaram and his orphaned niece place after being ostracised by her family. Anandhi, fisher-folk survivors of the One night while dancing in a redneck Tsunami. Beautiful Anandhi teaches in bar she has a chance encounter with the local school and has many fishermen Tamil bar owner and ‘straight’ married interested in her, but Anandhi instead man, Anthony, (played by Jesuthasan At Air India, we acknowledge the secretly falls for a new female supply Antonythasan of Dheepan fame). This teacher. As Singaram finds out and tries to leads to an intense love affair, but their continuous support and trust our come to terms with this revelation, gossip blissful relationship is put to the test as passengers have been reposing in about the young women’s relationship Roobha is forced to deal with transgender us time & again. Our endeavour quickly spreads. Singaram is left facing stigma present in their community the choice of either defending his beloved and Anthony’s familial affiliation and to improve your ﬂying experience niece and her partner, or giving sway to ailing health. Lenin M. Sivam’s latest through our path breaking the demands of an angry community. film is beautifully realised and a unique romantic tale exploring the complexities innovations and thoughtful of gender identities, romance and initiatives shall continue. immigrant loneliness.

AIR INDIA...TRULY INDIAN Tamil with English subtitles Tamil, English with English subtitles India 2019 | 73 Mins Canada 2019 | 91 Mins

Director: Swarnavel Eswaran Director: Lenin M. Sivam With: Mysskin, Anusha Prabhu, Preeti Karan With: Jesuthasan Antonythasan, Amrit Sandhu, Thenuka Kantharajah Q&A with director Swarnavel Eswaran, actor Mysskin & other cast Q&A with actor Jesuthasan Antonythasan

12 13 UK PREMIERE EUROPEAN PREMIERE INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE ABYAKTO UROJAHAJ SHONAJHURIR BHOOT BENGAL (UNSAID) (THE FLIGHT) (GHOST OF THE GOLDEN GROVES) 24 June | 20:00 | WATERMANS 23 June | 14:50 | BFI SOUTHBANK 22 June | 20:00 | STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE TIGERS 26 June | 20:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE 24 June | 20:40 | CINE LUMIERE 28 June | 20:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE

Bengal has been a beating heart of Indian cinema since the silent era and continues to offer to the home and the world innovative, culturally rich and Arjunn Dutta’s debut feature film is a Legendary Bengali filmmakerBuddhadeb Surreal and unnerving, debutants Dutta unique films, it has touching story about the relationship Dasgupta, who has a magic realist style and Sen deliver a fresh hybrid style to the even inspired non- between a mother and her son. Abyakto akin to Guillermo del Toro, attends the sci-fi genre. In the first tale of this delightful narrates the journey of Indra from festival to present one of his finest films. diptych strange nocturnal incidents begin Indian filmmakers. childhood, through adolescence to An idealistic villager discovers a wrecked to occur to a government officer from We mark the passing adulthood through snippets from his past, WW2 Japanese warplane deep in a Kolkata visiting the Shonajhuri forest of legendary director as he is forced to revisit them when he ghostly forest. Seeing passenger planes area - eerie lights, anonymous voices, Mrinal Sen with returns to his hometown Kolkota to take overhead, his dream has always been to sinister wailing and a random encounter the classic Kandhar, care of property matters a couple of years fly. He sets about secretly repairing the with a polymorph, all draw him deep after his father’s death. The journey into plane, but as he starts enquiring about an into the treacherous web of the golden Satyajit Ray’s The Indra’s past reveal a strained and complex engine, the military find out and he groves. In the second, based on a story by Music Room and a relationship with his mother that has is soon considered a national threat. Bibutibhushan Bandyopadhyay (Pather conversation around gone on to shape him as a person in the Dasgupta’s films are often subtly laced Panchali), a poor cook gets the caretaker’s Jean Renoir’s The present. Abyakto is a tender and poignant with a pressing politic of the ordinary job at an abandoned house in the same tale about love, regret and the search for man pitted against the all-powerful state. forest and must deal with “the others”. River, as well as an identity. Equal parts homage to Japanese New celebrating the Wave horror like Onibaba, and the cinema best current indie of Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, the film is filmmaking including breathtakingly original. a Q&A with master Bengali with English subtitles Bengali with English subtitles Bengali with English subtitles filmmaker Buddhadeb India 2018 | 87 Mins India 2018 | 82 Mins India 2019 | 98 Mins Dasgupta and Director: Arjunn Dutta Director: Buddhadeb Dasgupta Director: Aniket Dutta & Roshni Sen emerging filmmakers. With: Arpita Chatterjee, Adil Hussain, With: Chandan Roy Sanyal, Parno Mittra, With: Joyraj Bhattacharjee, Soumyajit Anubhav Kanjilal Sudipto Chatterjee Majumder, Debleena Sen, Bidyut Das

