London Indian Film Festival returns for its 6th year from 16 – 26 July with some of the most prestigious and thought-provoking new independent films from the Indian sub-continent.
The opening evening gala promises to be a star studded event that culminates in the premiere screening of Umrika, which stars Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi, Million Dollar Arm and Homeland). The first night of this cool film festival takes place at the historic art deco Cineworld Haymarket Cinema.
Expected attendees are Hollywood, indie film, TV and Bollywood stars including star Suraj Sharma and director of Umrika Prashant Nair. Also there will be Adil Hussain who has been seen in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, English Vinglish (Bollywood), Life of Pi, and Tigers and Umrika.
The amazing Konkona Sen Sharma (Indian national award Page 3, Omkara, Life in a Metro), whose films Saari Raat & Gour Hari Dastaan both will be screened at LIFF this year will at the gala event..
Not only that Soha Ali Khan and Vir Das will both be there and their film 31st October will be showcased at LIFF.
Other notable attendees are BAFTA nominated director Amit Gupta, whose Film One Crazy Thing is a LIFF festival selection and he will be joined by the stars of the film BAFTA Breakthrough Brit Ray Panthaki, and Daisy Bevan.
Also walking the red carpet will be Meera Syal, Gurinder Chadha, Goldy Notay, Rez Kempton , Ashish Vidyarthi and Raj and Pablo to name just a few.
The opening night film, Umrika, was this year’s Sundance Audience Award winner. It is an uplifting, rights of passage tale about two brothers from a small village who have dreams of making it big in Umrika (America). Udai (Pratiek Babbar) is the eldest and adored by his hard-working mum. He leaves their hamlet on a bullock cart to pursue his dream after he says he has received an invitation to work in the US.
Torn between pride and grief his mum waves him off. Months go by but there is no word from Udai, family pride turns to concern. Younger son Rama (Suraj Sharma, Life of Pi), shares the family’s increasing grief and then suddenly letters start to arrive. His parents cheer up again as amazing pictures of the USA fill their lives. All seems well until Rama discovers that the kindly local postman has forged the letters. Rama runs away from home to discover his brother’s true fate.
Be sure to get down to Cineworld Haymarket by 4:30 or earlier to get your place to see the stars! And to find out more and see what you can see at the exciting London Indian Film Festival check out
