The vibrant colors and compelling narratives of Indian cinema are set to enchant audiences in Stuttgart as Europe’s largest Indian film festival returns.
From 17 to 21 July, the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart will showcase 65 current feature films, short films, documentaries, and commercials from the world’s largest film market.
A Diverse Selection of Films
Audiences can look forward to several world, international, and German premieres. Organized by the Filmbüro Baden-Württemberg and supported by the city of Stuttgart and the state of Baden-Württemberg, the festival will once again highlight the competition for the prestigious ‘German Star of India’ film prize, valued at 7,500 euros.
The feature film category offers a mix of tragic tales, light-hearted narratives, and humorous comedies, providing an unfiltered glimpse into a nation of contrasts.
Feature Films in Competition
The following feature films are nominated: –
Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal (Three Sons of Nanayani)’ by Sharan Venugopal: Opening the festival on 17 July at 8 pm, this drama follows three brothers who reunite at their terminally ill mother’s bedside, rekindling old family disputes.
Logout’ by Amit Golani: Premiering on 18 July at 10 am, this influencer thriller stars Babil Khan as Pratyush, a popular influencer from Delhi who faces turmoil after losing his phone. (Repeat showing on 19 July at 8 pm).
Gorai Phakhri – Wild Swans’ by Rajni Basumatary: This European premiere on 18 July at 6 pm explores the lives of women in a patriarchal society on the India-Bhutan border.
Bhera – The Deaf’ by Shrikant Prabhakar: Premiering on 21 July at 2 pm, this film is set in a remote village during the COVID era and tells the story of Anibai and her connection with the world through a deaf-mute boy.
Athoi’ by Kiran Rao: Screening on 20 July at 9 pm, this adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ infuses contemporary dialogue and a Tarantino-esque style.
Mithya’ by Sumanth Bhat: Premiering in Germany on 20 July at 5 pm, this film narrates the story of an eleven-year-old boy coping with the loss of his parents.
Sthal – A Match’ by Jayant Digambar Somalkar: This European premiere on 20 July at 6.30 pm deals with a young woman’s struggle against patriarchal norms and arranged marriages.
Documentaries and Short Films
Several documentaries and short films are also in the running for awards: –
Documentaries: ‘Parama: A Journey with Aparna Sen’ by Suman Gosh, ‘Chaawal (Rice)’ by Tamjeed Elahi Khan, ‘Never Say Die’ by Diya Gambhir, ‘Langur – The Man Monkey’ by Haider Khan, and ‘13TWR’ by Prashant More.
Short Films: ‘Kshan’ by Sakshi Singh, ‘Thanks Mom’ by Manik Talwar, ‘Kav Kav’ by Dr. Swanand Wagh, ‘Thursday Special’ by Varun Tandon, ‘Sultan’ by Avinash Kisanrao Kambikar, ‘Papa Ko Pani Se Dar Lagta Hai (My Father Is Afraid of Water)’ by Prateek Rajendra Srivastava, ‘Opposite Poles’ by Vignesh Paramasivam, ‘Umbara’ by Pranay Ramesh Kotangale, ‘Pankhol’ by Parag Pradip Sawant, ‘Buigavne (Scarecrow)’ by Akhil Lotlikar, and ‘Blackhole’ by Pradyumna Patil.
Awards and Recognition
In addition to the ‘German Star of India’ film prize, other awards include: – An advertising film prize (500 euros). – The Director’s Vision Award, recognizing directors with exceptional social or political contributions. – The Audience Award, valued at 1,000 euros.
Event Details
The festival will take place at Stuttgart’s city center cinemas (Cinema and EM, Bolz-/Königstraße). Tickets are priced at 9 euros each. Stuttgart’s support for the festival underscores the city’s long-standing cultural ties with India, exemplified by its twinning with Mumbai since 1968.
Similarly, Baden-Württemberg and Maharashtra have been twinned since 2015, reinforcing the cultural and artistic exchanges celebrated at this annual festival. For more information and the complete program, visit www.indisches-filmfestival.de.
