Bioscope

• An assortment of meaningful and entertaining films from US, Canada, UK, Pakistan, India, Tibet, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh – to challenge your intellect and refresh your sensibilities

• Youth oriented films that reflect the complex world of 21^st century GenNext

• World and US premieres, films straight from Cannes and Slamdance, and renowned film institutes

• All day film screenings, thought-provoking Q & A sessions with filmmakers and celebrities, gala opening night with cocktail and dinner

Infinite Justice

UK/2007/Feature Film 104min/ English
Writer and Director: Jamil Dehlavi
Cast: Kevin Collins, Raza Jaffrey (Best Actor, Kara Film Festival)
East Coast Premiere
Best Dramatic Feature, European Independent Awards in Paris
Robert Rodriguez Award for Excellence, 2007 Hollywood Digital Film Festival, LA

Explosive filmmaking. Not to be missed. - Le Courrier Picard

A bold and taut thriller about the real War on Terror, an uncompromising look at international politics and terrorism

Loosely based on the Daniel Pearl assassination case, Infinite Justice is the story of two men caught in the most dramatic conflict of our times, the war on terror. UK based French-Pakistani Independent film director Dehlavi tries to explore the very complex issue of terrorism impartially from various perspectives. A slick production, the film deftly goes back and forth in time, through continents and creates a complex and multilayered narrative, which efficiently reflects the complex issues at the core of the war on terrorism.

Jamil Dehlavi

Ultimately, what makes Infinite Justice a worthy addition to the canon of films about 9/11 and its aftermath is Dehlavi’s balanced , detached treatment of his explosive. – Sight and Sound

A fast-moving political thriller. Technically impressive.- The Guardian

An interesting contribution to the post 9/11 movies. Serious and decent-minded. - The Observer

There’s an ambitious sweep to Infinite Justice. Dehlavi moves confidently between time frames and countries. - BBC

To learn more about the film and Jamil Dehlavi, visit www.dehlavifilms.com

Khub Asti Afghanistan (Are You Alright, Afghanistan?)

India - Afghanistan/2007/Docu-Feature/ 60 min/ English
Writer and Director: Soumitra Ranade

In search of the other Afghanistan the Western media chooses to ignore
An Afghanistan beyond the stories of terror and torture – a hopeful journey

Indian filmmaker Soumitra Ranade (director of Jajantaram Mamantaram) grew up in Kabul as a teenager. 26 years after leaving the country, he returns to post 9/11 Afghanistan to revisit the definitive years of his youth. In a country devastated by war, he rediscovers its beauty through his memories and encounters with its people. The film takes us on a hopeful journey through the past and present of a country that is yet to see lasting peace.

Soumitra Ranade

The film is a tribute to the Afghan spirit. Some films just have to be made…this was one of them. – Soumitra Ranade

Enemies of Happiness

Malalai Zoya

Denmark/2006/ 59 mins/English, Farsi, Pasthu
Director: Eva Mulvad and Anja Al-Erhayem
East Coast Premiere
Winner, World Cinema Jury Prize in Documentaries, 2006 Sundance Film Festival

The true story of a young woman fighting for changes in Afghanistan
A film on personal courage, about a radical freedom fighter and a land that is changing

The story of the campaign of Malalai Zoya - a 28 year-old Afghan woman, armed with only a strong voice and a fierce loyalty to her homeland, who overcomes entrenched views and death threats to help bring democracy to Afghanistan.

Danish filmmaker Eva Mulvad follows the last 10 days of campaign of Zoya, running the country’s first democratic parliamentary elections in 35 years. The elections represented a special milestone for Afghan women, who had endured second-class citizenry their entire lives. Immensely inspiring, Zoya’s dedication will motivate all of us to join her in the cause of real reform.