Q&A with Director Buddhadeb Dasgupta

14 15 EUROPEAN PREMIERE UK PREMIERE UK PREMIERE ITI, TOMARI DHAKA VINCI DA THE RIVER JALSAGHAR (SINCERELY YOURS, DHAKA) (THE MUSIC ROOM)

23 June | 18:00 | STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE 21 June | 18:30 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL 23 June | 16:10 | CINE LUMIERE 23 June | 14:00 | CINE LUMIERE 27 June | 18:00 | GENESIS 25 June | 19:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY

Seven Bangladeshi filmmakers come A talented make-up and prosthetic artist, The film that arguably inspired new Satyajit Ray brilliantly evokes the together to present a series of short stories nicknamed Vinci Da after Leonardo da Bengali independent cinema - including crumbling opulence of the world of as a love-letter to their beloved city of Vinci because of his prodigious skills, gets Satyajit Ray - Renoir’s first colour feature a fallen aristocrat, Roy (the beloved Dhaka. A background actor who’ll do unwittingly drawn into a psychopathic follows a close-knit upper class British stage and screen actor Chhabi Biswas) anything to be a star; two young girls lawyer’s criminal plans to rid Kolkata of family living on the banks of the Ganges desperately clinging to a fading way of who are dying for a drink in a city where an evil force. Acting powerhouses Ghosh, in the waning days of colonial India. life in his zamindar’s palace. His greatest alcohol is illegal; a bank scam sparks an Chakraborty and Sarkar are in top form in Harriet and her four adolescent sisters are joy, and his obsession, is the music room attempted murder and a plumber adds this terrific, edge-of-the-seat psychological brought up in a philosophy that embraces in which he has hosted lavish concerts fuel to a refugee crisis. Ranging from the thriller superbly orchestrated by the both Christianity and Hinduism. Their over the years—now a shadow of its bizarre, comical and heart-warming to the prolific filmmakerSrijit Mukherji. A smash placid lives are disrupted with the arrival former vivid self. The music itself, and heartbreaking, the first ever anthology hit at home in Bengal, this is a rare chance of a soldier who is recovering from the its performance, to which Roy is so film made in Bangladesh takes us on a for London audiences to see it on the horrors of war, and offers the smitten girls passionately if intensely devoted, becomes bittersweet yet wild journey through the big screen and also revel in the timeless an insight into a wider world they have a key character in the film. The Music city of Dhaka. beauty of Kolkata in all her glory. never been exposed to before. Featuring Room was a showcase for some of India’s stunning Technicolor cinematography by most popular musicians, and was voted Claude Renoir that captures the majestic one of the greatest films of all time by Sight beauty of Bengal and her rituals, The and Sound. River is a treat for the eyes and the mind. Presented in divine 35mm.

