3rd edition of DCSAFF kicks off Friday.
Global India Newswire
GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND: The third Washington, DC, South Asian Film Festival began here Friday night with the screening of the short film Medicine Man, written and directed by young Washington-based filmmaker Himkar Tak.
The second film to be screened on the opening night was the Hindi feature Club 60, directed by Sanjay Tripathy, which was followed by a question-and-answer session with the acclaimed director.
Besides some two-dozen features, short films and documentaries in various South Asian languages and in English, the festival features Q&A sessions with filmmakers and actors, and workshops.
Two films by Prakash Jha are being screened as part a retrospective on the veteran Indian filmmaker, Parinati and Damul.
Other big names in town for the third edition of DCSAFF include renowned Indian actors Nandita Das and Manoj Bajpai, and Pakistani filmmaker Ismail Jilani.
Das, known for roles in films such as Fire and Bawandar, presented her theater work Between the Lines on Saturday.
The presence of former Georgia Tech alum Nagesh Kukunoor and Indian American actor Omi Vaidya gives the festival some US flavor.
The three-day festival, which ends on Sunday, is hosted by Ceasar Productions.
On the opening night, the screening was preceded by a cocktail reception, fashion show and a red carpet walk. Among those who walked the red carpet on Friday night include Jha, Das, Kukunoor and Jilani.
Indian American entrepreneur Frank Islam and his wife, Debbie Dreisman, and community leaders Sambhu Banik and Dr. Mahinder Tak were among the Washingtonians walked the red carpet.