For the first time, Geelong is hosting a major celebration of Indian cinema. The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) officially launches its Geelong program this Wednesday 18 March with an opening night gala at Reading Cinemas Waurn Ponds.
Over five days, audiences can watch films in more than 18 languages — including Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, and Malayalam — all with English subtitles. The program is part of the REEL Film Festival presented by the Geelong Waterfront Film Foundation, supported by a City of Greater Geelong Community Events Quick Response Grant.
But this is about more than screenings. Festival director Anupam Sharma, who has been introducing Indian cinema to Victorian communities since 1998, says film is one of the most powerful tools for building understanding across cultures. For Geelong’s South Asian community — and for audiences who may be encountering Indian cinema for the first time — it is an invitation to see, and be seen.
The program culminates in a Bollywood Dance Party on Saturday 21 March — open to everyone, no experience required.
Get there:
Opening Night Gala: Wednesday 18 March, Reading Cinemas Waurn Ponds.
Screenings run through to 22 March.
Bollywood Dance Party: Saturday 21 March.
Full program at the Geelong Waterfront Film Foundation website.
Events like this are part of what makes Geelong worth paying attention to. The city is changing — its cultural life deepening, its communities more visible, its stories more varied. Emerge will be there.
— Emerge Editorial Team