Bengali with English subtitles Bengali with English Subtitles. Bengali and English with English subtitles Bengali with English Subtitles. Bangladesh 2018 | 90 Mins India 2019 | 117 Mins France/UK/India/US 1951 | 99 Mins India 1958 | 99 Mins

Director: Nuhash Humayun, Syed Ahmed Director: Srijit Mukherji Director: Jean Renoir Director: Satyajit Ray Shawki, MD Robiul Alam, Tanvir Ahsan, With: Rudranil Ghosh, Ritwick Chakraborty, With: Nora Swinburne, Esmond Knight, Radha With: Chhabi Biswas, Sardar Akhtar, Abdullah Al Noor, Krishnendu Chattopadhyay, Sohini Sarkar, Ridhi Sen Burnier, Patricia Walters Gangapadu basu Syed Saleh Ahmed Sobhan

17 SATYAJIT RAY SHORT FILM AWARD TOO DESI TOO QUEER 21 June | 20:30 | GENESIS 28 June | 17:30 | UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER 23 June | 16:00 | PHOENIX EAST FINCHLEY 26 June | 18:45 | SOAS KHALIL THEATRE

The festival’s annual Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition and Award is a rare chance to see the works of talented, emerging filmmakers, who are exploring themes of South Asian Experience. The competition’s final shortlist films will be screened at the festival and the winner of the 2019 award is announced on the festival’s Closing Night. In association with the Bagri Foundation.

NOOREH U USHACHA Dir. Ashsih Pandey | 22 mins | Urdu Dir. Rohan Kanwade | 21 mins | Marathi A young girl living on the India/Pakistan A young farm labourer finds herself border discovers that gunfire stops if she drawn to a local primary school teacher stays awake at night. in ways she never thought possible. ALIEN CULTURE KARK The festival joins hands with Thrive LDN, Brixton Reel Film Festival, Queer Asia, Iesh Thapar | 16 mins | English Dir. Pawan K. Nayak | 26 mins | Hindi University of Westminster and others to present a special FREE event exploring well Southall 1979 with tensions running A young woman hopes her monotonous being in London’s South Asian LGBTQ+ communities. high, a young man thinks his brother is life will take a turn after meeting a The event includes a dynamic range of recent LGBTQ+ shorts from South Asia and in trouble but the truth is far from what stranger and falling in love the UK, followed by a panel debate exploring community empowerment and looking he imagined. RAMMAT GAMMAT after individual wellbeing, with high profile speakers. A networking social with a DJ THESE SILENCES ARE Dir. Ajitpal Singh | 17 mins | Gujarati ends the evening at University of Westminster, Portland Place Campus. ALL THE WORDS Two young boys friendship is tested For updates on the short film programme please check out the festival website. Madhia Aijaz | 15 mins | Urdu when a pair of football boots goes All are welcome but please be respectful that this is an LGBTQ+ space. A poetic essay on the public libraries missing. of Pakistan

Mixed Programme The free event is available for booking on eventbrite: Various Languages with English subtitles. Total running time 117 mins.

