At a star-studded ceremony on Sunday, May 14, at the SVA theater in New York City, the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), North America’s oldest and most distinguished festival that showcases cinema from the international Indian community, presented its 2023 winners. With Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress prizes for the stars, Jaideep Ahlawat and Shefali Shah, director Avinash Arun of Pataal Lok fame won top accolades for his film Three of Us.
“I congratulate all of the winners and candidates on behalf of the whole board. We are honored to carry on our longstanding practice of honoring and celebrating this extraordinary talent and introducing these well-regarded works to new audiences. This year, we wanted to provide a true narrative that reflected the Indian experience to further the effect of Indian film on the world stage. remarked the Chairman of the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), Dr. Nirmal Mattoo.
The festival’s director, Aseem Chhabra, continued, “I am delighted to announce that this year’s event has been very successful. A number of our screenings were completely sold out in our biggest theaters, offering audiences a memorable experience. Not only did they get the opportunity to mingle with renowned celebrities such as Manoj and Sharmila, but they also engaged with numerous talented young filmmakers. It is with immense joy that we acknowledge an important milestone when a Malayalam film receives the prestigious Best Film award at NYIFF. The selections made by our esteemed jury truly reflect the vast breadth and diversity of Indian cinema.”
“Our closing event was truly a testament to the New York community coming together to celebrate Indian cinema,” continued Suman Gollamudi, Executive Director.
