The first Indian International Film Festival of South Africa (IIFFSA) was hosted on the evening of the 16th January 2014. The exciting event was hosted by Ster-Kinekor, in partnership with Utkarsh Projects at The Zone Rosebank in Johannesburg.
Fitting the Bollywood theme, we entered the sultry venue as royalty on a red carpet. There were delicious Indian snacks that were catered by Bombay Blues.
To kick off the Indian International Film Festival of South Africa, we were treated to a movie giving us a taste of the quality of film we were celebrating on the day. The movie began at 18:00, shortly after Rajiv Terwadkar, director of Utkarsh Projects Private Limited had said a few words to welcome us all.
The movie that was featured was; Astu - So Be It which featured a star cast including the likes of: Dr.Mohan Agashe , Iravati Harshe , Milind Soman , Amrita Subash & Ila Bhate. The movie was directed by Sumitra Bhave & Sunil Sukhtankar.
The movie was a chosen feature following a successful mainstream release which has garnered a wide array of critical acclaim. The film has been selected for screening at Indian Panorama IFFI 2013, Goa , 19th Kolkatta International Film Festival of India 2013,18th International Film Festivald of Kerala & 2nd International Film Festival of Kerala.
(Shajar Khan at the Indian International Film Festival of SA Launch. Image Credit: Mamtaz Khan)
During the festival, IIFFSA will be showcasing various feature films, short films and documentaries- accumulating to a total of 25 releases. Four of Ster-Kinekor sites, Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban, Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria and Cavendish Square in Cape Town, will showcase the titles at selected times. Standard ticket prices apply and bookings are now open for an opportunity to experience some of the best of Indian cinema in South Africa. The festival promises an explosion of sound, color, dance and action.