19 FESTIVAL CALENDAR

THU 20 JUNE SAT 22 JUNE SUN 23 JUNE SUN 23 JUNE

Opening Night VIVEK VIVEK ITI, TOMARI DHAKA ARTICLE 15 (REASON) (REASON) 18:00 | STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE 13:30 | BARBICAN 12:00 | BERTHA DOCHOUSE 18:15 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL AN EVENING WITH THIS SHAKING KEEPS JALSAGHAR RADHIKA APTE FRI 21 JUNE ME STEADY (THE MUSIC ROOM) 18:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE 16:00 | BERTHA DOCHOUSE 14:00 | CINE LUMIERE #GADHVI ARISHADVARGA 18:15 | BARBICAN MY HOME INDIA UROJAHAJ 18:30 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY (THE FLIGHT) 18:00 | WATERMANS 14:50 | BFI SOUTHBANK VINCI DA 18:30 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL THE LIFT BOY SATYAJIT SHORT 18:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE FILM COMPETITION SIR MON 24 JUNE 16:00 | PHOENIX EAST FINCHLEY 20:00 | PHOENIX EAST FINCHLEY MARD KO DARD NAHIN HOTA (THE MAN WHO FEELS NO PAIN) WIDOW OF SILENCE WIDOW OF SILENCE 18:30 | CINE LUMIERE THE LIFT BOY 18:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY 16:00 | BARBICAN 20:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY SIR ROOBHA THE RIVER 18:45 | SOAS (BRUNEI GALLERY) KATTUMARAM 18:30 | CINE LUMIERE 16:10 | CINE LUMIERE (CATAMARAN) ABYAKTO 20:30 | BFI SOUTHBANK CHAI WITH CHADHA CHUSKIT (UNSAID) 19:00 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL 20:00 | WATERMANS SATYAJIT SHORT 16:30 | WATERMANS FILM AWARD SHONAJHURIR BHOOT SIR THIS SHAKING KEEPS 20:30 | GENESIS (GHOST OF THE GOLDEN GROVES) 17:15 | BFI SOUTHBANK ME STEADY 20:00 | STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE 20:00 | STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE MARD KO DARD NAHIN HOTA (THE MAN WHO FEELS NO PAIN) UROJAHAJ 20:30 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE (THE FLIGHT) 20:40 | CINE LUMIERE ROOBHA 21:00 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL Please note that films start at the listed time, as there are no advertisements before them.

20 21 FESTIVAL CALENDAR

TUE 25 JUNE WED 26 JUNE FRI 28 JUNE SAT 29 JUNE

BULBUL CAN SING SATURDAY AFTERNOON 20:30 | GENESIS 18:15 | BFI SOUTHBANK

SATYAJIT RAY SHORT FILM AWARD 18:45 | SOAS (KHALIL LECTURE THEATRE)

ABYAKTO (UNSAID) 20:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE

Please note that films start at the listed time, as there are no advertisements before them.

22 23 WORLD PREMIERE UK PREMIERE LONDON PREMIERE #GADHVI SATURDAY AFTERNOON VIVEK FILM, (REASON) 21 June | 18:15 | BARBICAN 25 June | 20:30 | BARBICAN 22 June | 13:30 | BARBICAN POWER & 26 June | 20:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY 27 June | 20:30 | GENESIS 23 June | 12:00 | BERTHA DOCHOUSE POLITICS

In one of the most rapidly changing political regions of the world, South Asian filmmakers A retired, nondescript widower Ram Winner of two jury awards at Moscow India’s greatest documentarian, Anand are often at the Nath Gadhvi inadvertently takes on the International Film Festival Bangladeshi Patwardhan, returns with a powerful frontline - recording, establishment and suddenly becomes a auteur Mostofa Sarwar Farooki (No Bed chronicle of contemporary India. He depicts reflecting on and at social media sensation. He begins to take Of Roses) returns with this tense thriller a country that after decades of relatively on Gandhi’s pacifist principles, but is no shot in a single take where terrorists pro-secular democracy, is now increasingly times questioning ordinary Gandhian, believing he is the take over an eatery in Dhaka, resulting divided by religion, caste and power. the powerful brokers reincarnation of the Mahatma itself. In in a siege scenario and multiple deaths. Patwardhan follows activists, rationalists and political decision- the process Gadhvi attracts more and Loosely based on real events, the riveting and dissenters, Narendra Dabholkar and makers. We offer here more followers, but also enemies seeking film takes a close look at the roots of Govind Pansare, he broadens his gaze to four films that show to bring him down, including hired- modern day terrorism through political, look at critical questions of communism, gun, Omkar, who has been tasked with social and gender implications. Adding caste and freedom of speech. This is a different aspects of the suppressing the swelling anger against gravitas to this gut-puncher are a plethora riveting and sobering film that will inform South Asian political the establishment by shattering Gadhvi’s of international stars, including India’s and frustrate in equal measure. Reason landscape now. At the delusion and crushing his core beliefs. Parambrata Chatterjee (Shah Jahan is a must watch, and is perhaps the most Barbican, and other Gaurav Bakshi’s debut feature is a sharp Regency), Bangladesh’s Nusrat Imrose important documentary to emerge from social and political satire. Tisha (Sincerely Yours, Dhaka) and India in recent years. venues. Palestine’s Eyad Hourani (Omar).

