COLCOA 2017

21st Annual ColCoa French Film Festival in Los Angeles

COLOCA 2017 - CITY OF LIGHTS, CITY OF ANGELS

The Franco-American Cultural Fund announced today the program for the 21st COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL, which will run April 24-May 2 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. The event will showcase a record 82 films, television series and, for the first time, web series. 70 of these will be in competition for the COLCOA Awards, including several World, International, North American, and U.S. Premieres. COLCOA is now considered the largest festival dedicated to French films and series worldwide.

“COLCOA will reach a new level in 2017 with two new categories – a virtual reality program and web series competition - added to the Cinema, Television, and Shorts competitions,” stated François Truffart, COLCOA Executive Producer and Artistic Director. “These two new popular formats offer more opportunities to showcase the creativity of French producers and filmmakers as well as the diversity of French production. While entertainment is still the key word for the program, with a balanced mix of comedies and dramas, several topical issues will cover the program this year, including the environment, discrimination, racism, terrorism, and the role of the artist in society. More than ever, COLCOA will offer a unique opportunity to see these universal topics from different angles.”

COLCOA CINEMA

In addition to the Classic Series, which includes the previously announced Carte Blanche to Academy Award® winner Writer/Director Damien Chazelle and an homage to the legendary filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville, an exclusive lineup of 34 new features and documentaries will compete for the COLCOA CINEMA AWARDS, starting on April 24 with the North American Premiere of Academy Award®-winning Writer/Director Claude Lelouch’s Everyone’s Life (Chacun sa vie). Celebrating 50 years of cinema, this ensemble film offers a high profile cast of 50 French actors, including Johnny Hallyday and Academy Award® winner Jean-Dujardin.

The cinema competition will close on Tuesday, May 2, with the North American Premiere of Eric Lavaine’s new romantic comedy, You Choose (L'Embarras du choix), starring Alexandra Lamy.

The line-up mixes new features from established Writer/Directors, including: Marco Bellocchio (Sweet Dreams), Nicolas Boukhrief (The Confession), Stephane Brizet (A Woman’s Life), Bruno Dumont (Slack Bay), Lisa Azuelos (Dalida), Philippe Lioret (A Kid) Edouard Baer (Open at Night), Marie-Camille Mansion-Chaar (Heaven Will Wait), Hugo Gelin (Two is a Family), Philippe Lachaud (Alibi.com), and Dany Boon (R.A.I.D. Special Unit).

The festival will also present the work of newcomers such asWriter/Director Nicolas Bedos (Mr. & Mrs. Adelman), Writer/Director Grand Corps Malade and Director Mehdi Idir (Step by Step), Writer/Director Morgan Simon (Taste the Ink), Writer/Director Anne-Gaëlle Daval (Ladies), Writer/Director Emmanuel Courcol (Ceasefire), as well as Writer/Directors Ludovic and Zoran Boukherman (Willy 1).

Actors Patrick Bruel (A Bag of Marbles), Lambert Wilson (The Odyssey, Corporate), Alexandra Lamy (You Choose), Dora Tillier (Mr. & Mrs. Adelman), and Sveva Alviti (Dalida) will also be in attendance at the festival.

The popular COLCOA High School screening program will run for five days during the festival. More than 3,000 Southern California students and teachers are invited to attend free screenings and conversations, as well as participate in a student film critic contest. Celebrating its 10 year, this program is produced in partnership with ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America), with the support of AATF-SC (American Association of Teachers of French – Southern California).

Other exciting programs offered throughout the festival include: After 10 Series (April 25~29); COLCOA Classics (April 25~29); COLCOA.Doc (April 25~30); World Cinema Produced by France, including two French-Italian co-productions (April 26); Focus on a Filmmaker, dedicated to Writer/Director Stephane Brizé(April 27); Film Noir Series (April 28); French NeWave 2.0, exploring the work of a new generation of filmmakers (April 29); and the Happy Hour Talks, a series of panels presented in association with Variety (April 25~29) that is free to the general public. The final panel will be dedicated to the famous French film composer, Jean-Claude Petit, who will meet the audience on April 29.