This poetic portrait of a popular hero from the dusty Farah Province is sure to inspire viewers from all backgrounds. …- New York Times

You are a shining example of how one person can make a difference in millions of lives and in the future of millions – Hilary Swank

A political documentary with a difference…Quietly celebrates its heroine’s fierce determination to reform her country’s attitude toward women. -Leslie Felperin, Variety

Eloquent…Joya is a controversial voice for a nation ruined by war and ruled by tradition, and a voice with a desperate urge for change. - Göteborg Film Festival

Malalai with her secretary and another female candidate for the provinsial council. (Courtsey: www.enemiesofhappiness.com)

Director Eva Mulvad on location (Courtsey: www.enemiesofhappiness.com)

Watch a trailer of the film here:

Here is a speech by Eva Mulvad at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival:

To learn more, visit http://www.enemiesofhappiness.com

Official sponsor of NJISACF 08

Watch out for the complete list of films selected to be posted soon on our website, www.njisacf.org.

Online ticketing will be open soon on our website.

Volunteer/ Sponsor for NJISACF 08
To be a part of our enthusiastic gang and contribute to the success of this event, email volunteers@njisacf.org or call 732-310-0236. Watch some of the latest and breathtaking South Asian films for free!

For Advertisements and Sponsorships to reach an audience of more than 2000 South Asians, email sponsors@njisacf.org or call 732-310-0236

• 13 spectacular feature films, 6 stimulating and challenging docu-features, 14 stunning short films from US, Canada, UK, Pakistan, India, Tibet, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
• Exquisite films by distinguished filmmakers and promising newcomers that will take your breath away
• World and US premieres, films straight from Cannes and Slamdance, and renowned film institutes
• All day film screenings, thought-provoking Q & A sessions with filmmakers and celebrities, gala opening night with cocktail and dinner

Kanchivaram

India/2007/Feature Film 104min/ Tamil
Writer and Director: Priyadarshan
Cast: Prakash Raj, Shreya Reddy
US Premiere

An Artistic Masterpiece by the Bollywood Director PRIYADARSHA

An Electrifying Performance by PRAKASH RAJ, who will be present all 3 days of the Festival

Kanchivaram was a deeply moving experience…excellent performances and enviable control in direction…My hats off to you – Shyam Benegal

If you think you can expect only rib-tickling comedies from Priyadarshan, his latest and most ambitious film Kanchivaram will prove you wrong. Clearly the film where the prolific director reaches his creative pinnacle, Kanchivaram is one of the rare film experiences you simply should not miss. Priyadarshan describes this one as his “dream project” and a “true achievement”: “I always do films for others but this is for me…to satisfy my emotions and feelings.”

With exquisite visuals and the usual Priyadarshan touch, Kanchivaram tells the story of a common man caught in the conflict between one’s adopted ideals and individual dreams.

Prakash Raj plays Venkatam, a master weaver who creates the first spark of a revolution, and his performance is a stunner.
To learn more about the film, visit www.kanchivaramthefilm.com

Women of Tibet – A Quiet Revolution

USA-Tibet/2007/Docu-Feature/ 60 min/ English
Director: Rosemary Rawcliffe
SILVER and BRONZE 2008 TELLY AWARDS Winner

Featuring His Holiness, the Dalai Lama

The director will be present during the festival.

An extraordinary film about the brave women of Tibet, and an inspiring document of one of the greatest movements of nonviolent resistance in modern history – when 15,000 unarmed Tibetan women took to the streets to oppose the violent occupation of their country by the China. The film, for the first time in history, interviews those handful women who have survived everything – these being the last generation of women left to share the story of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising and to impart their cultural legacy. Breathlessly beautiful and thought-provoking, along with rare photographs, footage and interviews of the spirited and tough women as well as an extended interview of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama the film is an incredible compilation of little known stories and accounts of courage and compassion. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Himalayas, Women of Tibet shows the strength and perseverance of a people dedicated to the principles of peace, non-violence, and compassion.