Hindi with English subtitles Bengali, English with English subtitles Hindi, Marathi with English subtitles India 2018 | 109 Mins Bangladesh/Germany/India 2019 | 86 Mins India 2018 | 240 Mins

Director: Gaurav Bakshi Director: Mostofa Sarwar Farooki Director: Anand Patwardhan With: Sanjay Mishra, Rasika Dugal, With: Parambrata Chatterjee, With: Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare Akshay Oberoi Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Eyad Hourani

Q&A with Director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki Director Anand Patwardhan in attendance

24 25 UK PREMIERE WIDOW OF SILENCE

23 June | 16:00 | BARBICAN 24 June | 18:30 | CINE LUMIERE

Popular at the Busan and Rotterdam Film Festivals, Praveen Morchhale’s drama tells of Aasia who works as a nurse in a hospital to maintain herself, her 11-year- old daughter and her sick mother-in-law. She spends her days working, looking after her family and trying to obtain a death certificate for her husband who had been taken away by the police and presumed dead. With her life in limbo, unable to either re-marry, or settle her considerable financial debt without a death certificate, a conniving government official looks to take advantage, forcing FOLLOW US ONLINE Aasia to make difficult decisions to @LOVELIFF overcome her absurd plight. Widow of Silence is a gripping and soulful film with #LOVELIFF breathtaking visuals of the Kashmir /LONDONINDIANFILMFESTIVAL landscape.

Urdu with English subtitles India 2018 | 85 Mins

Director: Praveen Morchhale With: Shilpa Marwaha, Ajay Chourey, Bilal Ahmad

Q&A with Director Praveen Morchhale

26 27 UK PREMIERE UK PREMIERE WORLD PREMIERE SIR THIS SHAKING ARISHADVARGA EXTRA- KEEPS ME STEADY 21 June | 20:00 | PHOENIX EAST FINCHLEY 22 June | 16:00 | BERTHA DOCHOUSE 23 June | 18:30 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY ORDINARY 22 June | 18:30 | CINE LUMIERE 24 June | 20:00 | STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE 26 June | 20:00 | WATERMANS 23 June | 17:15 | BFI SOUTHBANK LIVES

LIFF showcases independent films, which celebrate depictions of ordinary lives through fiction After its debut at Cannes this film has A compelling documentary set in An aspiring young actor, Anish, who and documentaries. been winning hearts and awards the Karachi. Three paramedics discuss is doubling as an amateur gigolo, gets world over. A wealthy young Indian their recurring nightmares sparked by caught up in a sticky situation. Anish’s This year we screen a man in Mumbai with baggage from their experiences at work: disturbing dire financial situation is pushing the past falls in love with his servant, a stories that haunt the first responders him to seek an escape, which he finds selection of films that widow who dreams of becoming a tailor. responsible for tending to violent events. with an anonymous wealthy female show glimpses of real As the two take baby steps towards As well their recollections, televised re- client. Called to her place one day for a life in the subcontinent each other, trust is of the essence. Sir enactments with victims, criminals and rendezvous, he turns up only to be met and Asian diaspora, explores the age-old divide between the medical personnel showcase scenarios with a surprise gift, ‘a murder’. He finds which are sometimes classes in India and wonders if it can ranging from the banal to the horrifying. himself framed for a crime he didn’t ever be bridged. Brilliant performances Alternating between reminiscence commit with a witness who is convinced hard, sometimes feel from Tillotama Shome (Manto) and and fiction, reality and imagination he is the culprit. Arishadvarga is a smart good, even comic, but Vivek Gomber (Court) offer a compelling Shehrezad Maher creates a powerful and and tense neo-noir thriller that will have always compelling. on screen chemistry in this charming impactful reflection on trauma and the you guessing who did it till the very end. romance. spectacle of violence in society.

