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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 22 ENTERTAINMENT May 29, 2026 BOOKS . i l . ’ ll Indian-American Filmmakers Represent Independent Cinema At Cannes 2026 I ndian-American filmmakers Hemant M. Pandya and Nita Pednekar represented independent cinema at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, attending the international event as officially accredited film industry delegates. Representing the New Jersey Indian & Inter- national Film Festival and Friday Films LLC, the filmmakers participated in gala screenings, world premieres, networking events and meet- ings focused on international film collabora- tions during the festival in Cannes, France. Pandya said the experience extended far beyond the glamour typically associated with Cannes. “For true filmmakers, Cannes is ultimately about cinema, storytelling and global ar- tistic exchange,” he said. “The red carpet is an added privilege, but the real inspiration comes from witnessing extraordinary films and connecting with filmmakers from across the world.” The filmmakers also praised the organiza- tion and hospitality of the festival, which drew thousands of attendees from around the world. This year’s festival lineup featured films and storytell- ers from a wide range of countries and cultures. Pandya and Pednekar said they were particularly encouraged by the strong presence of independent and socially driven cinema. Among the films that stood out for them were Ele- phants in the Fog, a critically recognized film from Nepal, and India’s Shadows of the Moonless Nights (Parchave Masseah Rataan De), which they said demonstrated how authentic storytelling can resonate internation- ally regardless of budget or commercial scale. The duo also attended events at the Bharat Pavilion, a networking and collaboration plat- form for Indian filmmakers, producers, actors and international industry professionals. The pavilion hosted discussions on co-productions, global partnerships and the future of Indian cinema internationally. During the festival, Pandya and Pednekar in- troduced two upcoming international projects being developed through Friday Films LLC. The first, Love, Loathe & Life, is described as an emotional drama inspired by a real-life hate crime that explores themes of identity, human- ity and healing. The second project, SheWas…//?, is a psychological thriller centered on guilt, trauma and the emotional consequences of road rage. “Cannes reminded us that there is tremen- dous hope for independent filmmakers who truly believe in meaningful storytelling,” Ped- nekar said. “Honest cinema will always find its audience somewhere in the world.” Pandya and Pednekar said they plan to continue developing internationally focused independent film projects while promoting cultural exchange and meaningful cinema through the New Jersey Indian & International Film Festival. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:FRIDAY FILMS Hemant M. Pandya and Nita Pednekar attend a red carpet event during the 79th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. an era increasingly shaped by AI-driven transfor- mation. Complementing this perspective, Durable Agents focuses on the growing reliability gap between successful AI pilots and enterprise- scale deployment. The book argues that the core challenge in enterprise AI is no longer the intel- ligence of the model itself, but the orchestration systems surrounding it, including recoverability, coordination, auditability, governance, and hu- man oversight. The book examines durable agents as produc- tion-grade AI systems designed to survive op- erational failures, preserve decision traceability, coordinate across workflows, and remain reliable in complex enterprise environments. Speaking about the release, Venkat Chitturi, said, “Most organizations think they have an AI problem when they actually have a systems problem. Intelligence is becoming abundant. What remains rare is durability — systems that can be trusted, audited, adapted, and scaled under real operational stress. The companies that win in the AI era will not simply automate faster. They will build systems that endure.” Together, the books provide enterprise lead- ers, CTOs, architects, operators, and founders with a practical framework for building dura- ble systems in the next phase of AI adoption. Both books are now available on Amazon worldwide: * Durable Agents: https://www.ama- zon.in/Durable-Agents-Venkat-Chitturi/ dp/9378255248/ * Built to Endure: https://www.amazon.in/ Built-Endure-Venkat-Chitturi/dp/9378251803 About Technoidentity Technoidentity is a Durable Product Engineering™ company that helps enter- prises build mission-critical systems and Durable Agents for reliable operation at scale. Headquartered in Houston, Technoidentity partners with enterprise clients globally on durable product engineering, data and AI, and digital twin initiatives. For more informa- tion, visit www.technoidentity.com . (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by India PR Distribu- tion. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) -ANI Why AI Pilots Succeed, But Enterprise Deployments Fail: Two New Books From Venkat Chitturi Make The Case For Durable Product Engineering - Continued From Page 20 PHOTO:ANI