The film tells a story which has deep importance to the Tibetan nation, and I believe greater relevance to the wider world as well. – Tenzin Tethong, President, the Dalai Lama Foundation

Women of Tibet present an enlightened look at how women’s issues fit into the Tibetan struggle for freedom. – American Public Television

To learn more, visit http://womenoftibet.org/pages/index.php

Watch the trailer for the film here:

Pancham Unmixed – An Unending Journey

Director: Brahmanand Singh
East Coast Premiere

The only documentary ever made about the legendary music composer RD BURMAN

The director, Brahmanand Singh will be present to share his experience of making this unique film

Featuring:Asha Bhosle, Gulzar, Shammi Kapoor, Shakti Samant, Bhupinder, Manna Dey, Rishi Kapoor, Pyarelal, Ameen Sayani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Vishal Bharadwaj, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Usha Uthup, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Kavita Krishnamurthy, and many others - over 40 eminent personalities from the industry, who remember Pancham with fondness and humor and unequivocally vouch for his genius and largesse as a human being.

One of the most versatile composers the Hindi Film Music Industry had ever seen, RD Burman brought about a revolution in the popular music of its time almost single-handedly. This is a never-before incisive look into the composer’s reflective artistry and buoyant-but-also-lonely inner being. You will hear many untold and told stories by the most talented people from the film industry, not to mention his evergreen songs. A unique, up-close and moving remembrance of the legend by the people closest to him.

The tribute is a thorough look at R D Burman’s life and work - and what exactly made his music so trend setting and timeless … – HT Café

A poignant portion is when Vidhu Vinod Chopra speaks about the dark phase in Pancham’s career — apparently RDB had almost been written off by the music industry … – DNA

The film takes an incisive look not only at the body of work of the legendary composer, but also reveals various facets of R D Burman that you would never know. - Yahoo.com, In.Movies

To learn more, visit http://www.brahmanandsingh.com/RDB.htm

Brahmanand Singh

And while you remember the most adored music genius of our time, we leave you with these videos below, of some of his innumerable evergreen creations:

Watch out for the complete list of films selected will be posted soon on our website, www.njisacf.org

Online ticketing will be open soon on our website.

Volunteer/ Sponsor for NJISACF 08
To be a part of our enthusiastic gang and contribute to the success of this event, email volunteers@njisacf.org or call 732-310-0236.
Watch some of the latest and breathtaking South Asian films for free!
For Advertisements and Sponsorships to reach an audience of more than 2000 South Asians, email

NJISACF 08 Venue
Rutgers Busch Campus Center, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
Asian American Film and Theater Project, PO Box 136, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, 08852, USA
732.310.0236/ saktis@njisacf.org

NJISACF 08 Official Sponsors

Open Road Honda

New Jersey State Council on the Arts

Radio EBC

Remember the NJISACF 2007 Best Feature Film award winner, Waking Dreams - the energetic culture clash comedy set against the rich backdrops of video games and Bollywood fantasies? (For those of you who haven’t watched Waking Dreams, we strongly recommend you do so as soon as you get a chance.)

Our filmmaker of the month is the very talented director of Waking Dreams, Deepika Daggubati. Born in India and raised in Texas, writer-director Deepika Daggubati has been making movies since the age of ten. As an undergraduate at Georgetown, Deepika worked as a freelance camera operator and editor for news crews and student clubs. After graduating with a B.A. in English and Psychology, she attended Cal Arts for an M.F.A. in Film Production. Waking Dreams is her feature debut. Deepika has been hired to write the original Disney Channel movie Muncie Masala, which is in development. She has also written and directed several short films including the upcoming Dowry. Deepika Daggubati answers a few questions for the readers of Bioscope.

How would you say is your experience of being a 21st century South Asian woman filmmaker in USA? What are the challenges that you have faced, if any?