COLCOA TELEVISION

In its third year, the TV competition expands with a very exclusive program of 11 World, North American, and U.S. Premieres, in association with TV France International and TITRAFILM. After the success of Call My Agent (Season 1) at COLCOA 2016 (winner of the Best TV Series Award and TV Series Audience Special Prize), the popular series about a talent agency in Paris will be back at the festival with the World Premiere of Season 2, presented in association with France TV Distribution, before its French broadcast.

This year's lineup offers several other high profile TV Series, including: the fantasy thriller Transfer (Season 1); thriller The Frozen Dead (Glacé) (Season 1); political thriller Baron Noir (Season 1); drama Manon 20 Years (mini series); comedy Beautiful Loser (Season 1); and thriller Midnight Sun (Season 1).

To round out COLCOA TELEVISION, the category will also include four recently awarded TV Dramas: Box 27, Plessis’ Girls, Nadia, and Marion Forever 13.

COLCOA WEB SERIES

As a symbol of the globalization of production and the venue of a new generation of producers and filmmakers, the web series has become a format in its own right for the industry, involving both independent and studio creators. COLCOA is proud to introduce, in association with TITRAFILM, its first competition of six programs to close the festival on May 2, including documentaries, fantasies, dramas, and comedies. Similar to the Short Film Competition, audience members will have access to free screenings of the competing web series and will vote for the COLCOA BEST WEB SERIES AWARDS. (See attached program.)

COLCOA VIRTUAL REALITY

For the first time at COLCOA, audience members will have the opportunity to attend the VR Corner at the festival during the weekend (April 29 from 11am-5 pm and April 30 from 12-6 pm), presented in association with SAMSUNG and the French Embassy in the U.S. Five films will be available to watch, offering a very eclectic program for all ages.

The complete recipient list of the 2017 Awards for the four competitions (Cinema, Television, Shorts, and Web series) will be announced on May 3, 2017 by the Franco-American Cultural Fund. For the tenth year, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) will partner with COLCOA Cinema for the Critics Awards.

This year, for the first time, a student jury will vote for the COLCOA AMERICAN STUDENTS AWARD, including Cinema and TV programs.

The COLCOA AWARDS are presented in association with KPCC-89.3, TITRAFILM, TV5 Monde USA, and AIR TAHITI NUI.

COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL is funded by the Franco-American Cultural Fund, a partnership of the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music, and the Writers Guild of America, West with the vital support of L’ARP (France’s Association of Authors, Directors, and Producers), the CNC, the Los Angeles Film and TV Office of the French Embassy, TV France International, and Unifrance.

COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL is sponsored by Air Tahiti Nui,Dailymotion.com, TV5MONDE, Variety (Official Sponsors); Airstar,KPCC 89.3,Barnstormer, Los Angeles Times (Premier Sponsors); Barnes International Realty,Club Culinaire of Southern California, ELMA,Gaumont, Indiewire, LA Weekly, Sunset Marquis,TITRAFILM (MajorSponsors); Alliance Française de Los Angeles,Champagne de L’Argentaine, Cinando, Gayot.com, Laemmle Theatres, Les Macarons Duverger, Marché du Film, Miraval Provence Wines, Office de Tourisme Epernay, Vineyard Brands (Platinum Sponsors); and, Cinelife, La Chouquette, Gitane Rhapsody, La Grenouille, J. Lohr, La Vieille Ferme, Lycée International Los Angeles, Famille Perrin, Rosenthal The Malibu Estate, Stem & Wine, Tix (Supporting Sponsors).

All screenings are in French with English subtitles or in English. Tickets are available for advance purchase online at www.colcoa.org until April 20 and during the festival at the COLCOA Box Office at the Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Please visit colcoa.org for box office hours. Ticket prices are $14 for adults (ages 22+); $11 tickets for seniors (62+), disabled, and members of American Cinematheque, ASC, ICG, Film Independent, SAG, and Women in Film; $5 for students and ages 21 and under. Tickets are complimentary for DGA and WGAW guild members. Several screenings and events are free on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reservation needed. Please visit www.colcoa.org for details.

