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Sep 21 - Sep 24, 2023

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Tina [Pre-Feature Short]

After undergoing self-transformation therapy, a woman is haunted by an Indian classical dancer, forcing her to confront herself in a way she never expected.

Director / Writer / Actor / Producer

Gayatri Patel Bahl is a multi-disciplinary artist, award-winning filmmaker, actress, Indian classical dancer and entrepreneur. Gayatri’s journey has led her through Bollywood as the lead of the Hindi Film “Let’s Dance”; from founding Textured, a web development company, to co-founding Leblum, a Techstars NYC 16′ company; and finally to writing, directing and starring in TINA, an award-winning short film which is currently on the festival circuit.

Performing for over 25 years, Gayatri can be seen in Mr. Robot, Showtime’s The Loudest Voice, HBO’s Vinyl, Law & Order SVU, the Hindi Film Let’s Dance, and Rishta.com (Netflix).

As an Indian classical dancer, Gayatri was featured by Elle Magazine’s Movement Series and has graced the stage of the world renowned Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre, NYC’s SummerStage, NJPAC and has been featured in the Huffington Post, Elle Magazine US, Times of India, Real Bollywood, Sa Dance Company, Filmfare Magazine and ETC Networks.
Learn more at GayatriBahl.com

Producer

Anuj Goyal is a Brooklyn based Producer, Project Manager, and Photographer. While his background is in healthcare management, where he has worked for almost ten years, he has been able to merge his business and project management expertise with his passion for producing different works of art. For the last three years he has immersed himself in the world of fashion and editorial photography. He prides himself in being involved in all aspects of his shoots and making sure his set is organized while maintaining a positive energy. These skills proved to be invaluable as Tina was his first foray into the world of film-making. He looks forward to producing more films in the near future.

Director of Photography

Brian Hollars is a cinematographer with experience in both film and digital formats. Over the past ten years he has worked on a variety of projects, including feature films, documentaries, music videos, commercials, photo shoots and promotional pieces. With years of experience as an IATSE 478 Member in the Lighting Department, Brian has worked with some of the best cinematographers in the world. His work has garnered awards from the Aurora Awards and Chicago Shorts Film Fest, and has been screened at the New Orleans Film Festival, Los Angeles Cine Fest, NYC Independent Film Fest, Orlando Edge Film Fest and numerous others.

Original Score & Sound Design

Rushi Vakil is from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India and the founder of Aaditaal Music Project. A composer, multi-instrumentalist, teacher, and producer, Rushi Vakil brings together his formal training in Indian classical music under her father Indian music maestro Pandit Divyang Vakil with global sounds.

A composer and producer of original music for live shows, films, ads, and dance, his latest credits include the hit feature film ”Shubharamabh,” India’s biggest animation film “Kid Krrish,” and the award-winning short film ”Bhinti Maage.” Rushi also performs with tabla ensemble Talavya and his world music band Taan, in addition to heading Rhythm Riders Music Institute in India.

Cast

Shalini Bathina as The Dancer
Shalini Bathina is an American actress currently residing in Los Angeles. Prior to college, she was always passionate about dance and acting, being involved in the theatre community in high school, and training in a form of Indian Classical Dance called Kuchipudi for fifteen years. Recent credits in TV/Film include Grey’s Anatomy, Baby Daddy, Life in Pieces and Raven’s Home.

Sarah Baskin as Dr. Jane Friedman
Sarah Baskin is a New York based actor with an affinity for developing new work and the collaborative process of making things. Sarah has worked Off Broadway, including productions at the Roundabout, 59E59, Urban Stages, and with several downtown theatre companies.She is committed to independent cinema, most recently starring in Malaisia (dir. Mac Cappucino). Other film appearances include Thanks For Sharing (dir. Stuart Blumberg) and the experimental film The Lives of Hamilton Fish (written & directed by Rachel Mason).

Surina Jindal as Sam
Surina is a producer, actress, and entrepreneur who’s appeared on NBC”s Outsourced, 90201, The Young and the Restless and will be in the upcoming HBO show Succession.

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Ketki Parikh

Ketki Parikh is the co-founder and President of Chicago South Asian Film Festival. While growing up in India she was intimately engaged in both the performance and theories of artistic expression through dance and drama at the prestigious Darpana Academy in Ahmedabad. After moving to the United States, In 1995, Ketki founded Vachikam with the goal of sharing these experiences with the greater Indian community in USA by nationally promoting theatrical performances and artists of the highest quality from India. Ketki is also a strong and active supporter of the Indian community. After serving on the board of India Development Service she also serves as a board member of Apna Ghar, a domestic violence shelter in Chicago serving primarily Asian women and children.