DD: I’m encouraged by Hollywood’s recent interest in ethnic stories and by the increasing support of the South Asian diaspora for films from our communities. Ethnic stories are universal stories, and people appreciate this fact when they have access to our films. The landscape has changed in a positive direction in the ten years since I’ve been in Los Angeles as a student and filmmaker. While I don’t believe I’ve faced any additional challenges in the industry for being Indian, I do feel that female writers and directors are severely underrepresented in what movies get made and which scripts are bought.

Tell us about some of your favorite films, and the kind of films you would want to make.

DD: Ah, there are so many! Among my favorite directors and films are William Wyler (The Best Years of Our Lives, The Little Foxes), Jane Campion (The Piano, The Portrait of a Lady), Satyajit Ray (Mahanagar, Teen Kanya), Hitchcock (Shadow of a Doubt, Rear Window) and David Lynch (Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man). I look forward to making movies in several genres as Wyler did. I’m fascinated by the small, intimate moments that reveal a person’s deep character. The projects that I’m currently working on include a period mystery about a murder in 1920s Manhattan, a contemporary thriller about a reporter investigating her grandmother’s death, and a boarding school story of rebellion and acceptance.

That is so very fascinating. How much do you think does Bollywood affects our lives as expats, in spite of the fact that most Bollywood films are far removed from reality?

DD: Bollywood has little impact on my life. I occasionally watch new Indian films and can really appreciate the craft and storytelling. But the average Bollywood melodrama has just as little relevance to my life as the average Hollywood romantic comedy. I am glad, though, to see the availability of satellite TV channels for Bollywood and other Indian regional programming. I can’t imagine what my parents watched before they subscribed to Telugu channels like Teja! In some ways, I wish that programming like this had been available when I was a child growing up in a small Texas city far removed from any Indian cultural activities. Perhaps it would have helped me navigate my dual identities as an Indian in America. Or perhaps not. Maybe Bollywood’s unrealistic constructs of love, success and beauty would have been just as detrimental as any Hollywood equivalent.

Has Waking Dreams released in India? If not, do u have any plans to release Waking Dreams in India?

DD: It’s been a long and challenging journey to get distribution for Waking Dreams. The typical response from distributors has been “We love the movie, but we don’t know how to market it.” But the goal post is finally in sight! Waking Dreams will be self-released this year in theaters and on DVD. The target date is August. Please watch for it! Independent releases depend on the goodwill of grassroots audiences, and I’d like to ask your readers for their support. There are no plans as of yet for distribution in India, but I do hope to participate in a couple of film festivals there since we now have a film print to screen.

Do u feel a formal education is necessary for being a successful filmmaking? Do you have any advice for new filmmakers?

DD: A formal education is not necessary, especially because the art and craft of filmmaking can only be learned hands-on. I don’t regret taking the time to get my MFA in filmmaking. But in retrospect, I learned more from making my shorts there and from working on my friends’ films than from anything I learned in the classroom. The great benefit of film school is its access to networking. It takes contacts to land any non-entry level job in Hollywood. Since projects are relatively short-lived, usually lasting only a few months, it’s important to keep in touch with contacts made on each one. My advice to new filmmakers would be to stay in touch with mentors, employers and colleagues long after a project has ended. You’ll never know when an opportunity may arise if you’re not in the loop to hear about it. I also urge filmmakers to not be precious about their work. Don’t rework and polish one script or film repeatedly. Just move on. Make as many short pieces as you can. Write as many scripts as you can. Quality will follow as you get more experience.

What do you enjoy the most and the least about your work?

DD: As far as writing goes, I love being in the “zone” – that stage when I hear characters talk. Emotions bubble up inside me when I’m writing a scene, and I find myself crying or laughing out loud with my characters. Unfortunately, the zone is elusive, and takes time and patience to achieve. On most days when I sit down to write, it’s torturous and lonely. I’m plagued with doubt and wonder how I ever did it before. During the recent three-month Writers Guild of America strike, I was a strike captain. On the daily picket lines, I met many renowned writers whose work I deeply admire. It seems most of them experience the same fear and doubt. It’s just part of the process for most writers.