COLCOA CINEMA 

A BAG OF MARBLES - Christian Duguay

A KID - Philippe Lioret

A TASTE OF INK - Morgan Simon

A WOMAN’S LIFE - Stéphane Brizé (Focus on a Filmmaker)

ALIBI.COM - Philippe Lacheau

ARÈS - Jean-Patrick Benes

CEASEFIRE - Emmanuel Courcol

CORPORATE - Nicolas Silhol

DALIDA - Lisa Azuelos

ELEMENTARY - Hélène Angel

EVERYONE’S LIFE - Claude Lelouch

HEAVEN WILL WAIT - Marie-Camille Mention-Schaar

HEDI - Mohamed Ben Attia

LADIES - Anne-Gaëlle Daval

LIKE CRAZY - Paolo Virzi

MR AND MRS ADELMAN - Nicolas Bedos

OPEN AT NIGHT - Edouard Baer

POLINA - Angelin Preljocaj

R.A.I.D. SPECIAL UNIT - Dany Boon

SLACK BAY - Bruno Dumont

STRUGGLE FOR LIFE - Antonin Peretjatko

SWEET DREAMS - Marco Bellocchio

THE CONFESSION - Nicolas Boukhrief

THE EAVESDROPPER - Thomas Kruithof

THE ODYSSEY - Jérôme Salle

TWO IS A FAMILY - Hugo Gélin

YOU CHOOSE - Eric Lavaine

STEP BY STEP - Grand Corps Malade & Mehdi Idir

TOUR DE FRANCE - Rachid Djaïdani

WILLY I - Hugo P. Thomas

DOCUMENTARIES

LATEST NEWS FROM THE COSMOS - Julie Bertuccelli

LITTLE GEMS - Xavier de Lauzanne

THE PARIS OPERA - Jean-Stéphane Bron

WHY DO THEY HATE US ? - Lucien Jean-Baptiste

CLASSIC FILMS (HORS COMPETITION)

A DAY IN A CLOWN’S LIFE - Jean-Pierre Melville (100th Birthday celebration)

FAREWELL BONAPARTE - Youssef Chahine

LE CERCLE ROUGE - Jean-Pierre Melville (100th Birthday celebration)

NOT HERE TO BE LOVED - Stéphane Brizé (Focus on a Filmmaker)

PLAYTIME - Jacques Tati

THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE - Léos Carax (Carte Blanche to Academy Award® winner Damien Chazelle)

COLCOA TELEVISION

TV DRAMAS

BOX 27 - Arnaud Sélignac

MARION FOREVER 13 - Bourlem Guerdjou

NADIA - Léa Fazer

PLESSIS’ GIRLS - Bénédicte Dumas

TV SERIES

BARON NOIR (S.1), directed by Ziad Doueiri, developped by Eric Benzekri, Jean-Baptiste Delafon

BEAUTIFUL LOSER (S.1) created and directed by Fréderic Rosset

CALL MY AGENT (S.2), directed by Laurent Tirard, created by par Fanny Herrero

MANON 20 YEARS (mini-séries) created and directed par Jean Xavier Delestrade

MIDNIGHT SUN (S.1) created and directed par Björn Stein & Måns Mårlind

THE FROZEN DEAD (S.1), directed by Laurent Herbiet, created by Gérard Carré, Pascal Chaumeil and Caroline Van Ruymbeke

TRANSFER (S.1) created and directed by Olivier Guignard et Antoine Charreyron

COLCOA WEBSERIES

AMNÊSIA written and directed by par Patrick de Ranter et Jérôme Fansten

DEEP, INTO THE HEART OF THE OCEAN directed by Jean–Francois Julian, created by Jean-Charles Felli & Pierre-Marie Losconi

LIFER written and directed by par Franck Khalfoun

T.A.N.K. written and directed par Samuel Bodin

TOUCHE FRANCAISE directed par Jean-François Tatin

URBAN JUNGLE réalisée par Nicolas Duval

COLCOA VIRTUAL REALITY (Writer/Director)