Hindi, English, Marathi with English subtitles Urdu with English subtitles Kannada with English subtitles India/France 2018 | 99 Mins Pakistan/USA 2018 | 60 Mins India 2018 | 135 Mins

Director: Rohena Gera Director: Shehrezad Maher Director: Arvind Kamath With: Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber, With: Mahesh Bung, Sudha Belawadi, Avinash Geetanjali Kulkarni

Q&A with Director Rohena Gera Q&A with Director Shehrezad Maher Q&A with Director Arvind Kamath & Cast

28 29 INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE ENGLISH PREMIERE MY HOME INDIA KHANDHAR MARD KO DARD (RUINS) - RESTORED PRINT NAHIN HOTA (THE MAN WHO FEELS NO PAIN) 22 June | 18:00 | WATERMANS 25 June | 18:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE 25 June | 18:30 | LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS 21 June | 20:30 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE 27 June | 19:00 | POSK 22 June | 18:00 | CINEWORLD WEMBLEY 28 June | 18:30 | GENESIS

This inspirational documentary will have Legendary director Mrinal Sen passed Winner of the prestigious Midnight you in tears and every Indian glowing in December 2018. We mark his legacy Madness audience award at the Toronto with pride. The film essentially uncovers with a special screening of the restored International Film Festival, Mard Ko Dard one little-known story of unimaginable filmKhandhar . The film won India’s Nahin Hota is a breathtakingly original humanity, generosity and kindness. National film award for Best Direction, and imaginative film. Surya is born Towards the end of WW2 the Polish Best Actress and Best Editing and won with the rare condition of congenital ambassadorial team in Bombay, led by awards worldwide. In this magnificent insensitivity to pain. Often confined to the determined heroine Kira Banasinska and character ensemble a once wealthy four walls of his house to avoid physical supported by a local Maharaja, dispatched landowner Dipu (Pankaj Kapur) invites his injuries, under the tutelage of his eccentric a convoy of food relief thousands of miles friends Subhash (Naseeruddin Shah) and grandfather Abaja, Surya finds an escape to Soviet Siberian labour camps where Anil (Annu Kapoor) to his broken-down through 80s martial arts films on VHS. Polish women and children were starving. ancestral home in the country, where Inspired by what he sees Surya sets out To the British Raj’s surprise they returned they meet the impoverished caretaker to become a martial arts expert like his with 5,500 women and children who and his family including the intelligent hero, the one-legged Karate master, Mani. FOLLOW US ONLINE found refuge and welcome in India. Over dutiful daughter Jamini (Shabana Azmi), Combining fast-paced edge of your seat 70 years later a number of now elderly who was jilted by her ex-lover. Young action with delirious cinematic pop culture @LOVELIFF Polish people return to a town South of Jamini and Subhash form an understated references, Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota is an #LOVELIFF Mumbai where they were able to find but intense attraction, where the silences exhilarating crowd pleaser. safety and discover the joys of childhood. say more than words. /LONDONINDIANFILMFESTIVAL

English, Polish with English subtitles Hindi, English subtitles Hindi, English, Marathi, Malayalam with India/Poland 2019 | 45 Mins India 1984 | 106 Mins English subtitles India 2018 | 135 Mins Director: Anjali Bhushan Director: Mrinal Sen With: Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Director: Vasan Bala Annu Kapoor, Pankaj Kapur With: Abhimanyu Dasani, Radhika Madan, Gulshan Devaiah, Mahesh Manjrekar Q&A with Director Anjali Bhushan Special Guest Introduction