With directing, my favorite part is production. I love working with actors on performance. I love setting the look of the film with the designer. I love visualizing the shots and lighting with the DP. I never get tired when directing, because it’s the biggest adrenaline rush. There’s nothing I don’t enjoy about directing except that I can’t do it often enough!

What would be your next project?

DD: I recently directed a short film called Dowry about a Persian woman who goes on the worst first date imaginable only to become engaged by the end of the evening. I’m also getting close to a start date on Odd Girl Out, a feature coming-of-age story that I wrote and will direct. Meanwhile, I continue to write scripts and pitch stories. There are so many stories I want to tell! I hope I’ll be back at the NJISACF soon!

Festival Dates and Venue

The date and venue for the NJISACF 2008 have been announced. The final dates are September 19th to 21st, 2008. On 19th, we will have the gala opening event, while the film screenings will be held on September 20th and 21st at the Rutgers Busch Campus Center, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey.

NJISACF 2007 Traveling Film Festival Schedule

NJISACF 2007 is now a traveling film festival, and public libraries in various counties in New Jersey are hosting mini fests with selected films from NJISACF 2007. Do not miss this opportunity to watch a few of the most brilliant, rarely-seen and award-winning films from and about South Asia and by South Asian filmmakers.

The Franklin Township Public Library, Edison Public Library and the Bridgewater Public Library have already hosted the mini-fest in the months of March, April and May.
Next scheduled Public library screenings are as follow:
· June 1: South Brunswick Public Library, 2 PM - 4:30 PM
· June 2 and June 9: Middletown Public Library, 6:30 Pm - 8:30 PM
· June 14: Washington Township Public Library (Robbinsville, Mercer County), 1 PM - 4 PM
· June 28: East Brunswick Public Library, 1 PM - 6 PM

Call the libraries for a list of films, directions and more information.

Some of the 15 films to be screened are: The Little Terrorist (Oscar-nominated), Whose Children Are These, Toba Tek Singh, Dancing Kathmandu, and 1001 Auditions.

Call for Submission, NJISACF 2008

May 30 was the last date for film submission for NJISACF 2008. We have received an overwhelming number of film submissions from all around the world. Watch out for the film showcase of NJSACF 2008 at www.njisacf.org or in our next newsletter, and Bioscope (www.njisacf.wordpress.com)..

Invitation for Volunteers

NJISACF is run solely by volunteers. No matter what your experience or background is, you can be a part of our team and contribute to the success of this event. If you are interested in volunteering, please send us an email to volunteers@njisacf.org or call 732-310-0236.

We pay our deepest condolences to the noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar who passed away on 19 May 2008, after prolonged illness. In his lifetime, he was one of the most radical voices of Indian theatre. His popular work includes the plays Ghashiram Kotwal and Sakharam Binder. The highly celebrated Padma Bhushan awardee also wrote some of the best screenplays in Hindi cinema such as Ardh Satya, Nishant, Akrosh and Shyam Benegal’s Manthan.

We also pay our heartfelt homage to the Hollywood legend, director, producer and actor Sydney Pollack, who passed away on 26 May 2008 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 73. “The Way We Were,” “Tootsie” and “Out of Africa” are some of his most renowned films.

Inspired by a real-life incident, Ramchand Pakistani, a film by Brooklyn based filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar, is one of the most talked about films screened in the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. The film, made in Urdu and Hindi, tells the story of how an accidental crossing of the Pakistan-India border by a poor Pakistani Dalit boy and his father, at a time of war-like tension in 2002, dramatically affects their lives. The two Hindus find themselves imprisoned in India as unwelcome trespassers, while the mother faces consequences back home. The story mirrors the emotional trauma of families living near the Pakistan-India border, especially in times of high tension between the two nations. It also highlights the treatment that many innocent prisoners get in jails after being suspected of espionage, and reveals how little the lives of common citizens of the two countries differ. Javed Jabbar, the writer and producer of the film said that through Ramchand Pakistani, he hopes to bring Pakistan and India closer. An India-Pakistan joint venture, the film stars Nandita Das playing the character of Champa, the mother of seven-year-old Ramchand, along with Pakistani actors Rashid Farooqui playing the father, and Syed Fazal Hussain and Navaid Jabbar playing the child and grownup Ramchand respectively. Praised as a “poignant film” by The New York Times, Ramchand Pakistani will be showcased in film festivals and is scheduled for theatrical release in Pakistan later this year. Watch the trailer of Ramchand Pakistani here:

The very talented Mehreen Jabbar is a 14-year veteran of the industry, with a prolific career as a Director/Producer of gritty, hard-hitting films. She has earned a reputation of professionalism and excellence, and is quoted widely as an expert in her field. Mehreen graduated from UCLA with a degree in Film, Television and Video, and returned to Pakistan to direct and produce made-for-TV movies and drama series/serials under the banner of TasVeer Productions, almost all of which were critically acclaimed by the Pakistani press. In addition to these, she directed a number of short films, and her work has appeared in many film festivals around the world including the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the San Francisco Asian-American Film Festival, and the Leeds Film Festival in U. K. to name a few. Her award-winning films include ‘Daughters of the Late Colonel’, and a four-part television show: ‘ Sanam Gazida, Afsoon Khawab, Deeda-e-Purkhoon, and Lal Baig.‘ Ramchand Pakistani is her first feature length film. Mehreen has been a member of the National Board of Film Censors in Karachi, a founding member of WAR (War Against Rape), the Kara Film Festival in Karachi, and has also served as a juror at the Leeds International Film Festival in 2002.

The 61^st Annual Cannes Film festival 2008 was held May 14 through May 25, 2008. Like every year, the most prestigious and influential film festival showcased some of the biggest and most talked about films from all over the world. Since being a part of this grand affair provides filmmakers with the much sought after worldwide media attention, Cannes has become one of the most popular venues for filmmakers, film producers and distributors participating from all over the globe.

This year, along with a couple of the high-budget, glossy Bollywood films from India, a number of offbeat low-budget independent film production houses like iDreams Independent Pictures and Handmade Films participated, to market their classy and “non-mainstream” films extensively.

Among the films shopped by iDreams were Santosh Sivan’s Tahaan, Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s The Voyeurs, Rajnesh Domalpalli’s Vanaja, Shivaji Chandrabhushan’s Frozen and US-based Sarab Singh Neelam’s Ocean of Pearls. These films, the filmmakers believe, have immense potential for traveling all across the globe and impressing a global audience. Some of them have already received recognition from all over the world. For example, Vanaja, a film about feudalism and the class struggle in rural Andhra Pradesh seen through the prism of a classical dance form, is set for commercial release in South Africa and has recently been sold in the Netherlands.

Handmade Films, which produced popular offbeat films like Mixed Doubles and Bheja Fry, brought a new bunch of unconventional films to Cannes, including Beware Dogs, a 45-minute documentary on the contemporary music group Indian Ocean. Their list of feature-length fiction films include Jaideep Varma’s comedy drama Hulla, Maneej Premnath’s thriller, The Waiting Room, Rupali Guha’s Aamras, and Bela Negi’s Driving Lessons. All these films have been directed by debut directors.

Apart from these, another Indian film which created some buzz is Ketan Mehta’s Rang Rasiya, based on the life of the legendary 19th-century Indian painter Raja Ravi Verma.

Meanwhile, India’s Reliance Big Entertainment, owned by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani and the media arm of the $100 billion conglomerate Reliance ADA Group, was launched at Cannes this year. The media group is all set to develop and co-produce films in Hollywood and has signed separate deals with George Clooney’s Smokehouse Productions, Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, Nicholas Cage’s Saturn Productions, Tom Hanks’ Playtone Productions, Jim Carrey’s JC 23 Entertainment, as well as filmmakers Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures and Jay Roach’s Everyman Pictures to co-produce movies.

