Indian Film Festival of Houston, Inc.
The 13th Indian Film Festival of Houston (IFFH) returns as an in-person event on October 22-23, 2021 at the Asia Society Texas Center offering a unique opportunity to learn about India’s multi-faceted culture and long history of film-making. IFFH 2021 will showcase a combination of feature films, shorts and documentaries and will offer jury awards for the Best Films.
The Indian Film Festival of Houston, Inc. (IFFH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to creating a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing quality films that honor entertainment performers and film-makers.
Since 2009, the Indian Film Festival of Houston has become established as an integral part of Houston’s art and entertainment culture, with Houston Press readers voting the Indian Film Festival of Houston as the ‘Best Film Festival of Houston’.
IFFH is a calendar event in Houston bringing film-makers, guests and visitors not only from Texas and Louisiana, but from across the nation, as well as, people come from all over the globe – Mexico, India, France, Germany, Argentina, Italy and Morocco.
As background on the level of films screened at IFFH, several films that have earned recognition from the higher echelons of the film industry including the Oscars:
In 2009, the documentary SMILE PINKI awarded Best Documentary, IFFH 2009, also won the Oscar for ‘Best Documentary, (Short Subject)’
In 2010, the feature film UDAAN awarded Best Picture, IFFH 2010, also won an unprecedented 7 major awards at the Filmfare Awards, India’s equivalent to the Oscars
In 2011, the feature film I AM KALAM awarded Best Picture, IFFH 2011, received critical acclaim at Cannes, Berlin and other film festivals
In 2012, feature film GATTU, was commended by critics and film reviewers all over the world, including the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival
In 2013, feature film THE GOOD ROAD, India’s official entry for the Oscars
In 2014, internationally acclaimed feature film CITYLIGHTS premiered in the USA at IFFH
In 2015, the short film DUM DUM DEEGA DEEGA awarded Best Short, IFFH 2015, went on to win 5 major awards at the Filmfare Awards, including People’s Choice
In 2016, the Indian Film Festival of Houston (IFFH) featured several films with great cultural impact extolling some extraordinary stories of common folk. The films were screened in the state-of-the-art Brown Auditorium at the Asia Society Texas Center in Houston’s historic Museum District. Among the films that stood out was a documentary, DRIVING WITH SELVI, directed by Elisa Paloschi and two feature films, BORN TO RUN – BUDHIA SINGH, directed by Soumendra Padhi and WAITING, directed by Anu Menon.
In 2017, the feature film, KSHITIJ – THE HORIZON, produced by a local film producer, was awarded Best Feature Film, IFFH 2017, and went on to win Best Film Award at India’s equivalent of the Oscars, as well as, at IFFI, International Film Festival of India (one of the oldest film festivals) and an award from UNESCO .
In 2018, the documentary film, SHALOM BOLLYWOOD – THE UNTOLD STORY OF INDIAN CINEMA, was awarded Best Documentary Film, IFFH 2018 and was also recognized at the Jewish International Film Festival and the Mumbai International Film Festival.
In 2019, the feature film, THE LAST COLOR, was awarded the Best Feature Film and was also up for consideration as India’s entry to the 92nd Oscars in 2019.
In 2020, the 12th Indian Film Festival of Houston was not held due to COVID.
