 "The National Indian Film Festival of Australia to honour late filmmaker Shyam Benegal with a retrospective of his work")
The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) is celebrating Indian cinema, showcasing the vast and diverse landscape of films in all indian languages. In its first edition, the festival honors the legendary director Shyam Benegal with a retrospective of his influential body of work thanks to NFDC support.
The retrospective features some of his most celebrated films, including ‘Mammo’ starring Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri, Amit Phalke and Rajit Kapoor, ‘Suraj ka satvan Ghoda’ starring Pallavi Joshi, Rajit Kapoor and Raghubir Yadav, ‘The Making of Mahatma’ starring Rajit Kapoor and his last directorial ‘Mujib: making of a Nation’ based on life of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman who is also known as Father of Nation in Bangladesh.
This film festival, which runs until March 2nd, presents an exciting opportunity for film lovers to delve into the works of the legendary filmmaker, whose films have explored important themes of identity, history, and human emotions.
The festival is already creating waves with red carpet opening night ceremonies being hosted by Indian Consul Generals and the Indian High Commissioner opening the Canberra section. The festival is being received with warm reception all around Australia with Ministers, diginitaries, and celebrities supporting this much needed pioneering platform to engage with Indian cinema in Australia specially after a film coproduction treaty with India
Anupam Sharma, the Festival Director of NIFFA, remarks, “The National Indian Film Festival of Australia is not just about showcasing Bollywood, but it is an ode to the entire spectrum of Indian cinema. It’s about connecting people to the richness of our culture, our stories, and the voices that have shaped this vast and diverse country. With Shyam Benegal’s retrospective, we aim to give audiences a chance to experience his cinematic brilliance, which continues to influence filmmakers around the world."
The ongoing film festival, brings together over 35 world and Australian premieres of Indian films, encompassing a range of languages and genres. The film festival is taking place across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra.
With its focus on diversity, NIFFA 2025 proves to be a unique platform for celebrating the stories, histories, and cultures of India beyond the popular mainstream narratives. As the only national Indian film festival in Australia, NIFFA continues to push boundaries, offering an immersive cinematic experience that captivates audiences and sparks conversations about the global power of Indian cinema.
The festival’s partnership with major Indian and Australian institutions, including Dendy Cinemas, the Indian High Commission, Marriott Bonvoy, and SBS, further underscores its mission to promote the richness of Indian filmmaking to the world.
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