‘Bad Girl,’ ‘Little Jaffna’ to Open and Close IFFLA 2025 as Festival Expands Industry Events

The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) has unveiled the lineup for its 23rd edition, with Tamil-language drama Bad Girl opening the five-day event and Little Jaffna closing it.

The festival, which runs from May 6-10 at Landmark Theatres Sunset and the WGA Theater, will also introduce a new two-day industry forum aimed at fostering connections between South Asian creatives and Hollywood.

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Bad Girl, directed by Varsha Bharath, won the Netpac award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam earlier this year. The coming-of-age drama, produced by Vetrimaaran (Asuran) and presented by Anurag Kashyap (Gangs of Wasseypur), follows a young woman navigating self-discovery on her own terms. Closing the festival is Little Jaffna, the feature debut of Lawrence Valin, which first premiered at Venice. Set in Paris’ La Chapelle district, the film explores the Tamil diaspora’s struggles to balance cultural heritage with life in France.

In a bid to strengthen industry engagement, IFFLA is launching IFFLA Industry Days, a two-day event running from May 8-9. The initiative will offer South Asian filmmakers, writers, and producers an opportunity to network with Hollywood executives and compete for a $10,000 Pitch Competition Grant.

This year’s lineup includes 27 films from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and international co-productions with France, Singapore, and Norway. The festival will showcase seven narrative features, one documentary feature, 18 shorts, and a two-episode screening of a television anthology series.

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Among the standout selections is Rohan Kanawade’s Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears), a debut feature exploring queer intimacy within India’s rigid societal framework. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance earlier this year. Other highlights include the North American premiere of Raam Reddy’s The Fable, featuring Manoj Bajpayee as an estate owner investigating mysterious fires, and Aranya Sahay’s Humans in the Loop, a drama about a single mother working in India’s AI industry. Also on the slate are Deepak Rauniyar’s police procedural Pooja, Sir and Rima Das’ Village Rockstars 2, a follow-up to her acclaimed coming-of-age drama. The documentary section features A Fly on the Wall, directed by Nilesh Maniyar and Shonali Bose.

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IFFLA’s shorts program, featuring 18 films, spotlights a range of emerging voices, with 10 female directors among them. Notable entries include the Student Academy Award-winning bonVoyage pour monVoyage, Eisha Marjara’s deeply personal documentary Am I The Skinniest Person You’ve Ever Seen, and Mansi Maheshwari’s Bunnyhood, which screened at both Sundance and Cannes’ La Cinefondation.

“Beyond individual highlights, this year’s lineup celebrates the rich diversity of South Asian cinema with a strong emphasis on female-driven narratives both in front of and behind the camera,” said IFFLA artistic director Anu Rangachar. “We are thrilled to present an expanded lineup that not only showcases an exciting mix of talent, ranging from fearless new voices to returning alums and established auteurs, but also sparks vital conversations.”

The full Industry Days program will be announced in mid-April.