The 17th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival will feature a rich and diverse variety of films from across the country, spanning seven regional languages. Here are all the Tamil films handpicked this time around at the NY Indian Film Festival!
1. Arunagiri Perumale
Director: V Pradeep Kumar | May 2
Synopsis: The central theme of Arunagiri Perumale is the most celebrated tamil literary work, Thiruppugazh, which in the film, serves as a bridge spanning two different time periods. One era takes us 600 years back in time to explore the life of Arunagiri, a great mystic saint and troubadour from Tamil Nadu who wrote this masterpiece. A contemporary musician whose quest leads to discovering the essence and relevance of Thiruppugazh in our current changing times retells Arunagiri Nathar’s story through a collection of tales.
2. Blossoms – Sigai
Director: Jagadeesan Subu | May 4
Synopsis: On what he expected to be a typical day, Prasad (Raj Bharath), a reluctant pimp, must investigate the sudden disappearance of his network’s most demanded prostitute, Nimmi (Meera Nair). Just hours before, a nervous young man named Mathi (Kathir Logu) was preparing to admit to his lifelong friend that he has always identified as a woman, and that he has always been in love with him. While Prasad questions how he landed in this business his guilty conscience fuels him to locate Nimmi and eventually leads him to Mathi – who is busy dealing with the repercussions of his confession, and wondering why it is so difficult for people to accept that he was simply born in the wrong body.
3. Western Ghats
Director: Lenin Bharathi | May 5
Synopsis: Rangasamy (Antony) is one of many ‘sons of the soil’. He yearns to own a piece of land and make a living by farming it himself. Instead of toiling in the spice plantations of others forever. After years of service to the local communist party, Rangasamy is in a position to buy his own land. But that’s only half the battle for the poor like him. Prospering from it amid corrupt dealings of the wealthy, the party and globalization is a greater struggle.
4. One Goat’s Mercy Petition (Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu)
Director: Suresh Sangaiah | May 6
Synopsis: After their wedding, Ramamurthy and Seetha, with the young and old of their village, set on a holy pilgrimage. They must sacrifice a goat carefully raised by Rama’s no-nonsense grandmother, to fulfil her vow made to their family deity. But when Rama takes the wheel of the truck, carrying all their guests, and fatally runs over a young man, the villagers are torn between hiding the body or continue on their way, to protect the newlyweds. Or suffer the consequences of reporting it to the police. Even though there are no witnesses besides themselves, their goat, and God.
New York Indian Film Festival 2017: Complete Schedule
