Vibrant Visions

Indian Film Festival
Los Angeles

Celebrating South Asian Stories:

IFFLA 2025 Illuminates Los Angeles with Bold, Groundbreaking Cinema

In a city renowned for its glitz and cinematic legacy, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) stands out not only as a celebration of film but as a vital cultural platform that bridges continents, voices, and visions. Now in its 23rd year, IFFLA continues to bring the most exciting and daring independent cinema from South Asia and its global diasporas to the heart of Hollywood, offering a dynamic and inclusive space where storytelling thrives.

IFFLA’s strength lies in its curation. Each year, the festival showcases a vibrant program of narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and animated works, spotlighting diverse voices from the South Asian subcontinent — including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — alongside diasporic creators from across the globe. The 2025 edition continues this tradition with an impressive slate of films that explore identity, resistance, belonging, and the nuanced intricacies of life in and out of South Asia.

This year’s festival opened with Bad Girl by Varsha Bharath, a provocative Tamil-language drama that boldly interrogates societal expectations, gender roles, and the complexities of selfhood in contemporary India. The closing night film, Little Jaffna by Lawrence Valin, offered a poignant, Venice-lauded depiction of the Tamil diaspora in Paris, interweaving themes of memory, displacement, and cultural survival. These two red carpet gala events, which bookend the festival, are not merely screenings but celebrations — complete with receptions that gather filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals in a shared appreciation of cinematic storytelling.

At the heart of IFFLA is a commitment to nurturing emerging and underrepresented storytellers. Beyond screenings, the festival serves as a professional launchpad through mentorships, educational panels, and networking opportunities that connect South Asian filmmakers with Hollywood’s film industry. These efforts culminate in the "Launchpad: Pitch Competition 2025," which invites aspiring filmmakers to present their projects to a panel of industry veterans, opening doors to funding, collaboration, and broader visibility.

The competition segments of the festival are keenly anticipated each year. Films vie for Grand Jury Awards and Audience Choice Awards in both feature and short categories. Among the standout entries this year are A Fly on the Wall, a compelling documentary by Nilesh Maniyar and Shonali Bose that reflects on surveillance, privacy, and power dynamics; Humans in the Loop by Aranya Sahay, a stirring narrative that delves into ethical dilemmas in tech; and Cactus Pears (Sabar Bonda) by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, which explores gender and class tensions with poignant storytelling.

Another anticipated return was Rima Das with Village Rockstars 2, the sequel to her acclaimed film, further exploring youthful aspirations in rural Assam. Deepak Rauniyar’s Pooja, Sir brought a deeply resonant narrative grounded in socio-political realities, while Raam Reddy’s The Fable immerses viewers in a lyrical tale of myths and modernity.

IFFLA’s short film programming is as impactful as its features. This segment offers a kaleidoscope of stories — compact yet powerful explorations of identity, migration, gender, and generational shifts. These shorts often serve as crucial entry points for emerging filmmakers, many of whom later return to IFFLA with full-length features.

This year, the festival also featured a special presentation of Dui Shaw by Nuhash Humayun — a gripping TV series that comes paired with a masterclass by the director, offering audiences a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into his creative process and vision.

Beyond film, IFFLA engages its audiences through retrospectives, tributes, and masterclasses that highlight the richness of South Asian cinematic traditions. Past festivals have honoured icons and introduced forgotten classics to new generations. This year continues that legacy with programming designed to educate, inspire, and provoke thoughtful dialogue.

IFFLA’s influence extends year-round through its screenings, discussions, and community collaborations with Los Angeles-based organizations that amplify South Asian voices. Whether it’s a screening with a filmmaker Q&A or a social event that fosters cross-cultural connections, IFFLA is deeply embedded in the fabric of LA’s cultural scene.

Supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, IFFLA is a labor of love. Under the leadership of Chair Christina Marouda, Festival Producer Noopur Sinha and Nitin Sonawane, Managing Director, the festival has grown from a niche platform into a major force in international independent cinema. In an engaging conversation with Puneet Singh Gupta of The Wise Owl, Sinha reflects on IFFLA’s journey saying that “IFFLA has been a big contributor to the rise of South Asian cinema on the global platform.” She adds that it has helped to bring the best of Indian cinema to Hollywood.

In its 23rd year, IFFLA remains a beacon for bold, transformative storytelling. It is not only a celebration of South Asian cinema but a statement: that the stories of our region, in all their complexity and colour, deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated on the world stage.