Inaugural festival celebrating Indian cinema commences in Seattle

New York/Seattle: A festival celebrating Indian cinema kicked-off in Seattle with a short documentary on the recently concluded Mahakumbh as well as excerpts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s podcast with Lex Fridman, focusing on the foundational idea of India and its central message of unity in diversity.

The inaugural edition of the Festival of Indian Cinema in Seattle was hosted Friday jointly by the Consulate General of India in Seattle, along with the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), a press release said.

In a special gesture to honour the legacy of Indian cinema, March 21, 22 and 23 were proclaimed as ‘Indian Cinema Festival Days’ across all the 39 cities of King County, including in the Greater Seattle area.

The three-day festival also showcased a special photo exhibit on the ‘History of Indian Cinema’, which chronicles the journey of Indian films over the years along with some of its leading titles, and will be on display at MOPOP Seattle till March 23.

The proclamation by Executive of King County Dow Constantine noted that the “vibrant and diverse” culture of India has significantly enriched the cultural tapestry of King County.

“Indian cinema, renowned for its creativity, storytelling and artistic expression has captivated audiences worldwide,” it said, noting that from a humble beginning in 1913 with the silent film "Raja Harishchandra", Indian cinema has come a long way to become a global enterprise attracting international attention and acclaim by producing more than 3,000 films annually in some 40 languages.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by prominent members of the film and media fraternity in Seattle, along with US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, King County Council Vice Chair Sarah Perry, Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho and CEO of MOPOP Michele Smith.

The festival will screen three popular Indian films -- English Vinglish, starring late actor Sridevi; Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Akshay Kumar's Raksha Bandhan.