31 FILMMAKER CONVERSATIONS

ANURAG KASHYAP CHAI WITH CHADHA AN EVENING WITH SCREEN TALK RADHIKA APTE

28 June | 20:45 | BFI SOUTHBANK 22 June | 19:00 | PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL 23 June | 18:00 | CINEWORLD LEICESTER SQUARE

The Martin Scorsese of India. A rare Join us for a rare in-depth conversation Radhika Apte is that rarity - an Indian chance to hear the experiences of with the UK’s most prolific drama director actress who is equally successful across India’s most famed cult director. Anurag of Indian origin. Gurinder Chadha’s richly the independent, commercial and Kashyap is a unique talent and is India’s diverse career started with high-impact international sectors. She starred in box best-known filmmaker on the global shorts at the end of the 1980s followed office successes likePadman , Andhadhun festival circuit. His Netflix seriesSacred by her 1993 hit Bhaji On The Beach, and Kabali, shone in indies Parched, Phobia Games was a global smash hit and is which became an instant classic. Her and Bombairiya and made a global mark set for season 2. He flits across genres, mainstream mega hit was of course the with Lion, The Wedding Guest and The ranging from edgy, provocative fare like unforgettable Bend It Like Beckham, which Ashram. In addition, she won the Jury Dev. D, Ugly, Raman Raghav 2.0 to the like much of her scripts referenced a Award at the Tribeca Film Festival for her two-part Godfather-like rural gangland uniquely British Asian experience. Ahead bravura performance in Madly. She also epic Gangs Of Wasseypur, the political of releases of her much anticipated new has a cult following on Netflix, headlining punch of Gulaal and Black Friday, and the feature Blinded By The Light and new ITV the originals Ghoul, Lust Stories and unusual love stories Manmarziyaan and drama Beecham House, we find out what Sacred Games. Equally at home in both Mukkabaaz. Known for his outspoken drives and inspires this iconic talent. London and Mumbai, Apte is a vivacious nature, Kashyap pulls no punches on new-age artist whose acumen on the stage, and his deep insights on cinema are entertainment industry is sought after. valued around the world.

32 33 INDUSTRY Sunday 23 June | BFI Southbank

MEET THE LIFF FILMMAKERS Blue Room | 12:00 | Blue Room | 90’ LIFF is proud to welcome to the UK many Europe by coach and flight South Asian filmmakers - whether early, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Scandinavian Country, Baltics, mid, or established career professionals - to Russia, Turkey and Tours from 3 to 14 days... present the premieres of their films. This is an ideal opportunity to get up close and personal with these important and inspiring artists. Asia Tours Networking is encouraged! Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Sinagapore, China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Bali, Borneo...

Central & South America Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil with Amazon, Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia,Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, CHAI AND CHAT WITH Venezuela... THE LONDON FILM INDUSTRY Africa 17:00 | Blue Room | 90’ Kenya and Tanzania Safaris, South Africa with Mauritius, Egypt, Enjoy a cup or two of chai thanks to our friends Morocco, Zambia, Botswana, Uganda and Namibia... at Benugo during this informative extended panel and Q&A session with luminaries from Australasia & Middle East the British film industry, including funders, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Jordan, Dubai, UAE, Oman... distributors and producers.

Join us on a Worldwide Journey of Discovery

Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai sonatours CALL: 020 8951 0111 sonatours W: www.sonatours.co.uk

ABTA No.Y3020 E: [email protected]

