‘Visaaranai’, ‘Parched’ take top honors at Indian Fest of LA – Washington, Davis star in ‘Fences’
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LOS ANGELES, April 12, (RTRS): “Visaaranai” received the grand jury prize for best feature at the 14th annual Indian Film Festival Los Angeles at ArcLight Hollywood. While “Parched,” directed by Leena Yadav, won the audience award Sunday night.
The festival, which is devoted to the greater appreciation of Indian cinema, showcased nearly 30 films including features, documentaries and shorts.
“This film took us to a very specific time and place while also shedding light on a universal phenomena of displacement and vulnerability,” the narrative jury said when presenting the award to “Visaaranai,” directed by Vetri Maaran. The Tamil-language film, which won an Amnesty Intl award at Venice, was also applauded for its “complex and multilayered examination of systematic abuse of power.”
Sanjay Mishra of “Masaan” won the lead actor and the femme cast of “Parched” (Tannishtha Chatterjee, Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla and Lehar Khan) won the actress award.
“Playground,” directed by Shamik Sen Gupta and Pallavi MD, took home the award for short “for its portrayal of two families in crisis, using a quiet economy and powerful yet subtle performances.” “Daaravtha” won the audience prize.
IFFLA closed out with a red carpet and gala fete that featured the North American premiere of Anu Menon’s feature “Waiting,” starring Kalki Koechlin.
This year’s festival featured more features and shorts from women filmmakers than any before, as well as many titles that had received top awards at festivals around the globe.
Winners
Grand Jury Awards
Best Feature: Visaaranai (Interrogation)
Best Actor: Sanjay Mishra for Masaan
Best Actress: The cast of Parched: Tannishtha Chatterjee, Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla, and Lehar Khan
Feature Honorable Mention: Aligarh
Feature Honorable Mention: Masaan
Best Short Film: Playgrounds
Short Film Honorable Mention: Leeches
Short Film Honorable Mention: The Manliest Man
Audience Choice Awards
Best Feature: Parched
Best Short: Daaravtha (The Threshold)
Also:
LOS ANGELES: Denzel Washington will star in and direct a movie version of August Wilson’s “Fences” for Paramount Pictures with Viola Davis on board to star.
Both actors won Tony’s for their performance in the 2010 Broadway revival of “Fences.” Bron Creative and Macro are producing the movie with Washington, based on Wilson’s screen adaptation of his Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
Scott Rudin and Todd Black are producing with Washington. Executive producers are Eli Bush, Bron Creative’s Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth, Andy Pollack, Macro’s Charles D. King and Kim Roth along with co-executive producer Poppy Hanks.
Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, “This important and beloved play has been a passion of Denzel’s for many years and it is with great excitement that we embark together to bring his dream project to the big screen.”
“Fences” is the story of a one-time promising baseball player, now working as a Pittsburgh garbage collector, and the complicated relationships with his wife, son, and friends. The film’s ensemble cast includes Stephen Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Jovan Adepo and Saniyya Sydney.
LOS ANGELES: After breaking out in last year’s “Creed,” actress Tessa Thompson is eyeing a jump to the Marvel universe as the thesp has joined “Thor: Ragnarok.”
Chris Hemsworth is back as the Norse God in the superhero sequel, which co-stars his “Avengers” counterpart Mark Ruffalo (the Hulk). Oscar winner Cate Blanchett is also in talks to play an unknown role.
Taika Waiti in on board to direct “Ragnarok” with Stephany Folsom recently polished the script.
Kevin Feige will produce the film, which hits theaters on Nov 3, 2017.
Most recently featured as the female lead in the box-office success “Creed,” and prior to that was a supporting cast member in “Selma,” as her breakout role was the star of the indie feature film darling “Dear White People.”
Currently, Thompson is filming a female lead role in the HBO Drama Series “Westworld” and has also been cast in a female lead role alongside Natalie Portman in “Annihilation” for director Alex Garland, produced by Scott Rudin. Thompson also has a strong supporting role in the feature film in the John Michael McDonagh directed film “War on Everyone,” which premiered at SXSW.
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