NYC South Asian Film Festival 2019 Brought A Weekend Of Slick Desi Cinema To Manhattan
NYC South Asian Film Festival 2019 Brought A Weekend Of Slick Desi Cinema To Manhattan
Dec 06, 2019
From Boomers to Gen Z, NYC South Asian Film Festival 2019 (NYCSAFF) had something for every filmi fan during their first ever thee-day festival which lit up the screens in Manhattan. Check out the highlights here!
Manhattan was seriously lit.
NYC South Asian Film Festival 2019 presented by Toyota, took place from November 15th through November 17th. The inaugural festival, how 2500 people flow through the doors to catch 22 shorts, documentaries and feature films at various venues around New York.
The opening night film was Line of Descent which also starred Hollywood’s very own Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, George of the Jungle) and the festival closed with the North American premiere of Roam Rome Mein which co-starred Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Thakeray, Bajrangi Bhaijaan) and actor/director Tannishtha Chatterjee (Anna Karenina, Parched).
Competition was tight, as only four of those films walked away with top honours at the closing night awards ceremony which was held at Rumi Event Space in Chelsea on Sunday night. (Check out our list of all their best film nominees right here!)
Siddiqui and Chatterjee participated in the post-screening discussion of their film, Roam Rome Mein to a packed house. Singer/songwriter Subhi performed original, folk-pop music with elements of Bossa Nova at the closing night party.
“Our programming team has worked incredibly hard to strike the right balance and showcase the most current, ground-breaking, topical independent cinema from various parts of South Asia at our inaugural festival,” enthused Jitin Hingorani, NYCSAFF’s founder and festival director. “We have focused our efforts on really engaging the millennials, as they are the future filmmakers, cinephiles, producers and investors, who will, ultimately, support film festivals like ours; so, it is our inherent responsibility to educate them about world-class cinema that is beyond Bollywood.”
Jury Award Winners:
Best Short:
What Did You Think? directed by Parinaz Jal (World Premiere)
What Did You Think? directed by Parinaz Jal (World Premiere)
Best Actress:
Usha Jadhav for Mai Ghat, directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan (North American Premiere)
Usha Jadhav for Mai Ghat, directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan (North American Premiere)
Best Actor:
Ashish Sharma for Khejdi, directed by Rohit Dwivedi (NYC Premiere)
Ashish Sharma for Khejdi, directed by Rohit Dwivedi (NYC Premiere)
Best Director:
Ananth Narayan Mahadevan for Mai Ghat (North American Premiere)
Ananth Narayan Mahadevan for Mai Ghat (North American Premiere)
Best Film:
Kaamyaab directed by Hardik Mehta (NYC Premiere)
Kaamyaab directed by Hardik Mehta (NYC Premiere)
Now that their 2019 is in the bag, we can’t wait to see what NYCSAFF 2020 has in store!
Main Image Photo Credit: NYCSAFF2019/Sachyn Mital
Author
Marriska (@marriska.fernandes) is an entertainment expert who has been creating celebrity, movies and pop culture content for digital outlets for over ten years. From reporting headline-grabbing celebrity news to reviewing movies to interviewing Hollywood and Bollywood’s finest actors and industry...
COMMENTS
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
-
From Paan Shops To Tech Startups: How South Asians Are Reshaping North America's Economy
-
South Asian Horror Makes A Comeback: Films & Shows To Watch!
-
How South Asian Women Can Achieve the Perfect Summer Glow - No Sun Required
-
Deepika Padukone Set To Receive Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star - See Her Response
-
Cover Story: From Sidelines To Spotlights - How South Asians Are Rewriting The North American Sports Narrative
-
How Canadian Studio 'Cult Following Pictures' Is Changing Queer, Genre, & South Asian Storytelling
-
Chappals To Pastels: What South Asian Designers Are Saying Is In Vogue This Summer For Men
-
The Zohran Mamdani Era: A South Asian, Muslim Socialist Challenging New York's Political Status Quo
-
The Next Giant Leap: Shubhanshu Shukla Charts India’s Epic Return To Manned Spaceflight After 41 Years
-
'At The End of Kaliyuga': Toronto's Mythical Adventure For Curious Kids
-
Picnic Like A Pro: Easy South Asian BBQ Recipes To Wow Everyone
-
The Ultimate Summer Style Guide For South Asian Women
-
The Desi Dollar: South Asians Reshaping Real Estate & Hospitality In North America
-
Runways Without Borders: International Fashion Encounter Doubles Down With Style, Culture, & Global Glamour
-
What We Know So Far About The Horrific Air India Crash In Ahmedabad
-
Pride In Frame: 10 Queer South Asian Stories To Watch This June
-
From First-Time Dads To Wise Grandfathers: A Father's Day Gift Guide For The Men We Love
-
Beauty Beyond Earth: This South Asian Founder Is Taking Skincare Into Space
-
Cover Story: Art & Identity With Vivek Shraya - “My Cultural Identity Continues To Shape My Art. Sometimes, It’s Loud, Sometimes Quiet, But It’s Always There, Evolving With Me.”
