In a city that lives and breathes storytelling, the 23rd Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) carved out something truly special this year. Held from May 6–10, 2025, across the Writers Guild Theater and Landmark Theatres Sunset, IFFLA proved yet again why it remains one of the most vital platforms for South Asian cinema outside the subcontinent.
This year’s festival wasn’t just a lineup of films—it was a full-blown celebration of identity, resistance, connection, and reinvention. With 27 films from over 10 countries—including seven features, one documentary, and 18 shorts—IFFLA offered an emotional rollercoaster, transporting us from the rice fields of Assam to the shadowy corners of AI tech work.
Big Wins, Bold Stories
One of the most unforgettable moments came with the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature, awarded to Aranya Sahay for Humans in the Loop. This haunting story of an Adivasi single mother working as a ghost in the AI machine—an invisible data annotator—hit audiences hard. The jury, led by actress and activist Rajshri Deshpande, praised the film as “timely, imaginative, beautifully written, and emotionally affecting.” It wasn’t just a win for Sahay—it was a declaration: this is a filmmaker to watch.
On the short film front, Snigdha Kapoor’s “Holy Curse” took the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short. With piercing clarity and unexpected humor, Kapoor tackled gender identity in a way that felt both deeply personal and socially urgent. According to the jury, it was “a bold, nuanced, and unforgettable take on selfhood and defiance.
Audience Favorites and Honorable Mentions
Among the crowd-pleasers, “Cactus Pears” by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade was a standout. A tender story of queer love in small-town India, the film earned both an Audience Award and a Jury Honorable Mention for Performance, thanks to deeply human portrayals by Bhushaan Manoj and Suraaj Suman.
Returning IFFLA favorite Rima Das received a Jury Honorable Mention for Direction for Village Rockstars 2, the follow-up to her acclaimed debut. Her signature raw, naturalistic style once again brought Dhunu’s journey to life with remarkable intimacy.
Other notable shoutouts included:
- Sunita Prasad’s “Sleep Training” – Audience Choice Award for Best Short
- Rishi Chandna’s “The Feast” – Jury Honorable Mention for Cinematic Storytelling
- Terrie Samundra’s “Extinction Story Origin Story” – Awarded for Artistic Direction
- Rayit Hashmat Qazi’s “An Orphanage of Memories” – Honored for Emotional Storytelling
A New Generation, A New Voice
Another highlight came during IFFLA Industry Days, a two-day creative summit connecting South Asian filmmakers with Hollywood insiders. The spotlight was on rising filmmaker Kiana Rawji, who won the $10,000 Launchpad Pitch Competition Grant for her project Adult Children. Her story of intimate familial dynamics and diasporic identity struck a chord with the judges, who praised her for “narrative clarity” and industry potential.
From Fearless Openings to Thoughtful Closures
IFFLA 2025 opened with a bang—Varsha Bharath’s “Bad Girl”, a gutsy Tamil-language debut produced by Vetrimaaran and presented by Anurag Kashyap. It set the tone with a searing portrait of feminine rebellion and self-discovery.
The festival closed with Lawrence Valin’s “Little Jaffna”, a poetic, heartfelt meditation on diaspora, community, and Tamil identity in the outskirts of Paris—reminding us of the global resonance South Asian stories now hold.
The Heart of IFFLA: Connection and Courage
As Artistic Director Anu Rangachar said, “Every story told here was a courageous act—and every frame, a step toward deeper connection.” That ethos was palpable throughout the festival, whether on-screen or in the buzzing conversations between screenings.
IFFLA 2025 reminded us that cinema still holds the power to challenge, transform, and heal. And for five extraordinary days, South Asian filmmakers from across the globe proved that this festival remains the place where those stories shine brightest.
