MeraTango presents 2 ND EDITION JUNE 13–17, 2018 Rideau Canal & Cycling Paths National Gallery of Canada Welcome to the Ottawa Indian Film Festival. While in Ottawa, take time to explore our beautiful city, its national landmarks, sites, museums and Parliament Hill celebrations–all of which tell the stories of Canada. OTTAWATOURISM.CA MeraTango presents 2 ND EDITION JUNE 13–17, 2018 MeraTango presents 2 ND EDITION JUNE 13–17, 2018 ABOUT OIFFA Building its reputation as the place to be in Ottawa for all things India, OIFFA is the National Capital’s and Eastern Canada’s preeminent festival dedicated The place to be in Ottawa to Indian cinema. Now in its second year, the event is for all things India! dedicated to cultivating an audience for Indian cinema FOR TICKETS & TICKET INFORMATION and Indian culture in Ottawa. It showcases Indian films, oifa.com supports Indian filmmakers and promotes the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora. A five-day competitive showcase of multi-genre Indian films, the Festival hosts a number of participating filmmakers as well as a roster of events, which include special screenings, contests and a Meet & Greet session as well as an Indian extravaganza with Indian food, music and dance hosted in the popular Festival space OIFFA City. OIFFA also serves as a springboard for Indian cinema in the National Capital throughout the year, with regular screenings of the most interesting current films from India and the Indian community. 2 A MESSAGE FROM OIFFA’S ORGANIZATION Organizing a film festival is a monumental task, there’s no denying it. But it’s also a deeply gratifying experience because one gets to open people’s minds to new cultures and new visions of cinema. For us, at OIFFA, it’s a unique opportunity to ofer a glimpse at Indian society’s thousands of facets through its incredibly diverse and vibrant cinema, beyond the Bollywood spectacles that constitute almost the only thing that Western audiences know about it. India is the world’s largest producer of movies. OIFFA considers it its mission to bring Ottawa audiences the best that current Indian cinema has to ofer—all of Indian cinema, from East to West, North to South, from Delhi to Rajasthan, but also from filmmakers of the Indian diaspora around the world. We are also very proud to showcase a remarkable number of works from first-time feature filmmakers as well as female directors, producers and artisans. Our 2018 programme truly ofers a varied and eye-opening lineup made up of true discoveries for the Ottawa Indian community and greater public. Indian culture and cinema are our passion and it’s our pleasure to share it with you. We have worked hard over the past year towards this goal and we’re excited about bringing OIFFA’s second edition to you today. We thank our amazing team, devoted volunteers, great community partners, passionate filmmakers, wonderful sponsors and all of you, Ottawa film lovers, for coming to see these fantastic films we have chosen for you. Enjoy every second of the Festival! OIFFA is here to stay. Inderpreet Singh Executive Director and Director of Programming 3 MAYOR OF THE CITY OF OTTAWA On behalf of Members of Ottawa City Council, it is my distinct pleasure to extend a warm welcome to all those participating in the 2nd annual OTTAWA INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS, taking place from June 13th to 17th 2018. OIFFA has distinguished itself as our city’s and Eastern Canada’s premier festival awards gala of Indian cinema, shining the spotlight on Indian feature films, documentaries and short films representing a variety of genres and a diversity of Indian actors, filmmakers, producers and distributors, including artists from the Indian diaspora. This spectacular five-day festival awards extravaganza will also host the inaugural Bollywood Poster Competition and 1st ofcial Canadian Short Film Competition. As Head of Council, I want to acknowledge the team behind OIFFA, along with the artists and industry stakeholders for dedicating eforts, talents, expertise and resources to the successful organization of this marvellous cinematic celebration of Indian culture. Allow me to convey my best wishes to everyone in attendance for a rewarding experience and entertaining event. Jim Watson Mayor 4 HIGH COMMISSIONER OF INDIA I am delighted to learn that OIFFA is returning to Ottawa for its second edition. The Indian film industry has made a global mark with the quality of its films which appeal to film-lovers across the world, breaking boundaries of language and cultures. OIFFA, by recognizing the best of Indian cinema, is making an important contribution to spreading awareness of Indian cinema in Canada. I wish OIFFA all success and hope that the second edition will enable cine-goers in the Ottawa region to sample some of the latest quality releases from India. Vikas Swarup High Commissioner 5 MeraTango presents 2 ND EDITION JUNE 13–17, 2018 The place to be in Ottawa for all things India! CONTACT oifa.com • info"@"oifa.com @"OIFFA_2018 OIFFA 2018 LOCATIONS Cineplex Cinemas Lansdowne & VIP 325 Marché Way, Unit 107, Ottawa OIFFA City Aberdeen Square, Lansdowne Park (in front of Cineplex Cinemas) TICKETS General Admission: $13 Taxes and service fees extra Single tickets may be purchased in person at the Box Ofce (opens one hour before the first screening of the day). Based on availability. For guidelines regarding tickets and all other ticket and passes information, please go to oifa.com or write to tickets""@"oifa.com 6 SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 SCREEN A 7 pm • Love and Shukla#* Opening Film 9 pm • Limitless#* SCREEN B 7 pm • Garden of Desire (Aedan)#* 9:20 pm • To Let#* THURSDAY, JUNE 14 SCREEN A 7 pm • The Lottery (Chumbak)#* 9:15 pm • Bhasmasur#* SCREEN B 6:50 pm • With This Ring$Special Screening 8:40 pm • W/O Ram#* FRIDAY, JUNE 15 SCREEN A 4 pm • Three and a Half (Teen Aur Aadha)#* SCREEN B 4 pm • In the Shadows (Gali Guliyaan)$Festival Centrepiece OIFFA 6:30 pm • Indian extravaganza CITY Indian food, Bollywood music & dance ** SATURDAY, JUNE 16 SCREEN A 10 am • Short Film Program#* Beloved (Jaan Jigar), The Homestay, Mother (Amma, Meri), Please Don’t Call the Cops, Sound Proof SCREEN B 9:50 am • DHH#* SCREEN C 11 am • The Death Feast (Mrityubhoj)#* SCREEN D 10 am • 48-Hour Short Film Challenge Screening OIFFA 2:30 pm • Bollywood Poster Competition for Youths CITY (in the OIFFA City tent) ** 5:30 pm • Indian extravaganza Indian food, Bollywood music & dance 6:30 pm • Meet & Greet with Festival Guests including YouTuber Rupan Bal SUNDAY, JUNE 17 SCREEN A 10:15 am • Seeking Happily-Ever-After (Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain)#* Closing Film * Films in Competition ** FREE Screening times may change. For latest information, check our website: oifa.com 7 OFFICIAL COMPETITION JURY Matt Holland André Lavoie Matt Holland is an actor, screenwriter, story After completing a Master’s Degree in Film Studies editor and script consultant from Montreal. His at University of Montréal, André Lavoie began his writing credits include short films (Drop Of, career as a freelance writer, which he has been Whistleblowers Anonymous), episodic television pursuing for the past 25 years. A film buf since his (Moose TV) and feature film Gone Dark (aka teenage years, he published his first film reviews in The Limit). Matt has also worked extensively as Ciné-Bulles magazine and, in 1998, became a film a development executive, serving as a television critic for Montreal-based newspaper Le Devoir. He content analyst for Telefilm Canada and as a is a regular contributor to various other publications development and production manager for the as well, such as Coup de pouce, Sélection du CTV network. A Communication and Creative Reader’s Digest and the Radio-Canada radio Writing graduate of Concordia University, he show Aujourd’hui l’histoire. A two-time winner at also graduated from both the Writers’ Lab and Les Grands Prix du Journalisme Indépendant, in the Professional Screenwriting Program at The Québec, for Best Opinion Piece in 2011 and Best Canadian Film Centre (Toronto). Matt has a special Cultural Review in 2012, André has also worked as a connection to Ottawa, as co-creator/co-writer of curator for diferent retrospectives about journalism the comedy series Toi & Moi, a project he undertook and film at La Cinémathèque Québécoise. In with his wife and fellow writer, Margaret McBrearty. addition, he hosts panels and debates after A Québec-Ontario co-production, Toi & Moi was documentary film screenings at various shot in and around Ottawa, and ran for three cultural centres across Montreal. seasons on Ici Radio-Canada and ARTV. Marie Claude Mirandette A graduate in Fashion Design (college degree), Art History (Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees) and Film Studies (Certificate and Master’s Degree), Marie Claude Mirandette has worked as a curator for the Graphic Arts division at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1994-1999) and she has been an exhibition curator since 1999. She teaches Film and Art History in college and contributes to numerous publications. From 1999 to 2005, she wrote regularly for Le Devoir newspaper (literature and visual arts sections). A collaborator of Ciné-Bulles magazine since 2002 both as a film critic and an editorial assistant, she is also a regular contributor to Vie des Arts, Etc. Média and The Print Quarterly (a London-based academic journal about engraving). Her main areas of interest are interartiality (the meeting point of film, visual arts and theater), animation film and puppetry, as well as French and Canadian engraving. 8 OFFICIAL COMPETITION FEATURES Opening Film: Love and Shukla ........................................10 Closing Film: Seeking Happily-Ever-After (Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain) .................................................11 Bhasmasur ..........................................................................