IFUFF 2025: Day 2 – A showcase of young talent, documentary shorts, and simply brilliant, provocative filmmaking
The second day at 2025 6th Annual Indic Film Utsav Film Festival brought about an excellent start to events via having the opportunity to watch and absorb eight ultrashort short films that composed the finalists involved with the CineSparks Contest (structure for this year found here) which saw young up and coming filmmakers having been given the chance to create a three-seven minute short film for consideration. What struck me from the start in viewing the films chosen is the wide breadth of uniquely creative tracts that the filmmakers represented chose to take in their respective efforts. Speaking to an equally strong and varied depth of themes and tones (ultimately all positive, of course, in keeping with the Festival’s aim), the evident joy, passion, dedication to their art, and desire to excel was certainly on display for each and every project screened. Plays at familial connection and reconciliation, cross-color romance, cultural stereotyping, encounters of the supernatural kind, school shootings and the impactful price of heroism and doing one’s duty, and chasing dreams were all on display with intentionality and solidly executed direction.
An encouraging and well-deserved shout-out the filmmakers who made these Ultrashorts come to life: Uday Rush Onteddu (“Tholi Parichayam (First Meeting)”, Yajat Shirpurkar (“Sirf Tumhara (Just Yours)”, Neemay Shah (“Running Water”), Krishna Chaitanya Boligirla (“A.I. Mixer”), Ram Mohan Komanduri (“Gratitude”), Aditya Sankaramanchi (“Nanna (Father)”, and Hemanth Reddy (“Chayagrahakudu (Photographer)”. It is this unbridled commitment to making film that is finding its way through this group of young South Asian filmmakers, and certainly begs for us to be there to support their dreams, help them improve, and watch them shine. It was also yet another opportunity for me as a film critic to be a direct part of this group of films, chosen to be one of the Jury members who watched, recorded our thoughts, and ultimately came up with the top film of the bunch, which I will get into in my Day 3 post. Suffice it to say, it was a close competition! But it should never be discounted that, sincerely, ALL the filmmakers more than illustrated that the future of South Asian filmmaking in the U.S. IS alive and well. And to share Jury duties with Nikita Hattangady alone was a privilege but add in the absolute honor of meeting and spending quality time with Cannes award-winning “Joyland” and multiple award-winning”Kamli” producer Hari Charana Prasad, which elevated the day to whole new levels!
The afternoon saw a Documentary Shorts trio, including “Devi-A Woven History” that painted an affecting, inspirational, and historically relevant portrait of the Maheshwari saree and the legacy of the women who’ve continued a centuries old tradition, “Theyyam-Dance Of The Gods” which focused on the unique, vibrant dance stylings and customary practices of the villages in North Kerala, another picture of rural life, and “Voices of Change”, which I was not able to take in. Late afternoon launched us into, arguably, two of THE best films screened at this year’s Festival. First, the short “Bhamakalapam”, a deeply stirring tale focused on a young girl and the world of puppetry as she strives to be acknowledged while telling the tale of a long-forgotten heroine that takes an unexpected, mythologically divine turn. Second was the feature film “87 Rupees Ink Pen” that follows a young rural schoolboy and his dogged longing to attain ownership of a coveted prize: an expensive ink pen. As beautifully entertaining as it was unequivocally moving, viewers will never look at a mix of drama, humor, and “romance” the same way again! Simply superb.
The evening showings then kicked off with the Saturday Centerpiece documentary effort “CasteGate”, covering the 2020 lawsuit brought against tech execs Sundar Iyer, Ramana Kompella, and the company they worked for, Cisco Systems, by the California Civil Rights Department alleging large-scale caste discrimination. What becomes the most sobering reality displayed in this 90-minute film, however, is the revealing of just how much contrived stories, media bias, and blatant misuse of State power against Hindu-Americans was in play, which ruined lives and shined a harsh light on the bureaucratic mentalities that, sadly, exist against minority communities. It assuredly resonated deeply with the South Asian audience in attendance, which just being truthful, is really whom this particular film was aimed at to begin with. This critic can’t say it was a highlight of the Festival for me, but I fully embrace the relevancy of the story, its purpose to showcase such overt discrimination, and the call for change that it represents. The post-screening Q&A with executive producer Dr. Ravi Rajam added even more depth and insight into this hotbed subject matter.
The evening ended with two more films, “Ahana-The Light Within” and “Ek Se Anek (Ladybird)”, which I missed while doing some networking and discussion with filmmakers post-“CasteGate”. I always hope it is understood that while I would love to take in EVERY film at a given festival such as this, there’s a reality that sometimes, you just need a break. BUT, I have NO DOUBTS whatsoever that the films I did NOT see this Day 2 were just as engaging and demonstrations of the sheer quality South Asian cinema offers that I’ve come to anticipate over the years. And so, after a post-Festival trip to a Texas staple, Velvet Tacos, with several of the event folks who made this opportunity happen for me, it cemented in my mind even more strongly than ever before that, as an American critic, I wish to see South Asian film not only recognized here in the U.S., but THRIVE. We, as American filmgoing audiences, might just need to step out of our Hollywood mentalities in order to discover that value, worth, and genuine amazingness this community of filmmakers has to bring us.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