KINOSCOPE - Philippe A. Collin et Clément Leotard

ON SET : SLACK BAY - Fouzi Louahem

OUT OF THE BLUE - Sophie Ansel

I PHILIP - Pierre Zandrowicz

SERGEANT JAMES - Alexandre Perez

COLCOA SHORTS (writer/director)

ANGER - Kahina Hasnoun

AT HOME - François Raffenaud

BASED ON A TRUE STORY - Cédric Prevost

BIRTH OF A LEADER - Antoine de Bary

BLUE LIKE THE SEE - Sarah-Laure Estragnat

CHASSE ROYALE réalisé par Romane Gueret, Lise Akoka

GARDEN PARTY réalisé par: Florian Babikian, Vincent Bayoux, Victor Caire, Théophile Dufresne, Gabriel Grapperon, Lucas Navarro

LAW OF LAMB - Lotfi Achour

LEAD IN THE HEAD - par Aurore Peuffier

LUNCH BREAK - Bastien Bernini

PANTHEON DISCOUNT réalisé par Stéphane Castang

RESISTANCE - Anna Ledanois, Quentin Foulon, Juliette JeanClaude, Julie Narat, Fabien Glasse, Alex Chauvet

ROSE & POENY réalisé par Sebastien Azzopardi

THANK YOU MISTER IMADA - Sylvain Chomet

THE FISHERMAN AND THE BUSINESSMAN - Simon François

THE LAST DATE réalisé par Thibaud Lomenech

THE STRANGER - Jérémie Guez

UNLEAVENED BREAD - Wilfried Méance

WHAT TEARS US APART - Wei Hu

WILD HOPE - Audrey Bauduin

COLCOA 2017 - DOC SERIES

2017 COLCOA.DOC SERIES

Directors Guild of America Theatre on 7920 W. Sunset Blvd.

About 100 documentaries are released in theaters in France every year. COLCOA is proud to introduce in Hollywood four high-profile new French films, in competition for the 2017 COLCOA Best Documentary Award chosen by the audience. This line-up reflects the dynamism and the diversity of current documentary production in France.

The COLCOA.DOC SERIES will premiere from Tuesday April 25 to Sunday April 30.

 

Tuesday, April 25 at 5:10 PM

THE PARIS OPERA (2017, L’Opéra), written and directed by Jean-Stéphane Bron (West Coast Premiere).  Presented in association with Film Movement, to be released in 2017.
 

The Paris Opera is not so much a peek behind the curtain of a French cultural institution as it is a peek on stage from behind the curtain. For a period of nearly two years, documentarian Jean-Stéphane Bron was given unprecedented access to both the creative and administrative machinery that runs the prestigious venue. Casting a lighter eye on the seriousness that is associated with the Paris Opera, this portrait of a close-knit creative community follows an impressive array of storylines, including the challenges facing newly appointed general director Stéphane Lissner, the growing pains of Russian newcomer Mikhail Timeshenko, , casting a live bull for Schoenberg's Moses and Aaron, and a national labor strike that leads to some white-knuckle performances. In an increasingly fragmented world, this is a backstage pass to a universe where passionate, talented individuals come together for the common goal of staging a great work of art.
 

Thursday, April 27 at 5:20 PM

LITTLE GEMS (2016, Les Pépites), written and directed by Xavier de Lauzanne (North American Premiere). Presented in association with Lucky You.
 

This uplifting documentary celebrates the humanitarian work of a humble French couple that dedicated their retirement years to bettering the lives of Cambodia’s garbage-dump children. Christian and Marie-France des Pallières are an unlikely  pair of heroes. In the 1990s, they came upon an apocalyptic scene of ragged children trawling through a heaving landscape of junk, filth, and toxic waste trying to scavenge anything of value. These latter day ragpickers, some as young as four, exist on the edge of Cambodian society, with no access to education, medicine, or even decent food. Many of them were sold by their parents, abused, raped.  The couple settled in Cambodia, determined to make a difference in the lives of these “gems.” Christian, a jovial man of aristocratic heritage, was soon spending his days at the dump, building shelters, and most importantly, a school. Over the next two decades, their foundation, PSE (For a Child’s Smile), would salvage thousands from a bleak future.
 

