The eighth edition of the New Jersey Indian & International Film Festival (NJIIFF), presented by the Indian Arts & Culture Corporation (IACC), concluded on March 29 in New Jersey. The two-day programme, which commenced on March 28, was a celebration of cinema, culture and community, where screenings were held at the Regal Hadley Theatre, South Plainfield, and the ITV Gold Auditorium, Edison, New Jersey.
Hemant Dhome’s film, Krantijyoti Vidyalay Marathi Madhyam, won the best film award, while Susu, directed by Shubham Rahul Karna and produced by Arya Menon, received the best short film award.
The festival choice award went to the short film Reverse. It is directed by Kaustuv Mukherjee and produced by Vijay Kumar Mirchandani and Debpriya Sengupta. In the acting categories, Gautham won the award for the best actor in a feature film, BMW 1991, while Shivali Parab received the best actress award for Mangla.
A special category recognising women technicians was introduced this year. TV actress Sai Deodhar won the best director award for her directorial debut film, Na Avadti Goshta, while Sanya Date was awarded the best female writer for Tango Malhar. Angela Page was awarded the best woman producer for Harij Weds Sajili. The best student film was given to Boot Ghar Ashes by Ashique Shahir.
The festival drew submissions from across continents this year, reflecting a wide range of global storytelling. A curated selection of films was screened across the two-day programme following a competitive selection process.
NJIIFF also collaborated with the 5th Marathi International Film Festival (MIFF) and the 4th Florida South Asian Film Festival (FL-SAFF), expanding its platform for regional and international cinema and storytelling.
Speaking about the two-day festival, festival director Hemant M. Pandya shared, “NJIIFF continues to grow as a platform for meaningful cinema that connects cultures and communities. We are grateful to all filmmakers, partners and audiences who made this edition truly special.”
The festival received partial funding from the Arts Institute of Middlesex County and the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a County Arts Grant, along with support from partners, sponsors and the community.