Bangladeshi independent filmmakers Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud had been invited to the 61st Cannes Film Festival 2008 to take part in the 40th anniversary celebrations of the “Directors’ Fortnight” section of the festival. The Directors’ Fortnight was born out of the new French director’s union in 1968, by independent filmmakers like Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Roman Polanski and Louis Malle, in protest of the Cannes Film Festival’s ‘narrow star-studded focus’ which, they felt, ignored creative independent filmmakers.

Tareque Masud’s first full-length feature film Matir Moina premiered at Cannes in 2002 as the opening film of the Fortnight, and was awarded with the International Critics’ Prize as ‘Best Film’ in the section. The film is also the first Bangladeshi feature film to have a general release in the USA. Matir Moina toured the international circuit and was received with critical praise for its realistic depiction of life without the melodrama that is prevalent in many South Asian films

A debut Indian film, Mahek, by filmmaker K Kanade has been selected by Otterbein College in Ohio, US to be a part of its curriculum in Integrative Studies Program and Teaching of Modern India. According to the university, Mahek is an introspective Hindi film that sensitively portrays the world of children and their rights. The film, produced by the Children’s Film Society, India, had its world premiere at the prestigious 51st London Film Festival 2007 and has won several awards overseas, including the Best Feature Film (Family) Platinum Remi Award at the prestigious 41^st Houston International Film Festival 2008 and the best feature film award at the 10th Arpa International Film Festival in Hollywood. The film had been nominated in Houston for as many as six categories including the best feature film, best director, screenplay, first feature, best foreign film and best family film. It has been screened at several international film festivals including the 32nd Cleveland Film Festival, the Golden Elephant Children Film Festival in Hyderabad, and at festivals in St Louis, Chicago, Frankfurt and Sydney.

Mahek is a young girl’s journey towards self-realization. The film deals with the understanding of children’s talents, their imaginative skills and also their rights in context of present-day India. Eleven-year old Mahek wants to be the best in everything, as she struggles to figure out what she is best at. To complicate things, she encounters a charmless old fairy, who brings her face to face with reality.

Here’s a trailer of the film:

More than 90,000 women accompany their spouses each year in search of the American dream, on an H-4 visa. Out of these almost 40 – 50 percent are Indian women. Once these thousands of educated women who are also doctors, lawyers, architects, business professionals, artists, etc. step into the land of the free, they realize that as an H-4 visa holder, they will not be allowed to work. They are forced to stay at home for an indefinite period of time – life becomes standstill as they find themselves losing their confidence, their self-esteem and identity. This is also what director Meghna Damani, the 32 year old media professional from Mumbai went through when she came to USA post-marriage, in 2002. She realized that she was not complete in this country despite being here for 5 yrs, because of her ‘dependent spouse’ visa status. Her urge to make the voices of H-4 visa holders to be heard was strong, and she decided to make a documentary about other women who shared her situation.

Meghna enrolled in the Documentary Media Studies Program at New school in New York, and interviewed several other women – all of this eventually turned into a 24 hour documentary called “Hearts Suspended”, the untold story of legal US immigrant spouses who are denied the basic human right to work, revealed through the filmmaker’s personal struggles. The film also happens to be the first film about H-4 women – South Asian lobbyists do not have this issue anywhere on their radar. H-4 visa holders are usually middle class with legal status; their plight is not seen as pressing. “These are people who are being brought in only in the most base function of women – housewives, babymakers and sex-partners”, says the film.

The 24-minute documentary was first screened at Brandeis University in Waltham during a conference on immigration and gender. The film was also an official selection for Mahindra IAAC Film Festival in New York, and the selection for the opening night for Ainaa Film Festival at Seattle.

Check out this heartrending clip from Hearts Suspended:

For more information about the film, check out www.heartssuspended.com.