Saturday, April 29 at 4 PM

LATEST NEWS FROM THE COSMOS (2016, Dernières Nouvelles du Cosmos), written and directed by Julie Bertuccelli (Special Preview Presentation). Presented in Association with Icarus Films.
 

At the age of 8, Hélène Nicolas was diagnosed with severe autism and placed in an institution. But this 2017 Best Documentary César-nominated film is not about disability, but rather the discovery of a special ability. Dissatisfied with Hélène’s progress, her mother Véronique quits her job so that she can devote herself full time to Hélène’s care. Up to this point Hélène had been completely unable to communicate, but Véronique is astonished to discover that Hélène is able to place letters in a sequence, like a scrabble game, in order to make words. Not only that, but Hélène has a gift for language, creating surreal and playful poems with wit and insight. In the decade since Véronique made the discovery, Hélène has fashioned an alter ego for herself, called Babouillec and published several books of poetry. These works, adapted to the stage for the prestigious Avignon International Theater Festival, are a window into a mischievous mind reveling in a liberated inner world, yet capable of striking observations about the outer world. While Hélène’s creative process is explored, it’s the glimpses of her relationship with her patient and dedicated mother that touch us most.

Sunday, April 30 at 1:20 PM

WHY DO THEY HATE US?  (2016, Pourquoi nous détestent-ils?), written and directed by Lucien Jean-Baptiste, Amelle Chahbi, Alexandre Amiel (International Premiere).

This three-part documentary takes an unflinching look at racism against blacks, Arabs, and Jews in France. Told from the perspective of three different directors, the films reflect their personal experiences with racism. Assembling remarkable archive material, testimonials from experts and journalists, as well as opinions from the far right, the trilogy aims to deconstruct the mechanisms of racist and anti-Semitic thought. In part one, comedian and actress Amelle Chahbi looks at the Maghrebian community in Paris to see if Arab integration is working, or if the situation worsened as she grew up. In part two, actor/writer/director Lucien Jean-Baptiste investigates how blacks are represented in French society with anthropologist Gilles Boëtsch, former soccer champion Lilian Thuram, who has taken former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to task for racist remarks, and right wing radio’s Henry de Lesquen, who wants to ban what he calls “negro music.” Part three follows journalist and producer Alexandre Amiel as he meets with the head of an anti-Semitic newspaper in an attempt to understand the resurgence of Jewish prejudice in the wake of the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo.

COLCOA 2017 - CLASSICS

2017 COLCOA CLASSICS

Directors Guild of America Theatre on 7920 W. Sunset Blvd.

Start your day at COLCOA with a free and very exclusive program of digitally restored French favorites. The COLCOA Classics Series will run from Tuesday April 25 to Saturday April 29.

COLCOA offers a unique opportunity to rediscover French masterpieces on the big screen, some rarely shown in the United States, some shown for the first time in a digitally restored version. All films are in English or presented with English subtitles. This program is free of charge with no reservation needed (on a first come first served basis.)

Wednesday, April 26 at 1:30 PM

CARTE BLANCHE TO WRITER/DIRECTOR DAMIEN CHAZELLE

Academy Award® winner Damien Chazelle has been given Carte Blanche by the festival to present a French film that has influenced his cinematic work.  As a mirror to his tribute to the City of Angels in LA LA LAND, the filmmaker has chosen the City of Light homage, Leos Carax’s THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE (1991, Les Amants du Pont-Neuf), starring Academy Award® winner Juliette Binoche and Denis Lavant. This Carte Blanche will be presented in association with Rialto Pictures, with the support of the French Embassy in the U.S. and l’Institut Français. 
 

Thursday, April 27 at 2 PM 

SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF NOT HERE TO BE LOVED 
 

COLCOA will honor writer-director Stéphane Brizé with a special presentation of NOT HERE TO BE LOVED (2005, Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé), starring Patrick Chesnais, Anne Consigny, and George Wilson.  This film had its U.S. Premiere at COLCOA in 2006.

