Umrika
The opening night film is Prashant Nair’s Sundance Audience Award winner, starring Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi) and Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel). They play brothers who have grown up in an Indian village and dream of a life in America.
Gour Hari Dastaan: The Freedom File
Directed by Ananth Mahadevan (Mee Sindhutai Sapkal), this true-life drama is about one of the last remaining Gandhian “freedom fighters” Hari Guar Das. He has to prove he was an independence hero to win his right to a state pension.
Meet the Patels
The documentary that has picked up numerous awards at American festivals makes its European debut. It’s a wry and witty spoof on the perils of meeting the girl of your dreams under the watchful eyes of eccentric Gujarati parents.
Court
Winning two awards at last year’s Venice Film Festival, Court is about an ageing activist/folk singer who is charged with inciting a worker to commit suicide through one of his songs. A fascinating exploration of the Indian legal system.
Saari Raat (All Night)
Based on renowned playwright Badal Sarkar’s work of the same title, the film takes place over the course of one long, dark and stormy night, where a holidaying couple take shelter in what appears to be an abandoned house.
