Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know Indie Film Festival Awards Kicks Off Four-Day Festival With High Profile Opening Ceremony T he Indie Film Festival Awards, IFFA, a non-profit organization, held its opening ceremony June 2, at Quad Cinema in Manhattan, to launch its first 4-day festival of independent films ranging from features to shorts. The Festival was inaugurated by India’s Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Ramdas Athawale, NewYork City Mayor Eric Adams, Prasar Bharati Chair- man Navneet Kumar Sehgal, Consul General of India in NewYork Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, and Founder of IFFA Mukesh Modi. Another guest of honor was actor and pro- ducer JeffWallner. The event was emceed by ITV Gold host Jyoti Kachroo. Modi, a recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Foun- dation Award, described the Festival as an international celebration dedicated to independent filmmakers. IFFA aims at recognizing, empowering, and promoting the cre- ative excellence of indie filmmakers from across the globe. A ribbon-cutting ceremony jump-started the event. Speakers at the opening ceremony of Speakers praised the efforts made to establish IFFA, and the choice of films and shorts that distinguish this festival from others. The festival received 115 submissions from over 20 countries, with more than 50 films selected for theatrical screenings. “Behind the scenes, our diverse team of in- dustry professionals, film enthusiasts, and creative minds unite to curate an unforgettable film festival experience,” the website of IFFA says. “Our goal is to give indie filmmakers a platform to shine,” says Modi. “IFFA is here to make sure their voices are heard, their films are seen, and their efforts are cel- ebrated with pride.” The festival team includes Founder and Director Muke- sh Modi, Vice President Sudha Deora, Secretary Yash Modi, Programming Director Ivan Rana, and Festival Manager Manish Sinha. The ‘Honoree’ list includes psychiatrist and entrepre- neur Dr. Deepak Nandi,;President and CEO of Navika Capi- tal Group Naveen Shah; Chairman & CEO of EC Infosystem Gala, Co-Chair, MohanWanchoo; and Media, Entertain- ment & Marketing entrepreneur Sunil Hali. The films being screened from June 2-5, 2025, include full-length movies and shorts. Among them is feature film Torn, and shorts like Sapne Jinke Hogaye Apne, Dear Pra, Lady Like, Animus Revised, Breaking and Entering and Humping, Rebecoming Me Falling Through Foster Care, ColdWater, and numerous others of varying lengths. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:X @IndiainNewYork PHOTO:X @IndiainNewYork Ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch the opening of the Indie Film Festival Awards event that goes from June 2-5, 2025. Mayor of NYC Eric Adams speaking to ITV Gold at the Indie Film Festival Awards opening ceremony, as Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh, left, and Mukesh Modi, founder of IFFA, right, look on. Speakers at the opening ceremony of IFFA event June 2, 2025. From left, India’s Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Ramdas Athawale, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Prasar Bharati Chairman Navneet Kumar Sehgal, Consul General of India in New York Binaya Srikanta Pradhan. A section of the audience at the June 2, Indie International Film Festival Awards opening ceremony. 14 COVER STORY June 6, 2025 PHOTO:X @IndiainNewYork PHOTO: ITV Gold