NY Film Festival 2024

Event Name: Diaspora Film Festival New York | 2024

Chairman: Pratap Das

Managing Director: Ajaz Alam

Festival Director: Rowshon Ara Nipa

Technical Director: Yeakub Ali Mithu

Diaspora Film Festival NYC, an initiative of Diaspora USA Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in New York, USA, celebrates emerging and diverse cultural arts. As a platform for global filmmakers and storytellers, DFFNY provides opportunities for recognition, open dialogue, and industry connections.

Since its inception in 2023, DFFNY has been dedicated to showcasing, supporting, and educating next-gen filmmakers while fostering relationships within the industry. Through workshops, panels, competitions, and networking events, including the InFocus initiative, which champions underrepresented voices, DFFNY strives to combat the lack of diversity in media.

At the heart of DFFNY is its annual film festival, featuring screenings of shorts, documentaries, and animations from around the world. Each screening is followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers, offering audiences an opportunity to engage directly with the talent. Additionally, the festival includes special receptions, allowing attendees to connect with the filmmakers and celebrate their remarkable work.

Tickets: Open for all
Location: Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) | 161-4 Jamaica Ave, Queens, NY 11432
Time: 12 pm to 9 pm EST

Results

Meet Our Guest Speakers

Deepak Rauniyar
Writer, Director, and Producer

Rauniyar’s films have been showcased at top festivals and venues like Venice, Berlinale, Locarno, Toronto, and MoMA. A pioneer of Nepali cinema, his debut feature, Highway (2012), was the first Nepali film at a major international festival. His second feature, White Sun (2016), won multiple awards, including the Interfilm Award at Venice and Best Asian Feature at Singapore. The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times have praised his work, and Hollywood Reporter described White Sun as “A breath of fresh air from the top of the world.” Rauniyar has received Nepal’s National Award for best director and was listed among The Kathmandu Post’s 25 movers and shakers. White Sun was Nepal’s official entry for the 90th Oscars. His latest film, Four Nights (2022), competed at Berlinale and won Best Film at the Nepal Human Rights Film Festival. He is currently working on his third feature, The Sky Is Mine (2024), which won the 2019 TFL World Co-Production Award. An alumnus of the Toronto and Berlinale Talent Campuses and the Cannes Cinéfondation Atelier, he has also served as a jury member at Locarno, Sydney, and Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Additionally, he has written and produced for BBC Media Action in Nepal, winning two BBC Global Reith Awards in 2009.

Deepak Rauniyar
Writer, Director, and Producer

Deepak’s films have been showcased at top festivals and venues like Venice, Berlinale, Locarno, Toronto, and MoMA. A pioneer of Nepali cinema, his debut feature, Highway (2012), was the first Nepali film at a major international festival. His second feature, White Sun (2016), won multiple awards, including the Interfilm Award at Venice and Best Asian Feature at Singapore. The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times have praised his work, and Hollywood Reporter described White Sun as “A breath of fresh air from the top of the world.” Rauniyar has received Nepal’s National Award for best director and was listed among The Kathmandu Post’s 25 movers and shakers. White Sun was Nepal’s official entry for the 90th Oscars. His latest film, Four Nights (2022), competed at Berlinale and won Best Film at the Nepal Human Rights Film Festival. He is currently working on his third feature, The Sky Is Mine (2024), which won the 2019 TFL World Co-Production Award. An alumnus of the Toronto and Berlinale Talent Campuses and the Cannes Cinéfondation Atelier, he has also served as a jury member at Locarno, Sydney, and Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Additionally, he has written and produced for BBC Media Action in Nepal, winning two BBC Global Reith Awards in 2009.

Shrihari Sathe
Producer, Director, and Professor

Shrihari Sathe is a New York-based director and Independent Spirit Award-winning producer. He has produced/co-produced films such as Stay Awake, It Felt Like Love, Beach Rats, The Cow Who Sang A Song Into The Future, Dukhtar, Screwdriver, and The Sweet Requiem. His directorial debut, 1000 Rupee Note, has won over 30 awards. Sathe has received fellowships from HFPA, PGA, Trans Atlantic Partners, IFP, Film Independent, and Sundance Institute. In 2016, he received the Cinereach Producer Award. Currently, he is a Visiting Assistant Professor and Head of Producing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Sathe is a member of AMPAS, PGA, and IMPPA.