Editor

The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) will introduce a new film series this year, BOLLYWOOD BY NIGHT to be presented by LA Weekly, highlighting some of the most popular Bollywood films, including the 20 year anniversary screening of Shekhar Kapur’s MR. INDIA, it was announced by Festival Director Christina Marouda. The 2007 Festival will also be introducing for the first time IFFLA EcoVision presented by e2e Analytix, a program that aims to spread ecological awareness and to celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 22 by showcasing a film on sustainability, utilizing eco-friendly products and processes, and working with eco-conscious non-profit organizations. Yogi Times is the sponsor for IFFLA’s Eco-Vision program.

Jury Members this year will include producer MARY SWEENEY (“Blue Velvet,” “Twin Peaks”), actor RAVI KAPOOR (“Crossing Jordan”) and HFPA member MEHER TATNA.

Celebrating its 5th Anniversary, IFFLA has firmly established itself as the first and largest film festival in North America dedicated entirely to presenting the cinema of India by showcasing films by Indian and international filmmakers that cross boundaries to tell compelling stories of a global perspective. The six-day festival is set to open on Tuesday, April 17 at ArcLight Hollywood with the LA Premiere of Jag Mundhra’s PROVOKED, distributed by Eros Entertainment, and close with Rajnesh Domalpalli’s VANAJA from Emerging Pictures on Sunday, April 22.

"Even in the last year, there has been a tremendous growth and awareness of Indian cinema in the US, and with the addition of the Bollywood By Night series and the Deepti Naval Tribute, we are able to offer a diverse program. This year’s lineup reflects that with the participation of films from 8 different countries in 8 different languages” commented IFFLA Festival Director Christina Marouda on making the announcement.

The 2007 line up will showcase 36 films (13 features, 8 documentaries and 15 shorts) and will include three world premieres, 11 US premieres and 16 LA premieres.

Known for discovering and supporting emerging filmmakers, IFFLA also gives voice to emerging filmmakers that would normally go unnoticed such as the US premiere of Anish S. Ahluwalia’s ARE YOU THERE? (KYA TUM HO) about a lonely housewife, a university professor and an internet café owner trying to overcome their past; and the US premiere of Mridul Toosidass and Vinay Subramanian’s MISSED CALL about a filmmaker who lives his life through his camera, which is threatened when he finds love.

This year’s documentaries bring another perceptive on world politics and the impact current events are having as highlighted in such documentaries as the world premiere of ARE YOU ALRIGHT AFGHANISTAN? from Indian filmmaker Soumitra Ranade who having grown up in Afghanistan, returns to this country twenty-six years later with a camera; and the LA premiere of DIVIDED WE FALL: AMERICANS IN THE AFTERMATH as filmmaker Sharat Raju follows a Sikh American who drives across America after 9/11.

Tickets are now on sale at ArcLight Hollywood’s box office located at 6360 W. Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, and online at www.arclightcinemas.com.

For more information on IFFLA, please go to www.indianfilmfestival.org.