AwesomeIFF Launches in New York with 88 Films from 18 Countries, Led by Founder Ritesh Parikh

NEW YORK – Aug. 25, 2026 – Ritesh Parikh, founder of Awesome TV, AwesomeIFF and AWSM Time, launched the first Awesome International Film Festival (AwesomeIFF) on Aug. 14 at SVA Theatre in New York City. More than 700 people attended the daylong celebration of international cinema, music and culture.

Created around Parikh’s vision of “Cinema Without Borders,” AwesomeIFF received 88 film submissions from 18 countries in its first year. The program included feature films, shorts, documentaries, AI films, student films and music videos across four screening blocks. The screenings were followed by a red carpet and the New York premiere of “Batwara 1947.”

Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan, “Batwara 1947” stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol and Ali Fazal, with music by A. R. Rahman. Set against the Partition of India, the film screened at AwesomeIFF on the same day it opened in theaters in India and on more than 1,000 screens worldwide.

Official Selections included “The Man and The Monkey,” “The Red Market,” “Hello Dad,” “Immortality,” “What We Deserve,” “Giving Mom the Talk,” “The City Speaks” and “Destination Oak Tree Road,” produced by 14-time Emmy-winning producer Janice Selinger. Other international selections included “Mukunã: Aprendiz de Pajé” from Brazil, “Unspoken” from Poland, “Cartapesta: Carnival of Fano” from Italy, “Two Steps” and “Baba.”

“AwesomeIFF is about creating a home for storytellers, regardless of where they come from, what language they speak or the size of their production,” Parikh said. “Seeing filmmakers from 18 countries and more than 700 people come together in New York showed us what ‘Cinema Without Borders’ can become.”

The festival also celebrated the 25th anniversary of DESIPINA & CO. and premiered Bikram Singh’s music video “Soni,” a collaboration with DDS and Metz N Trix, filmed and directed by Akash.

“New York gave AwesomeIFF an incredible beginning, but this is only the first chapter,” Parikh said. “We want to discover more filmmakers, open more doors and create a place where independent voices can be seen, heard and celebrated.”

AwesomeIFF will announce its inaugural award winners next week, with details for its second edition to follow.

About Awesome International Film Festival New York

Awesome International Film Festival New York is a curated international film event held at the prestigious SVA Theatre in New York City — one of the most celebrated independent cinema venues in the world.

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