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st_advert_A6_generic.indd 1 11/05/2019 16:13 VENUE BOOKINGS BARBICAN CINEWORLD FELTHAM LONDON SCHOOL OF Beech Street, Leisure West, Air Park Way, ECONOMICS & DETAILS London EC2Y 8AE Feltham, TW13 7LX Sheikh Zayed Theatre Barbican Feltam National Rail New Academic Building (0.3 miles / 6 mins walk) (0.1 miles / 2 min walk) 54 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London WC2A 3LJ Please book all BOOKINGS: 020 7638 8891 BOOKINGS: 0871 200 2000 Holborn www.barbican.org.uk www.cineworld.co.uk tickets directly (0.3 miles / 6 min walk) with venues. BOOKINGS: 020 7107 5330 See Bookings BERTHA DOCHOUSE CINEWORLD LEICESTER [email protected] contacts. Curzon Bloomsbury SQUARE The Brunswick Centre 5-6 Leicester Square, London WC1N 1AW London WC2H 7NA PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL Russell Square Corner of Great Windmill Street Leicester Square (0.3 miles / 6 min walk) & Shaftesbury Avenue (0.1 miles / 2 min walk) London W1D 7DH BOOKINGS: 0333 321 0104 BOOKINGS: 0871 200 2000 Piccadilly Circus www.dochouse.org www.cineworld.co.uk (0.1 miles / 3 min walk) BOOKINGS: 0871 902 5755 BFI SOUTHBANK CINEWORLD WEMBLEY (calls cost 13p per minute plus your Belvedere Road, telephone company’s access charge) Unit 107, London Designer Outlet South Bank www.picturehouses.com Wembley Park Boulevard [email protected] London SE1 8XT Middlesex HA9 0FD Waterloo Wembley Stadium (0.2 miles / 5 min walk) (Overground 0.1 miles / 3 min walk

BOOKINGS: 020 7928 3232 BOOKINGS: 0871 200 2000 www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank www.cineworld.co.uk

CINÉ LUMIÈRE GENESIS 17 Queensberry Place, London W1D 7DH 93-95 Mile End Rd South Kensington London E1 4UJ (0.1 miles / 3 min walk) Whitechapel BOOKINGS: 020 7871 3515 (0.4 miles / 8 min walk) www.institut-francais.org.uk/cine-lumiere Mile End [email protected] (0.8 miles / 17 min walk)

BOOKINGS: 020 7780 2000 www.genesiscinema.co.uk

36 37 VENUES (CONTINUED)

UK ImmigrVisas and ation PHOENIX CINEMA SOAS 52 High Road, East Finchley Khalili Lecture Theatre London N2 9PJ College Buildings, Russell Square East Finchley (0.2 miles / 5 min walk) Brunei Gallery Thornhaugh Street, BOOKINGS: 020 8444 6789 Russell Square, WC1H 0XG. www.phoenixcinema.co.uk [email protected] Russell Square (0.3 miles / 6 min walk) POLISH SOCIAL AND Online booking only. Please check LIFF website for details. CULTURAL ASSOCIATION (POSK) 238-246 King Street, UNIVERSITY OF Hammersmith, London W6 0RF WESTMINSTER Lecture Theatre G03 Hammersmith (12 mins / 0.6 miles) 4-12 Little Titchfield Street, BOOKINGS: www.posk.org London W1W 7BY Oxford Circus (0.3 miles / 6 min) STRATFORD Free event Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) approved for PICTUREHOUSE British Citizenship, Settlement and visa applications Salway Road, WATERMANS London E15 1BX 40 High St, Brentford TW8 0DS Citizenship, Settlement and Tier 1, 2 and 4 visas (B1–C1) Stratford (0.3 miles / 7 min walk) Kew Bridge Spouse/Partner visas (A1–B1) BOOKINGS: 0871 902 5740 (British Rail 0.6 miles / 11 min walk) ISE: Integrated Skills in English (calls cost 13p per minute plus your GESE: Graded Examinations in A contemporary four-skills telephone company’s access charge) BOOKINGS: 020 8232 1010 www.picturehouses.com www.watermans.org.uk Spoken English qualification [email protected] A speaking and listening A reading, writing, speaking and qualification listening exam A one-to-one conversation Completed in one day Provisional results on the same day Widely recognised by UK For updated information please check the LIFF website. universities www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk Book now at trinitySELT.co.uk or call us on 0333 358 3183

38 39 CELEBRATING ARTS AND IDEAS FROM ACROSS ASIA

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