'I Am Kalam', 'Udaan' triumph at Los Angeles festival

'Celebrate, Captivate, and Connect' was the theme for this year's festival that screened 32 features, documentaries and short films at ArcLight Hollywood.

The closing night on April 17 included the world premiere of Walt Disney Pictures' "Zokkomon", which opens in US theatres on April 22.

While the Best Narrative Feature went to "Udaan", the Best Documentary Feature was bagged by Sonali Gulati's "I Am".

The Best Short honours went to "The Eclipse of Taregna", directed by Rakesh Chaudhary.
The Audience Choice Awards went to "I Am Kalam" (Best Narrative Feature), "Big in Bollywood" (Best Documentary, directed by Kenny Meehan and Bill Bowles) and "Tubelight's Moon" (Best Short, directed by Shlok Sharma)Opening this year's festival was "I Am Kalam".
"This year's festival broke previous year's attendance proving there is a major audience fan base for Indian cinema in the US," said IFFLA executive director Christina Marouda. "Our audiences were captivated by the diversity of our offerings. We are thrilled at the enormous response to this year's program. We look forward to celebrating our momentous 10th year in 2012 in Los Angeles and have already begun preparations," she said.

Now in its ninth year, IFFLA is a non-profit organisation devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honouring entertainment industry business executives and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.