The South Asian International Film Festival, presented by HBO, has announced the winners of its 2013 Gala Awards, held December 7 at Manhattan’s Carlton Hotel.

Richie Mehta’s SIDDHARTH took home the festival’s Grand Jury Prize, presented to it by jurors Rajendra Roy, Emily Russo, Seymour Wishman, Isil Bagdadi, Deborah Matzner, and Kelly Edwards.
A heart-wrenching tale that follows a desperate father as he searches across India for his missing son, SIDDHARTH also took home the Best Director Award for writer/director Richie Mehta.

“This intense, boundary-pushing art is representative of why we started this festival in the first place,” says South Asian International Film Festival founder Shilen Amin.

The festival’s Jury Prize was awarded to the intense highrise-set drama, I.D. from director Kamal KM. A partially improvised tale of mystery, the film marks the feature debut of the acclaimed short film director.

Other features in competition included Hammad Khan’s ANIMA STATE, which World Premiered at the festival; Anup Singh’s QISSA; and Rajat Kapoor’s ANKHON DEKHI.

The jury awarded their Short Grand Jury Prize to Shubhashish Bhutiani’s KUSH, a riveting true story set against the backdrop of 1984’s assassination Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the wave of anti-Sikh violence that followed.

“Our 2013 competition winners exemplify the innovative storytelling that’s currently coming out of South Asia,” says program director Galen Rosenthal. “They truly are proof that the independent film scene in South Asia is only growing stronger.”

The lavish awards ceremony took place at Manhattan’s Carlton Hotel on December 7, celebrating SAIFF’s tenth anniversary and 100 Years of Indian Cinema. Following the awards ceremony and private dinner, guests and press were treated to a set from hip-hop artist Jay Sean, known for his chart-topping 2009 single “Down (featuring Lil Wayne).”

The Tenth Annual South Asian International Film Festival ran from Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013 through Sunday, December 8th, 2013 in New York City, at the SVA Theater and NYIT Auditorium.
For additional information on SAIFF 2013, please visit www.saiff.org.

Presenting Sponsor: HBO
Founding Sponsor: SANA
Official Sponsor: Air India, Video Dukaan
Signature Sponsor: CITI, Miscrosoft, The New York Times, Zee TV
Festival Partners: Tito’s, Soy Joy, Whistle Pig, Naked Wines, 1947 Beer, Saffron Road
Industry Partners: SAG-Aftra, PGA, Ogilvy/Red Lotus, A3, AVS
Community Partner: Sankara Eye Foundation, Asha for Education, Laughistan, Nanu Bhai Foundation, Copo, Flirteve Open, Sawcc, Saya, Twelve Gates Arts, Children of Tomorrow

About SAIFF:
The South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting South Asian/Indian filmmakers in the U.S seeking maximum visibility and absolute distribution. SAIFF was founded in New York City due to the lack of support for many emerging filmmakers and the overall under-representation of Indian cinema in a capital that is recognized by the world as the birthplace of independent filmmaking. The Festival is committed to exhibiting films from South Asia (i.e India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal) and within the Indian Diaspora. For more information, visit: www.saiff.org.