About us 

In recent years, mainstream Indian films have increasingly begun to be shown in theatres across Australia. This is certainly a positive change, offering many Indians entertainment from back home and the broader Australian community a chance to see Indian cinema. However, these films do not reflect the breadth of styles, genres and storytelling voices in Indian cinema and with the IPCFA, we aim to present a different side of Indian cinema. Inspired by the Indian Parallel Film movement that began in the 1950s, we will showcase the works of India’s alternative and arthouse filmmakers. The IPCFA intends to present the works of established parallel cinema filmmakers such as Ritwik Ghatak, Aparna Sen and Adoor Gopalakrishnan , as well as contemporary and emerging voices such as Nandita Das, Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap and Konkona Sen Sharma.

     Each year, the IPCFA will screen a series of films by a select Indian filmmaker, showcasing the bold, powerful visions that lie outside mainstream Indian cinema. In 2024, the very first IPCFA will focus on the legendary parallel cinema filmmaker Satyajit Ray. We will, over the course of 3 days, screen 4 films from across his career. There will be various additional highlights over the course of the festival including: