ADVERTISEMENTs
Indie Film Festival wraps up in New York
Over 50 global films were honored as stars and dignitaries celebrated diverse storytelling.
-
Pranavi Sharma - Wed, 11, Jun 2025
- 23:22 EDT
- 27
 (1).jpg)
Organized by Indian-American film director Mukesh Modi, the event brought together emerging filmmakers and international talent for a finale following screenings held at the Quad Cinema. / Courtesy Photo
The Indie Film Festival Awards (IFFA) 2025 concluded with a red-carpet ceremony at the Frederick P. Rose Auditorium in New York City, marking the end of a four-day celebration of global independent cinema. The festival took place from June 2-5, 2025. Organized by Indian-American film director Mukesh Modi, the event brought together emerging filmmakers and international talent for a finale following screenings held at the Quad Cinema.
More than 50 films were nominated this year, selected from 116 submissions worldwide. The closing ceremony featured appearances by actors and performers including Amir Arison, Jade Shenkar, Lulu Lopez, Tania Rubis, and Alyson Cambridge, as well as fashion and media personalities Albania Rosario, Valerie Greenberg, Rachel Leah, and Alena Davids.
IFFA vice president Sudha Deora honored sponsors and media partners during the ceremony. / Courtesy Photo.Hosted by actress Simran Ahuja and emcee Sharif Jones, the evening began with remarks from Modi, who founded the festival to highlight stories that often go unheard. “Even if you don’t take home an award tonight, your film is already a winner,” he said, acknowledging both jury and public-selected films. Modi also credited his family as “the backbone of IFFA.”
More than 50 films were nominated this year, selected from 116 submissions worldwide. / Courtesy Photo.
Government officials and cultural leaders joined in support. Ramdas Athawale, India’s Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, and Navneet Sehgal, chairman of Prasar Bharati and Waves OTT, attended as guests of honor. Sehgal encouraged filmmakers to share their content through Waves OTT, noting the platform’s growing global presence.
.jpg)
Celebrities and actors who joined the festival. / Courtesy Photo.IFFA vice president Sudha Deora honored sponsors and media partners during the ceremony. Bronze sponsors included Dr. Dipak Nandi (Sun Knowledge), Naveen Shah (Navika Capital Group and Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions), and Anuradha Kumar. Media support was recognized from H.R. Shah (TV Asia), Sudhir Parikh (Parikh Worldwide Media), Penny Sandhu (Jus TV), and Sunil Hali (The Indian EYE).
.jpg)
Celebrities and actors who joined the festival. / Courtesy Photo.A dance performance by Varsha Naik and the Navrang Studio team added color and rhythm to the evening, which closed with emotional speeches from winners across categories ranging from short films to documentaries and animation.
Major winners included Welcome to Japan and Gunner in the Best Feature Film category, with Refuse taking Best Short Film. Morgan Freeman won for Best Supporting/Negative Role for his performance in Gunner. In Bollywood categories, Chandu Champion was named Best Film, and Kartik Aaryan and Katrina Kaif won Best Actor and Actress respectively. The most public votes went to Welcome to Japan, while Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Substance dominated the Hollywood section.
Special recognitions were also awarded to Ivan Rana (Distinguished Service), Naveen Grover (Print & Media), and Tarun Kumar (Hospitality), with volunteer certificates presented to Reva Bhalerao and Pratibha Lalwani.
Related
.jpg)
.jpg)
 (1).jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg)
.jpg)
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login