-
13 South Asian Music Maestros Who Revolutionized The Music Scene Forever
-
You Know You Grew Up South Asian If You’ve Heard These 10 Things
-
These South Asian Creators Are Calling Out Wellness Culture - And Millions Are Listening
-
This Might Get Heated: The Ultimate Chai Ranking No One Asked For
-
Exclusive Interview With Priyanka Bose & Raam Reddy On Magical Realism In 'The Fable'
-
A Night At The Museum: Eid At The Smithsonian
-
Power & Representation: South Asians At The Heart of Mark Carney’s Cabinet
-
From AI Ethics To Queer Love: IFFLA 2025 Honours Groundbreaking Winners
-
South Asian Success Today Isn’t Only Wearing A Lab Coat Or Balancing The Budget - So What Else Is It?
-
Mother's Day Special: What Are Our ANOKHI Moms’ Timeless Beauty Secrets?
-
South Asian Glam Takes Over The 2025 Met Gala
-
From Sephora To Space: Shalini Vadhera Makes History With The World’s First Space-Certified Skincare Brand
-
The Ultimate Mother’s Day Gift Guide For Your Desi Mom
-
Cover Story: The Power of 8: South Asian Pioneers Leading A Global Mental Health Awakening
-
Where Chokecherries & Bharatanatyam Collide: 'Takwahiminana' Premieres In Toronto Today
-
The No-Nonsense South Asian Guide To Mastering The 'Glass Skin' Trend
-
Why The South Asian Film Festival of Montréal Is the Cultural Event You Can’t Miss
-
The Brown Wave: How South Asians Are Rewriting Canada's Political Playbook
-
South Asian Cinema Takes Over L.A. – Check Out The Must-See Films At IFFLA 2025!
-
Stress Awareness Month: This Is What I Watch When I Am Tired Of Adulting (And It Works Every Time)
-
Earth Day 2025: Spotlighting 5 South Asian Designers Weaving Sustainability Into Fashion
-
“What If A Mother Divorced Her Dead Husband?” - 'The Roof Is Leaking' Play Explores Why
-
Ever Hosted A Desi Picnic? Here Is Your Ultimate Guide To Wowing Your Family & Friends
-
Stress Awareness Month: Learn How South Asian Textiles & Colours Can Promote Well-Being
-
Caught In The Crossfire: How South Asian Canadian Businesses Are Tackling Tariff Challenges
-
Sneaking Samosas In The Theatre To Watch 'A Nice Indian Boy' With Zarna Garg & Sunita Mani
-
From Blue Lids To Glossy Lips: Wallet Approved Spring Beauty Trends For South Asian Skin Tones
-
WorkWell 2025: A Career + Wellness Conference For Women In PR, Media & Business
-
Star-Studded Biblio Bash Gala Raises Over $1 Million For Teen Mental Health In Toronto
-
Cover Story: The Magnificent 7: South Asian PR Titans Shaping Global Narratives
-
Reimagining 'Mahabharata': An Exclusive Interview With The Visionaries Behind Toronto’s Theatrical Spectacle - Miriam Fernandes & Ravi Jain
-
From Red Carpet To Reality: Stunning South Asian Celebrity Beauty Trends For 2025!
-
'Detective Aunty' & 9 Other Must-Read Spring 2025 Books By South Asian Authors
-
Hindu & Muslim Women Trapped By Partition: Anusree Roy's 'Trident Moon' Brings A Gripping Tale To Toronto
-
CBC’s First South Asian Hit Reality Show 'Bollywed' Enters Season 3 As The Cast Spills All In This Exclusive Interview!
-
South Asian Women In North American Retail: Pioneers In Beauty, Food, Finance & More
-
Experience The Epic Mahabharata Like Never Before – Now On Stage in Toronto!
-
NYFW & Beyond: 4 South Asian Female Fashion Designers Dominating Fashion Globally
-
Exploring The Renaissance Of Female Characters In Bollywood, Hollywood & Beyond!
-
Jewelry Brand Tanishq Sparkles In The U.S. With Grand Openings In Atlanta And Seattle
-
Nail It! The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Putting Spring Into Your Cuticles