Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles unveils line-up for 2023 edition

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj’s upcoming spy drama Khufiya and Atul Sabharwal-directed Berlin will have their world premieres at the 2023 edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA).

The organisers on Thursday announced that the festival's 21st edition will be held from October 11 to 15. It will showcase six narrative features, two documentaries and 16 short films from 13 countries and in 14 languages, a press release said.

Khufiya, featuring Tabu, Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi, will serve as the opening movie of the film gala. The film is inspired by true events and based on the popular espionage novel Escape to Nowhere by Amar Bhushan.

Bhardwaj will host an exclusive masterclass, where the filmmaker will dive into his journey in Indian cinema. He is best known for directing critically-acclaimed titles such as Maqbool, Omkara, Haider and Kaminey.

Noted lyricist and screenwriter Varun Grover's directorial debut “All India Rank” will close the festival. The film had its world premiere at the Rotterdam Film Festival (IFFR).

Grover will be attending the film's screening and also deliver a stand-up performance.

Sabharwal's Berlin is a spy thriller mystery starring Rahul Bose, Aparshakti Khurana, and Ishwak Singh.

The six narrative features to be screened at the film gala also include Rapture by Dominic Sangma, Aattam (The Play) by Anand Ekarshi and Manoj Bajpayee's Joram, directed by Devashish Makhija.

IFFLA will host the US premieres of two documentary features -- The World is Family by legendary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and The Golden Thread by Nishtha Jain.

'We are thrilled to enter IFFLA’s third decade offering a unique and much needed platform for emerging South Asian storytellers, and bringing a highly curated program to Los Angeles audiences,” IFFLA executive director Christina Marouda said in a statement.

'Los Angeles has become home to countless artists with roots across South Asia and its diasporas. IFFLA has long been a vital touchstone for filmmakers due to both the platform it provides for their work to be seen in the heart of the American film industry as well as the support and networking it has offered the directors, actors, and other film artists who have been a part of the IFFLA ‘family',' she added.