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CIFFA enables global distribution for desi indie films
The lineup highlights diaspora-led stories spanning family conflict, identity, and contemporary relationships across cultures.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 16, Apr 2026
- 17:00 EDT
- 20
(L-R) Movie posters of How to Cook French Cousin, Jalebi, Rishtey / Cpics
The Crossover International Festival of Film and Art (CIFFA), a U.S.-based platform, has recently selected a slate of films for global distribution consideration, with desi titles at the forefront.
Among the selections is “Jalebi,” a short film directed by Indian-origin filmmaker Ayushi Khurana, which follows a successful lawyer who calls off her relationship just before her engagement, triggering conflict within her traditional Indian family.
Also Read: Cpics expands South Asian programming adds four new titles
The film explores generational differences and the tension between personal choice and familial expectations.
Khurana, an Indian-origin filmmaker, has previously worked on “A Spider’s Date” (2023) and “A Captain’s Log” (2021), with her work focusing on identity, family dynamics, and cultural expectations.
Another selected film, “How to Cook French Cousin,” directed by Hritik Mehta, centers on a chef hosting a French cooking tutorial where a darker narrative gradually unfolds beneath the surface.
Mehta holds a Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy and a Bachelor of Technology in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering from SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai. His credits include “A Captain’s Log” (2021) and “Prince Caspian: Chronicles of a Lost Recluse” (2023).
“Rishtey,” directed by filmmaker Dinesh More, follows the lives of an aspiring model and an established creative professional whose friendship is tested by ambition and shifting personal equations.
More’s work centers on contemporary relationships and professional aspirations.
Other films selected for distribution consideration include “The Madman,” set in 1970s Jaipur during the Bangladesh War for Independence, along with projects from Egypt and the Philippines, reflecting the festival’s international slate.
CIFFA, held at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts in Tracy, California, has positioned itself as a distribution-focused festival, offering selected films pathways to global exposure beyond traditional screenings.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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