The Festival will also host the West Coast Premiere of Brizé’s new film A WOMAN’S LIFE (UNE VIE), based on the Guy de Maupassant novel and starring Judith Chemla; this winner of the International Federation of Film Critics’ Award at the Venice Festival will be released in the U.S. later this year by Kino Lorber.  Stéphane Brizé joins the exclusive list of those honored at COLCOA, including filmmakers Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Michel Hazanavicius, Cédric Klapisch, Bertrand Blier, Costa-Gavras, and Alain Resnais.

Stéphane Brizé will also meet the audience for a Happy Hour Talk dedicated to his work.  This Focus is presented with the support of TS Productions, Doc & Film International, Unifrance and Kino Lorber Films.
 

Friday, April 28 at 1:20 PM

JEAN-PIERRE MELVILLE’S 100th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION - LE CERCLE ROUGE

The Festival is proud to present the world premiere of the newly digitally restored ONE DAY IN A CLOWN’S LIFE, the very first film written and directed by iconic filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville.  This 18-minute documentary/fiction movie made in 1946 will premiere during COLCOA’s opening night, and later in the Festival before a special presentation of LE CERCLE ROUGE (1970), starring Alain Delon, Bourvil, and Yves Montand.

Jean-Pierre Melville’s 100th anniversary is presented in association with the Jean-Pierre Melville Foundation, Rialto Pictures, the French Embassy in the United States, l’Institut Français, and Les Films du Jeudi.
 

Tuesday, April 25 at 1:25 PM

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE OF THE DIGITALLY RESTORED FAREWELL BONAPARTE

COLCOA is pleased to present, in association with the Franco-American Cultural Fund and TF1 Studio, an International Premiere of FAREWELL BONAPARTE (1985, Adieu Bonaparte), the beautifully restored historical fresco from Egypt’s most celebrated filmmaker, Youssef Chahine.  The film stars Michel Piccoli and Patrice Chereau in the role of Bonaparte, and takes place during the French Occupation of Egypt (1797-1803), depicting the conflict between tradition and modernization in the context of fighting the French invaders.  The stunning film paints a prophetic picture of Egypt’s strained relationship with the west.
 

Saturday, April 29 at 10:50 AM

50th ANNIVERSARY OF JACQUES TATI’S PLAYTIME        

This restored version of Jacques Tati’s most inventive and ambitious film, PLAYTIME (1967), will have a special presentation at the festival to celebrate its 50th anniversary. A satire of urbanization and probably his most ambitious production, PLAYTIME confirms Tati as one of the greatest comic talent, as well as a true visionary.  The film will be presented in association with Janus Films, Criterion, and Les Films de Mon Oncle.

IFFLA 2017

15th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles
APRIL 5-9, 2017 - Regal LA Live in Downtown LA

Wednesday, April 5 at 7:30 pm - Opening Night Gala

LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA - 116 min

Director Alankrita Shrivastava won the Spirit of Asia award at the Tokyo International Film Festival with this ambitious narrative set in Bhopal. Rehana is the titular burkha wearer who sings at open mics in defiance of her father’s warnings; Shirin is a superstar saleswoman, but must keep this triumph a secret from her faithless husband; Leela is trying to juggle a Muslim lover, a Hindu fiancé and her dream career as a bridal consultant; and Auntie Usha secretly reads racy novels and lusts after her swimming instructor. Two of the women are Hindu, two are Muslim, but all their stories come together when they attempt to challenge the sexual and social norms of Indian patriarchy.

Thursday, April 6 at 7:00 pm

MACHINES - 71 min

In the bowels of a textile mill in Surat, Gujarat, machines churn out reams of fabric, powered not only by electricity but the toil of human labor. In his debut feature, Rahul Jain gains almost unlimited access to the dehumanizing world of textile production that recalls another era but is happening today. We meet some of the mill’s many workers who are keenly aware of their exploitation, working gruelling daily shifts for minimal wages that barely cover their own basic living expenses, to say nothing of supporting their distant families. Still the work continues, never ending.

