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From LA to Lit: A Film Festival & a Forgotten Star
Immigrantly Team
May 07, 2025
Summer has officially arrived, and here at Immigrantly, we’re soaking up the sunshine.
Most of us are based on the East Coast, so these days you’ll find us taking meetings from sunny cafes and strolling through our neighborhood parks.
And while we’re enjoying the warm weather, we’re also keeping an eye on what’s happening out west—specifically in Los Angeles, where the 23rd annual Indian Film Festival of LA (IFFLA) is happening this week, May 6–10!
IFFLA showcases some of the most exciting and boundary-pushing independent films from South Asia and its diasporas. This year’s lineup includes exclusive screenings, masterclasses, and community partnerships with other LA-based organizations celebrating South Asian voices.
Some highlights? Bad Girl, a Tamil coming-of-age story directed by Varsha Bharath; a behind-the-scenes panel on adapting Life of Pi for the stage; and a masterclass with Nuhash Humayun—one of the most buzzed-about horror directors from Bangladesh.
If you’re in the industry (or just industry-curious), the Industry Days Pass gets you access to Launchpad: A Pitch Competition where one lucky winner will take home a $10,000 development grant.
This festival was in part sponsored by the National Endowment of the Arts. Currently, the NEA is under threat, and many grants given to art agencies across the US have been terminated. It’s important now, more than ever, to showcase our support for the arts that make this country truly unique and beautiful!
Back on the East Coast, we’re diving into a new read: Love, Queenie, by NYU professor and James Beard award-winning writer, Mayukh Sen. You might know him from Tastemakers, his book profiling seven immigrant women who shaped American food culture.
In Love, Queenie, Sen reclaims the story of Merle Oberon—Hollywood’s first South Asian star. Born in India to a South Asian mother and white father, Oberon passed for white during the racially exclusive Golden Age of Hollywood. Her heritage remained a secret even when she became the first performer of color nominated for an Academy Award in 1936 for The Dark Angel.
Here’s a chilling quote from the book:
“After reaching what had seemed like her career’s summit, Merle experienced the most chilling of comedowns when a man from her biological father’s hometown of Darlington, England, contacted her with the threat of blackmail. He said he knew that she’d been born in India, not Tasmania, and that she was mixed-race, telling her he’d approach the media and divulge the truth unless she – with her newfound, Oscar-nominated fame – gave him money.”
While we’re reading Love, Queenie, we’d love to hear from you:
What books are you diving into these days?
What are your favorite international films—past or present?
Hit reply and let us know. We always love your recommendations!
Culture Check-In: We want to hear from you!
What’s on your bookshelf? 📚 |
Podcast Pick of the Week
We often cover international film and TV on our podcast, Banterly. Check out our episode on the Hindi-language series Call Me Bae.
This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.
Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.
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