Yadvi – The Dignified Princess, Devadasi and Elephant in the Coffee among films to be screened.
The fifth North Carolina South and East Asian Hollywood Film Festival will be held in Cary, NC, on January 5, 2018.
Yadvi – The Dignified Princess, a film about a princess of Patiala and Devadasi exploring the illegal practice in India are amongst the films, will be one of the highlights of the festival
Some of the strongest films showcasing powerful women protagonists inspired from Indian history will be showcased at the festival, which will be held at the Cary Theater.
WHAT: North Carolina South and East Asian Hollywood Film Festival
WHERE: The Cary Theater, 122 E. Chatham Street, Cary, NC
WHEN: January 5, 2019, from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Yadvi, directed by the North Carolina-based based Jyoti Singh, has already won 22 awards.
The film tells the story of Princess Yadvi of Patiala in Punjab. It charts the extraordinary story of the princess that remained resolute through hardships. The screening will be followed by a Q and A session.
RELATED: Independent film ‘Yadvi’ takes a royal look at women’s empowerment (June 15, 2017)
A documentary by Charlotte, NC,-based Indrani Nayal Gall titled Devadasi takes a sensitive and thought-provoking look into the illegal practice of religious servitude. The screening of Devadasi will also be followed by a Q and A session where the audiences will get a chance to speak with the makers about the movie.
In addition to these two showcases, another interesting film to look forward to is a documentary called Is this a Joke or What? Directed by Durham-based Sangeeta Godbole, this is another film by local women directors. This documentary touches upon issues faced by women today. Among other movies is a short film titled Ehsaas by Raleigh-based film maker Bhavna Singh.
RELATED: Film Review: ‘Yadvi – The Dignified Princess’ is a visual and emotional treat for audiences (June 13, 2017)
A short film made in 48 hours by Gauri Singh, Rob Underhill and Sunita Dev will also be seen at the fest.
Some of the films to be showcased deals with less talked about but important issues. Is your cup of coffee killing elephants? This is the question put forth by the film titled Elephant in the Coffee by Thomas Grant. The film examines the conflicts between endangered elephants and farmers in Southern India.
RELATED: How a deadly conflict over coffee with humans in India is forcing elephants into cages (August 31, 2017)
A host of other films ranging across genres and boundaries will also be a part of the festival.
The South & East Asian Hollywood Film Festival draws themes from the Indian subcontinent and countries such as Afghanistan, Philippines, Taiwan, Bhutan, Brunei and others which may not get a lot of international cultural exposure. The festival was started in 2012.