Thursday, April 6 at 7:15 pm

AN INDIAN ACCENT: AN EVENING WITH ZAKIR HUSSAIN AND ZANE DALAL

IFFLA is honored to welcome legendary tabla maestro Zakir Hussain to the festival, joined by Zane Dalal, the Associate Music Director of the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI). The two distinguished gentlemen will present a screening of the documentary AN INDIAN ACCENT, directed by Sumantra Ghosal, which chronicles their collaboration within the SOI on Hussain’s composition Peshkar, a brilliant orchestra concerto lead by Hussain on his signature instrument, the tabla.

Thursday, April 6 at 9:00 pm

ONCE AGAIN - 121 min

Dileep gives a staggering performance as an earnest family man who can’t catch a break. But when a stroke of good luck reveals a hidden side to his personality, it’s the people who love him who have to face the consequences.Veteran Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan made a welcome return to the festival circuit at the Toronto International Film Festival last year with his new gripping drama ONCE AGAIN.

Friday, April 7 at 7:00 pm

TRAPPED - 101 min

Shaurya is in urgent need of a new apartment.  He’s just made an impulsive marriage proposal, the clock is ticking and the tiny flat he shares with half a dozen layabouts is not suitable for his hopeful bride-to-be. When he’s offered an affordable place in an otherwise abandoned Mumbai high-rise, he jumps at the chance, never mind the spotty access to running water and electricity.  But on his first morning, he manages to lock himself inside due to a faulty door and misplaced keys.  With the power out, the faucets running dry and no one around to hear Saurya’s screams for help, what at first seems like a minor setback quickly escalates into a desperate fight for survival.

Friday, April 7 at 7:15 pm

SHORTS PROGRAM 1

Friday, April 7 at 9:15 pm

THE CINEMA TRAVELLERS - 96 min

For decades, traveling tent cinemas have been bringing films to rural audiences across India. However with the explosion of digital technology and individual screens of all kinds, these communal social events are near extinction. In Maharashtra, two exhibitors, one relatively new to the business and the other a veteran, worry what will become of their occupation. Meanwhile, Prakash, a repairman of the projectors that generations of filmgoers have relied on, is close to realizing his dream invention of a reliable, self-oiling film projector, but who will want it?

Friday, April 7 at 9:35 pm

CHRONICLES OF HARI - 105 min

Set in the lush coastal regions of Karnataka, first-time director Ananya Kasaravalli’s CHRONICLES OF HARI delves into the unique, ornate world of traditional Yakshagana theater and finds within it a sensitive, compassionate portrayal of a man troubled by questions of tradition and identity. In this story co-written with Ananya’s father, parallel cinema pioneer Girish Kasaravalli, Hari, a renowned actor who performs the female roles in his all-male acting troupe, finds himself holding on to certain female-associated traits once his lavish costumes and makeup are removed. He prefers to wear a sari, his delicate features are a stark contrast from the other men in the village, and when potential female companions approach he’s at a loss how to behave.

Saturday, April 8 at 12:00 pm

FILMMAKER ROUNDTABLE

Saturday, April 8 at 1:30 pm

SHORTS PROGRAM 2

Saturday, April 8 at 2:00 pm

THE GOLDEN WING - 86 min

Set among the breathtaking landscapes of Western Assam, Bobby Sarma Baruah’s second feature foregoes the traditional structure of the all-too-common biopic to deliver an enchanting, positively gorgeous portrayal of the life of Pratima Baruah Pandey. Born to royalty in 1935, Pandey found her passion in the folk songs performed by the working people of her region, rather than in the life of marriage and domesticity expected of a woman of her circumstance. She forsook tradition by dedicating her life to learning these songs – usually sung by boatmen and buffalo herders – and sharing them with the world.

Saturday, April 8 at 4:15 pm

SOMETIMES (SILA SAMAYANGALIL) - 101 min

In a nondescript waiting room at a medical clinic, a group of strangers waits for test results. Everyone is desperate not to admit what they have tested for: HIV. As they grow frustrated with the reality that they will have to wait until the end of the day to receive results, they come up with the idea to bribe the receptionist, who is dealing with her own personal problems and desperate for the money. She comes back with the news that only serves to make the wait more tortuous.

