IFFLA Announces Salute to Anil Kapoor & Closing Night Gala

7TH ANNUAL INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF LOS ANGELES (IFFLA)
ANNOUNCES

SALUTE TO BOLLYWOOD LEGEND ANIL KAPOOR

YES MADAM, SIR AS CLOSING NIGHT GALA

WITH DOC SUBJECT DR. KIRAN BEDI AS GUEST OF HONOR

HOLLYWOOD, CA, March 10, 2008 – The 7th Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) announces its salute to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE star and Bollywood legend Anil Kapoor. IFFLA also announces YES MADAM, SIR will highlight the Closing Night Gala with Dr. Kiran Bedi, India’s first and highest ranking woman officer of the Indian Police Service, attending as a special Guest of Honor on Sunday, April 26. The film festival will be held April 21-26, 2009, at ArcLight Hollywood.

The salute to Kapoor will include screenings of his classic films LAMHE (1991) and VIRASAT (1997) as well as the world premiere of the English language version of GANDHI, MY FATHER (2007). Kapoor produced the film, which explores the cost Mahatma Gandhi’s own family bore due to his efforts to free the nation of India.

Kapoor first appeared on the big screen in HAMHARE TUMHARE in 1979. His first lead role followed four years later in the film WHO 7 DIN (1983). Kapoor has appeared in over 100 movies including LAMHE and VIRASAT, prior to his signature turn as the dynamic game show host, ‘Prem Kumar’ in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. Other notable titles include CHAMELI KI SHAADI (1986), MR. INDIA (1987), RAM LAKHAN (1989), EESHWAR (1989), TAAL (1999) and PUKAR (2000). Upcoming films include the action thriller RACE 2.

Kapoor said, “I am thrilled to be a part of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and honored that they have chosen to include my work as an actor and producer. With the incredible success of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, the timing could not be better. I feel as though I have come full circle. In November, I attended the AFI FEST premiere of Slumdog Millionaire at the ArcLight Theatre. Now, some five months later, I am humbled and honored that my work as an actor and filmmaker has been chosen to receive such a fantastic tribute at the same venue.”

Directed by Megan Doneman, YES MADAM, SIR profiles Dr. Kiran Bedi, the first woman to join the Indian Police Service and a controversial and inspiring figure in India. A former professional athlete with interests in social issues, Dr. Bedi’s career has been marked by moments of physical courage, institutional innovation, and patriarchal prejudices. From fighting back Sikh extremists, modernizing the notorious Tihar Jail, and reforming the corrupt Police Training Academy, Dr. Bedi’s work has been celebrated around the world and vilified by those threatened by a woman’s success in a male dominated field. She has worked with the United Nations as the Police Advisor to the Secretary General, in the Department of Peace Keeping Operations. In addition, Dr. Bedi has represented India at international forums on crime prevention, drug abuse, police and prison reforms and women’s issues.

Doneman lived with Dr. Bedi on and off for six years, gaining unparalleled access to her subject. Narrated by Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, Doneman’s film recently won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Adelaide International Film Festival as well as Best Documentary and the Social Justice Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. It will be the first documentary to receive Gala presentation at IFFLA – introduces audiences to Dr. Bedi’s extraordinary, path-breaking life and work.

Dr. Kiran Bedi will attend the film festival as IFFLA’s Guest of Honor and join Donerman for a Q&A after the gala screening.

Donerman said, “After filming India’s modern-day Gandhi and national heroine, Kiran Bedi’s life story for six years, I am truly honored to be invited to close the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles with the finished film, YES MADAM, SIR. Both Kiran Bedi and I are excited to attend the red carpet Gala event”.

IFFLA Festival Director Christina Marouda said, “We couldn’t be more proud and excited to shine the spotlight on such striking and dynamic figures as Anil Kapoor and Dr. Kiran Bedi. Kapoor is an accomplished artist and ambassador for the Indian filmmaking community and Dr. Bedi is an absolute inspiration for women around the world. We are honored to place them both front and center at IFFLA this year.”

Hosted by Malibu Family Wines with Chakra Cuisine providing its celebrated authentic dishes reinventing classic Indian cuisine for the most sophisticated palate, the Closing Night Gala will feature a performance by Project Pulse, a Bay Area based performing arts company known for creating expressive sequences fusing Bollywood, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, and Contemporary dance into their performances.

For further information on the Festival, please visit http://www.indianfilmfestival.org.

Random Oscar thoughts as the night progressed…

THE RED CARPET….

