LOVE AND SHUKLA SET TO OPEN FESTIVAL
Ottawa, May 23, 2018 — The 2nd edition of the Ottawa Indian Film Festival Awards (OIFFA) will open on June 13 with director Siddartha Jatla’s first feature film, Love and Shukla. Cowritten by his frequent film partner Amanda Mooney, Love and Shukla comes to Ottawa carried by worldwide acclaim since its premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, last fall. The Festival will take place from June 13 to 17, 2018, in the heart of Ottawa. OIFFA is presented by MeraTango.com.
Love and Shukla is a story of sex, love and the search for privacy in a small, one-room Mumbai chawl. Shukla, an auto-rickshaw driver from an orthodox Brahmin family, has never known a woman intimately. When his mother suddenly arranges a marriage for him, Shukla and his new wife face the experience of so many couples in Mumbai: a new marriage, no knowledge of relationships and a joint family/love nest that offers no space for sex, much less a conversation.
Self-produced on a microbudget by coscreenwriters Siddartha Jatla and Amanda Mooney of Momo Films, Love and Shukla has been called cathartic by Screen Magazine and “arresting … moving, thought-provoking” by Asian Age. The Better India writes, “The Big Picture: Indie Films Are Fuelling a Much-Needed Change in Indian Cinema.” The film stars Saharsh Kumar Shukla, whose recent films include Bollywood blockbusters Raees, Rangoon, Highway and Ugly.
OIFFA’s full programme will be announced very soon, including its film competition and special events. Tickets and passes for the event can be purchased online at www.oiffa.com/ticket-terms/.
All screenings will take place at Cineplex Cinemas Lansdowne and VIP, at Lansdowne Park (325 Marché Way, Unit 107, Ottawa). For more information, go to www.oiffa.com.
OIFFA is the National Capital’s and Eastern Canada’s preeminent festival dedicated to Indian cinema. Now in its second year, the event is dedicated to cultivating an audience for Indian cinema and culture in Ottawa. It showcases Indian films, supports Indian filmmakers and promotes the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora. A five-day showcase of multi-genre Indian films, the Festival hosts a number of participating filmmakers as well as a roster of events, including a panel session, a special screening and the celebrated OIFFA VIP Lounge with Indian music and dance. In 2018, OIFFA is also launching two new activities: its 1st Bollywood Poster Competition for Youths and its 1st official Canadian Short Film Competition.
The OIFFA Gala Award Night will take place on Sunday, June 17, 2018, at the Infinity Convention Centre.