Saturday, April 8 at 4:30 pm

INCOMPLETE - 120 min

Set in a lush, breathtaking mountain region of West Bengal, celebrated filmmaker Suman Mukhopadhyay’s latest triumph boasts a rich, vividly portrayed ensemble of characters and an intricate, unpredictable story with the resonance of a great novel. Indrajit (played by the consistently stellar Ritwick Chakraborty) is an intelligent if indecisive man of 35 on holiday from Kolkata to visit his old college friend Moloy. He arrives to find Moloy constantly battling with his neglected wife Tuki, a formidable woman seeking elsewhere for the tenderness she fails to receive at home. In town, Indrajit comes across a familiar man whose insistence that they’ve never met before clearly masks an intriguing secret. Then, Indrajit runs into an old lover and her jealous husband, setting the stage for some fierce confrontation.

Saturday, April 8 at 7:00 pm

AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN - 96 min

When the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party – led by the polarizing political firebrand Arvind Kejriwal — challenged India’s long-dominant two party system in the 2013 Delhi state elections, expectations for victory were not high. Rooted in principles of anti-corruption and working class justice, the AAP faced the scorn of the political establishment, the indifference of the media and the growing pains of a new, revolutionary ideology struggling to remain pure through infighting, accusations and possible violent sabotage.

Saturday, April 8 at 9:15 pm

SEXY DURGA - 85 min

When it won the prestigious Tiger award at Rotterdam this year, the critical responses to SEXY DURGA were both squeamish and rapturous. Was Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s road movie about star-crossed lovers unrelentingly provocative, or a masterly exposure of the vulnerability of women in Indian society to exploitation that masquerades as chivalry? The answer is: it’s both.

Saturday, April 8 at 9:30 pm

LADY OF THE LAKE - 71 min

Beginning with the breathtaking opening shot, filmmaker Haobam Paban Kumar introduces us to a unique culture on a scale that is both intimate and panoramic. In the state of Manipur in northern India, families of fisherman live on small islands of biomass called phumdis floating on Lake Loktak. In 2011, citing pollution concerns, government authorities forcibly displaced inhabitants and burned their homes.

Sunday, April 9 at 1:00 pm

A BILLION COLOUR STORY - 104 min

11-year-old Hari Aziz lives a blissful life in Mumbai with his parents, a pair of Bohemian filmmakers whose optimistic views have been embedded into their son’s DNA. Hari approaches the world with refreshing openness and curiosity, but soon the social realities of a country in crisis pose a challenge to his family’s gentle existence. Financial hardships force the family to move out of their beloved house, and Hari’s mom and dad – a Hindu woman and a Muslim man, neither one particularly observant – face a sort of religious intolerance from both sides that they had long hoped would disappear from India.

Sunday, April 9 at 1:30 pm

CHUTNEY POPCORN - 92 min

Sunday, April 9 at 3:45 pm

A DEATH IN THE GUNJ - 104 min

Celebrated actress Konkona Sen Sharma steps behind the camera for an electrifying directorial debut with A DEATH IN THE GUNJ. Set in 1979, a wealthy family arrives at their vacation home in the Anglo-Indian town of McCluskiegunj. Several generations have gathered for an idyllic week of relaxation, games, sun-bathing and merriment, but tension soon arises when young Shutu – a college student taking an abrupt break from his studies – begins to bear the brunt of his relatives’ barely-masked disdain and superiority.

Sunday, April 9 at 7:00 pm - Closing Night Gala

HOTEL SALVATION - 103 min

After a prophetic dream, 77-year old Daya (Lalit Behl) announces to his family his time has come and he wishes to travel to the holy city of Varanasi to die there. The task to accompany his father falls to his dutiful son Rajiv (Adil Hussain), who is nearly overwhelmed by the stress of his job and the upcoming marriage of his daughter. In Varanasi, they check into the Hotel Salvation, where guests wait for the end of their lives. Once there though, Daya seems to be reinvigorated, and lifelong conflicts and feelings between father and son reemerge.