Funny couples moment that wasn’t even a Hollywood couples moment with Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick when it became obvious during their response to the E! interviewer that she picked out his clothes for the night.

E!’s Giuliana squeals like an idiot upon seeing Brangelina. Really? (pause) Really?

I’m thinking that possibly the toughest thing about Loki’s passing (Mickey Rourke’s dog) is it throws into doubt who will accept the Oscar for Heath Ledger.

I feel for all the guests of stars on the red carpet who get directed off-camera to get out of the interview shot.

Okay, I’ve heard Kate Winslet’s story about her son’s speech advice twice in 5 minutes now. Time to put that little chestnut away…

Now I have reached critical mass with Mickey Rourke and the Loki memorial.

Diane Lane and Josh Brolin – that is some Hollywood Royalty the way it SHOULD be played. Style…mutual support…sharing the right perspective…

I’m enjoying Miley Cyrus blatantly campaigning (and sounding like she expects) to be nominated for her damn HANNAH MONTANA movie next year. Oh, country mouse…

AND THEN THE SHOW BEGINS…

Wait a minute – Is this Supporting Actress thing is like a Skull & Bones initiation ceremony? Will there be hazing involved – like paddling? Because that would be hot.

I have to think that Dustin Lance Black’s acceptance speech for Screenplay just scared the crap out of the hard core red staters. “How can we demonize that?”

The Art Direction winners stand at a little table thingy – looking like they’re at an awkward singles mixer.

Wait a second – Did they make Pattinson and Seyfried present from the “kids’ microphone”?

I’m having very happy thoughts about not having to do a post mortem on one of Ben Stiller’s award show bits at IDPR the next day. “It was funny, right? People seemed to think it was funny, don’t you think? What did your friends think? He picked the right idea. I mean, the TWILIGHT idea was funny too, but the Joaquin thing was better. Right? Okay, get him on the phone…”

Okay, if I had a lot of extra fabric for Jessica Biel’s dress, where would I put it? Uhmm..not there.

Damn, that Holocaust thing even works for short films at the Oscars.

Now we get the big “musicals are back!” number. And I have to think THIS is how middle America likes its gay!

However, does Beyonce HAVE to be the default for these things…?

After each one of these Supporting Actor “a speech from your peers” things, I expect the presenter to say, “You can go now.”

Jerry Lewis proves humanitarian mettle by giving a mercifully brief speech. Think about it – he easily could have done the buck toothed gag or the water glass in the mouth bit or launched into a few versus of his Muscular Dystrophy theme song/ So – thank you – and bring on the commercial break.

They’re rolling out the documentary nominees and people around the country are thinking, “Do I have to watch these movies – like homework or something? I mean, not one of ‘em has a wise cracking panda or adventurous French mouse or even a romantic robot…”

And, courtesy of Mr. MAN ON WIRE, we suddenly have the Cirque de Soleil.

The audience was trying to figure what the titles were for the foreign films after that confusing presentation. Then the winner’s announced and they went wha..?!

Time for the Best Song performances – Hey, is there gonna be a musical rumble here?

I swear this is like YOU GOT SERVED Indian-style!

To this day, Reese Witherspoon opens her mouth and I see and hear ‘Tracy Flick’ from ELECTION. And it scares me just a little.

Danny Boyle wins, does some ‘Tigger’ jumps for his kids and then compliments the production of the show during his moment. He’s like a goodwill juggernaut.

The Best Actress presentations…

Face Off #1: Angelina Jolie can’t help but think that she has more kids than Nicole Kidman – so she wins!

Face Off #2: Dude, I think there’s gonna be a throwdown between Sophia Loren and Meryl Streep…

It’s cool that Robert Garlock got shout outs from both Kate Winslet and Penelope Cruz tonight. He was a publicist who was a good guy. One I really only knew peripherally and yet knew very well of his reputation for old fashioned and basic decency. Because it’s rare in personal PR.

Sean Penn wins and is eloquent yet pointed. He is self aware, but he’s not going to back down from the haters.

Finally, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE wins it’s last award – but only because there are no more left to give out. But wasn’t that little movie supposed to go straight to DVD…? Wha.. happened?

If there is one thing I know after watching the show tonight, it is this: Meryl Streep has received 15 nominations. I know this because it was repeated so often, I thought there was a promotion somewhere, like “Tell us how many nominations Meryl Streep has received and get a free Oscar Taco or Oscar Meyer Oscar Weiner Oscar Hot Dog” or something. And in the words of Kate Winslet, “You’ll just have to suck it up, Meryl.”

At least until next year – and nomination number 16.