One of the most coveted and sought after, film festivals celebrating and honoring Indian cinema, at a global platform, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is back with a greater thrill and ecstasy. The annual film festival of the southern hemisphere is scheduled to take place from 14^th-27^th August, 2015, and promises to color Australia with joy and jubilation.

The theme for this year’s IFFM is ‘equality’, exploring the richness of contemporary Indian cinema featuring films from Bollywood to art house and documentaries. The 14-day festival will present a world-class program overflowing with gala events, master classes with India’s leading film figures, and over 45films screening across four Melbourne venues.

The festival will also have India’s biggest stars as special guests. These include, the veteran actor, Mr. Anil Kapoor, who has made a mark in both Bollywood and Hollywood with his versatile performances. Kapoor will be accompanied by his ever gorgeous looking-daughter, Ms. Sonam Kapoor. The list of other celebrated celebrities include include Rajkumar Hirani, director of PK, the highest-grossing Indian film of all time; screen legend Simi Garewal, aka The Lady in White; Bollywood heartthrob Imran Khan; Shonali Bose, director of Margarita With A Straw; NageshKukunoor and Elahé Hiptoola, director and producer of Dhanak, which scooped The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the best feature length film at the Berlin Film Festival this year; Indian National Award 2015 winning director, Srijit and  multi-award winning actress Kangana Ranaut, as well as Pakistani superstar Fawad Khan.

IFFM once again proudly announced the hosting of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards (IFFM Awards), the first Indian cinema awards of this kind in Australia. For the occasion a jury panel of Indian and Australian film legends and experts featuring Simi Garewal, Rajeev Masand, Andrew Anastasios, Jill Bilcock, and Nikhil Advani have been roped in to honour winners in the categories of Best Film, Best Performance, Best Director and Best Independent Film. Together with the recipient of the People’s Choice Award, the winners will be announced at a red carpet gala event on 15Augustin the Great Hall of the National Gallery of Victoria with a host of Indian stars and industry leaders in attendance. The awards will be accompanied by a glamorous fashion show as iconic Indian designer Anamika Khanna and her Australian counterparts will showcase a unique collection presented by Australian models, celebrities, Bollywood stars and guests from various walks of life. Many of the garments will be auctioned off during the evening with all proceeds going to The Royal Children’s Hospital.

IFFM will begin from 14 August with Umrika, which won the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for illuminating cultural divides through its portrayal of a young Indian boy’s mythologizing of America. “We are really delighted to open the festival with a screening of this most cherished film,” said festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange.

The opening weekend coincides with the Indian Independence Day on August 15 and the festival will commemorate this important event through ceremony, dance, fashion and the recognition of excellence in India’s film culture. Daytime celebrations will include the raising of the Indian flag at Federation Square, followed by the Telstra Bollywood Dance Competition judged by a panel of festival guests, leading into the evening celebrations at the National Gallery of Victoria.

With a special focus on this year’s theme of “Equality”, IFFM will present five dynamic programme streams of new and classic films from India and the subcontinent. Festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange said, “Indian filmmakers – from independent short film makers to our most powerful directors – turn their gaze to issues of freedom and equality in the contemporary world and celebrate the diversity that defines us all.”

The ‘Equality’ theme is explored in a number of critically lauded features and documentaries. Prominent examples include Naanu Avanalla…Avalu(I Am Not He…She),which focuses on a day in the life of a transgender; Unfreedom, a film banned in India for its frank depiction of a lesbian relationship; Tell Me A Story depicting four stories about life in Bombay as a gay man; the award winning documentary Newborns, about women who survived acid attacks; and the runaway hit PK, a film that broke box office records while polarising Indian audiences through its courageous and bold discussions of religion and religiosity.

The section ‘Hurrah Bollywood!’ will feature the best mainstream Hindi cinema from the last twelve months, such as Haider and Piku, both of the films garnered huge appreciation.

‘Beyond Bollywood’ will present art house and cinema in regional Indian languages, with programme highlights including the multi-award winning Tamil drama Kaaka Muttai, Goli Soda, among others.

‘Films From The Subcontinent’ will focus on films from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, such as; Burka Avenger, the extremely popular Pakistani animated TV series about a young masked heroine fighting the Taliban (three episodes will be shown together as a single feature). ‘Girl Power’ features films celebrating female characters;  ‘Film India World’ focuses on Indian films that cross international borders; while ‘Master Stroke’ showcases some of the greatest classics from India’s rich cinematic history including screenings of Satyajit Ray’s digitally remastered classics Charulataand Nayak; the documentaries The Kingdom of Nek Chand and Calcutta from iconic Australian filmmaker Paul Cox exploring his love of India and three classics from much loved actor Anil Kapoor, the  special guest of the 2015 Festival. As its closing film, IFFM will host the world premiere of the political thriller Phantom.

Needless to say, IFFM is going to be packed with high profile stars on board, hugely acclaimed films, awards, dance and euphoria in the air.