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The NY Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is hosting the premiere of the highly anticipated social issue based short film titled Forbidden in New York City on May, 11, 2018 and at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in Iowa April 26-29, 2018.
Written and directed by Vibha Gulati, Forbidden marks her directorial debut. She is a working professional in the Indian Film industry and has worked on a number of Bollywood and Independent feature films including Raj Kumar Hirani’s ‘Laage Raho Munna Bhai,’ Bedoprata Pain’s ‘Chittagong,’ Rohan Sippy’s ‘Nautanki Saala,’ Prashant Nair’s ‘Umrika,’ Danis ‘Tanovic’s ‘Tigers,’ and many others.
According to Gulati,
“The mission of this film is to end violence against women living outside of their native countries. In addition, it is to ignite a social change that will compel the legal system to take action against criminals who commit heinous crimes against women in the name of family honor.”
Starring Gulshan Grover, Salony Luthra, Gopal Divan and Dhanish Karthik, Forbidden is a short dramatic thriller that follows a Sikh woman named Jasleen, who is running away with her Muslim lover, Fawaz. Jasleen’s culture and religious conscious parents want her to marry within the Sikh community and are shocked when she suddenly disappears. After Jasleen and Fahwaz elope, they think they have found happiness—but Jasleen’s family tracks the couple down and commit horrific acts in defense of their family honor.
The film explores honor killings in the western world. It is inspired by the true story of a South Asian American woman who was brutally murdered for being in love with someone her family did not approve of.
According to the United Nations, 5,000 women and girls are killed each year in the name of family honor. Women’s Advocacy Groups, however, report the numbers are much higher as many of the cases go unreported. According to their findings, 20,000 women and girls are killed every year due to this brutal practice.
Reports submitted to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights show that honor killings have occurred in at least twenty-six countries. Of the twenty-six, nine are western countries with large immigrant communities including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
The NY Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is hosting the premiere of the highly anticipated social issue based short film presented by Ruhaniyat Films in Association with Everclear Films and Women’s Voices Now titled Forbidden in New York City on May 11, 2018 and at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in Iowa April 26-29, 2018.
Forbidden will be screening on the following days and times during the festival:
Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 11.15am at the Journey inside the Mississippi River Museum.
Saturday, April 28, 2018, at 5 pm at the Hotel Julien Dubuque
Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 5.15pm at Phoenix Theatres
Friday, May 11, 2018 at the Village East Cinemas, 2nd Avenue 12th Street, NYC at 9pm.
