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FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Starring Aidan Quinn, Melinda Shankar, Ritu Singh Pande and Jimi Mistry 

World Premiere Screening

New Filmmakers Forum

Juried competition of works by 5 first-time feature filmmakers.

  Saturday Nov. 13th - 6:45pm
@ the St. Louis International Film Festival

@ Tivoli Theater

6350 Delmar in The Loop
St. Louis, MO 63130 

Movieline:
(314) 995-6270             (314) 995-6270     

Theater Information: 314-727-7271

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/St.Louis/TivoliTheatre.htm

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/St.Louis/TivoliTheatre.htm

Film Trailer can be found at: http://festivaloflightsfilm.com

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Separate, but never truly apart...

Starring Aidan Quinn, Melinda Shankar, Ritu Singh Pande

and Jimi Mistry
Written/Directed by Shundell Prasad
Produced by Graziano Bruni and Shundell Prasad
Executive Producers: Eli P. Navon and Eve Pomerance

Synopsis
A daughter and father are separated but never truly apart in this complexly humanist story about how immigrants are forced to leave their countries to enable a brighter future for their children. Reshma is a troubled girl from Guyana who must come of age in the strange environs of 1980s Queens, New York. Coping with a daunting array of stressful pressures and betrayals, Reshma grapples with her ruptured relationship with her mother while continuing her difficult efforts to reunite with her father. Documentary filmmaker Prasad’s ambitious feature debut, which spans two continents and three decades, offers a complicated look at the plight of immigrant families and captures the essence of how it feels to be displaced in new surroundings.

Director’s Comments
After reading the script or seeing a preview of “Festival of Lights,” many people ask if this is an autobiographical film.  Like the film’s protagonist, Reshma, I too emigrated from Guyana (a small country on the northern coast of South America, wedged between Venezuala and Surimane, population: less than 1Million) at an early age bound for New York City. But the answer is no; this is not about me.  It is, however, the story of a displaced people; forced to sever themselves from their country, whether from hardships or in search of a brighter future for their children.  Many of them, like my parents, worked minimum wage jobs (just above $3/per hr.), lived in basement apartments and during the winter, saw their frosty breath while falling asleep, on makeshift beds on the floor.  Many never saw family members again; like my mother’s sister, who after leaving Guyana, never saw her mother again.  Festival of Lights takes an unforgiving look into the immigration experience, telling the story from the perspective of the weakest link of a family structure: a young girl. By giving an identity to the people we create immigration laws against, the film forces the audience to take a deeper look at the issue and develop a connection with the characters.  The film is a gateway into the lives and experiences of those who have struggled with immigration and have had the courage to seek and fight for a brighter future. In the end, Festival of Lights paints a picture of hope.  Though it may not be a cinematic version of a “happy ending,” - there is hope, and that’s what keeps us inspired.    -- Shundell Prasad

Writer/Director - Shundell Prasad
The Festival of Light marks Documentary filmmaker Shundell’s narrative feature debut.  Shundell’s documentary, “Once More Removed – a journey back to India” has screened theatrically in New York, Toronto and Atlanta; the film has also been invited by various governments for screenings worldwide, including London, Delhi, Calcutta, Hyderabad, Port Louis (Mauritius) and Georgetown (Guyana). Shundell’s second documentary film, “Unholy Matrimony: escape from forced marriage” was shot in Islamabad, the North West Frontier Province, Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir.  Shundell has worked for many major media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, CNN and the Emmy Award winning show “The Amazing Race.”  Shundell is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she majored in Film and TV Production. She began her career at HBO’s highly acclaimed documentary division in New York.

Aidan Quinn ("Adem")
Aidan's first significant film role was in "Reckless", followed by a breakthrough role in "Desperately Seeking Susan". Quinn next starred in the controversial TV movic "An Early Frost", about a young lawyer dying of AIDS (it was broadcast on November 11, 1985). He received his first Emmy Award nomination for the role which allowed him to gain recognition in Hollywood. In the 1990s Quinn's career grew immensely. He found work alongside such Hollywood stars as Brad Pitt in "Legends of the Fall", Johnny Depp in "Benny & June", Robert Duval in "The Handmaid's Tale" and Sir John Geilgud in "Haunted. He continually stars in films that allowed him to return to his Irish roots, such as "Michael Collins", "Song for a Raggy Boy", "This is My Father" and "Evelyn".

Ritu Singh Pande ("Meena")

Ritu started her acting career in India where she appeared in several TV shows and documentary films in Mumbai and Hyderabad. Ritu has extensive stage experience and continues to work and train at HB Studio, Terry Schrieber Studio and Michael Chekhov Theater Company with veteran actors and directors led by Austin Pendelton, Terry Schrieber and Michael Horn. Ritu graduated from the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts/ School for Film & Television and has also trained and worked on stage with veteran acting coach Anthony Abeson. Festival of Lights marks Ritu’s American feature film debut. 

Melinda Shankar ("Reshma")
Melinda Shankar stars in "Degrassi: The Next Generation" as Alli Bhandari.  Melinda also stars in the YTV series "How to be Indie".  Melinda Shankar enjoys dancing and swimming and has a black belt in karate.  In 2008, Melinda traveled to Ecuardor with the organization Free the Children.  A documentary of the trip was made for MTV in Canada.

Jimi Mistry ("Vishnu")
Mistry first gained exposure on BBC TV's "EastEnders", and has since worked on film and stage. His work includes starring roles in "East is East", "The Guru" with Heather Graham and Mirisa Tomei, "Blood Diamond" alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla" and "Partition".  He can be seen in the Warner Bros movie "2012", and the BAFTA-nominated movie "Exam". In 2010 he appeared in Gurinder Chadha's "It's a Wonderful Afterlife"which premiered at the 2010 Sundance film festival;  "Basement" a horror movie; and "West is West", the sequel to "East is East".  Mistry is competing in the 2010 BBC series, "Strictly Come Dancing".

World Premiere Screening
Saturday, November 13th, 6:45pm

@ Tivoli Theater

6350 Delmar in The Loop
St. Louis, MO 63130 
(314) 995-6270

TRT: 100 minutes 
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