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Jigar Shah

Jigar Shah is the Festival Director of Chicago South Asian Film Festival. He is passionate about the connection between stories, films and community. He aims to share perspectives through film and art by providing a platform for talents who are overlooked as he empowers each of us to see our inner artists. Jigar holds several leadership titles and is advisory board member to various nonprofits. He serves as a jury member in other international film festivals. Working in a leadership role in a Global healthcare financial firm, Jigar is a technology strategy leader who holds advanced degrees in Engineering, MBA (Chicago), and Law (Pritzker School of Law, Northwestern, Chicago). “I believe in bringing each of us together through art and culture; this is possible and I make this an everyday action in my life.”

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Amit Rana

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Aparna Sen

Aparna Sen is a critically acclaimed Indian filmmaker, script writer, and actress. She is the winner of three prestigious National Film Awards and eight international film festival awards. Her first film appearance happened in Satyajit Ray’s Teen Kanya when she was sixteen. In 1981, Aparna, made her debut as a film director with 36 Chowringhee Lane which won national and international accolade. Since then she has gone on to direct films on a wide variety of subjects that have brought her worldwide fame and recognition.

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Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi is regarded as one of the finest actresses in India. She has appeared in over 120 Hindi films in both mainstream and independent cinema, and has to her credit as an actor several international projects. Azmi’s performances in films across genres have earned her praise and awards, which include a record of five wins of the National Film Award for Best Actress and four Filmfare Awards. In addition to acting, Azmi is a social and women’s rights activist, a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA), and a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament.

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Vishal Bhardwaj

Vishal Bhardwaj is an Indian film director, writer, composer and producer. He has directed ten feature films, produced five and composed music for more than forty. His directorial work includes Makdee, The Blue Umbrella, Kaminey, 7 Khoon Maaf, Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, Rangoon, Pataakha as well as the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Trilogy – Maqbool, Omkara and Haider (adapted from Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet, respectively). He has received 3 international awards and 7 national film awards for his work and recently began his stage career by directing A Flowering Tree in the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, and composing music for the Monsoon Wedding musical in Berkeley, California.

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Bhawana Somaaya

Bhawana Somaaya commenced her career in the late 70s as Chief Reporter with Free Press Journal’s film weekly titled Cinema Journal. In 81 she joined Movie as Assistant Editor and went on to become the Joint Editor. In 2000, she joined as Editor Chief, Screen, a film weekly of The Indian Express Group. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards and has contributed columns to prominent publications like The Observer and The Hindustan Times. She has to her credit nine books in a span of 10 years which include Amitabh Bachchan – The Legend and Cinema – Images & Issues. Somaaya does a weekly film review and a Sunday show on 92.7 Big Fm. She is a multifaceted individual who juggles multiple responsibilities including being creative consultant to Enlighten Films and their website Dear Cinema, a guest lecturer at MET college, and serving her second term on the Advisory Panel of Central Board of Film Certification.

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Lillete Dubey

Lillete Dubey has appeared in numerous Indian movies, most notably in the Mira Nair directed: Monsoon Wedding, Baghban alongside the legend, Amitabh Bachchan, Bow Barracks Forever alongside her daughter Neha Dubey, and Housefull alongside Bollywood A – listers Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone. Lillete Dubey, in addition to acting, is an acclaimed theatre director, television and film artist, and founder of the Theatre Action Group in Delhi. She has directed a number of plays including Mahesh Dattani’s Dance like a Man, which is the longest running play in English that completed 425 shows across the world and a two week run on Broadway.

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Deepti D'Cunha

Deepti D’Cunha is a Film Programmer, based in Mumbai, India, specializing in Contemporary Indian Cinema. Deepti sources and curates films for the Viewing Room section, Work-in-progress lab and Film Bazaar Recommends section, for NFDC Film Bazaar. Her deep commitment towards independent Indian cinema always keeps her on the lookout for new films and fresh talent from all over India as well as new platforms for exhibition and distribution of Indian cinema across the world. She has been a programmer for the 17th and 18th International Children’s Film Festival of India by the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI) and well as for Osian’s Cinefan Film Festival. Deepti sources Indian films for International Film Festivals and is currently the India Consultant to Marco Mueller, Artistic director, of Rome Film Festival.

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