The 2023 Sundance will feature the festival’s first South Asian Lodge, thanks to the 1497 nonprofit.
The team is working with filmmakers Shruti Ganguly and Tanya Selvaratnam to develop the lodge, which will be located at Park City’s The Shop yoga studio on January 21 and 22. The two days of programming will include celebration. 20 years of establishment kick like Beckham, when the film’s 2003 premiere at Sundance marked a landmark event for the representation of South Asia in film. The lodge will also present a panel called Black and Brown Unity and Division, On and Off Screen with producer Lisa Cortes, director Geeta Gandhbir, Oscar-winning producer Joseph Patel (Soul summer) and Hillman Grad CEO Rishi Rajani, with more events — all by invitation only — to be announced. Those interested in attending can email [email protected]
“We have been part of the Sundance community for a long time and in many ways – showing off our films, speaking on seminars and participating in scholarship programs,” said Ganguly and Selvaratnam. know in a joint statement. “Also, as organizers and activists in the South Asian diaspora, we have long dreamed of creating a South Asian space at Sundance. We are honored to partner with 1497 in the South Asia Hostel – we hope to be the first of many!”
1497 was founded two years ago by producer Adeel Ahmed, actor Lipica Shah and filmmaker and lawyer Kamran Khan to support South Asian representation in the entertainment industry (the name comes from the last year before colonization of countries including South Asia). “As our organization grows, we are excited to partner with Sundance to continue supporting our community of South Asian filmmakers, while enhancing their perspectives and stories.” co-founders said in a joint statement. “The South Asian population in the US has grown by nearly 40% in the past 10 years, leading to a need for authentic representation and visibility on and behind screens. It has been great to work with allies like Sundance to recognize the growing footprint of South Asian talent and celebrate them at the forefront of the industry.”
South Asian Lodge will coincide and co-exist with Sunrise Collective, Sundance’s Asian Pacific American home that will host the show from January 20-22. Hollywood Reporter that they are in discussions to be able to organize events at the festival together.
