NIFFA: Indian Classics Travel From India To Outback Australia In Major Cultural Initiative

In a significant cultural initiative that expands the reach of Indian cinema, the National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA), with support from the Film Heritage Foundation, is bringing restored Indian classics to audiences across more than 14 cities in Australia, including regional and outback communities.

The programme will feature landmark films such as Manthan and In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, both of which will be screened as Australian premieres. The screenings offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience works that have played a significant role in shaping the cultural and cinematic history of India.

More than a festival sidebar, the initiative reflects a broader shift in Australia's cultural engagement with one of the world's largest film industries. By taking restored classics beyond metropolitan centres to regional audiences, the programme aims to widen access to global cinema.

Founded by filmmaker Anupam Sharma along with a team of young Australian and Indian film professionals including Raunak Dhupar and Farabee Kabir, NIFFA has quickly emerged as the country's only national showcase dedicated to Indian cinema. In its early editions, the festival has screened more than 32 films, all Australian or higher premieres, across 15 languages, reaching audiences far beyond traditional metropolitan hubs.

Its expansion into regional Australia marks a notable evolution, challenging long-standing assumptions about where international cinema belongs and who it is meant for.

"This is about access and inclusion at a national level," said Sharma. "Thanks to Shivendra and Film Heritage Foundation. We're taking stories that have defined generations and sharing them with audiences who may never have had the opportunity to experience them on the big screen, whether in Sydney or in the heart of regional Australia in Broken Hill or the centre of Australia in Alice Springs."

The collaboration with the Film Heritage Foundation, globally recognised for its work in restoring Indian cinematic classics, adds both depth and prestige to the initiative. Their efforts ensure that these films are not only preserved but also experienced in their intended form, on the big screen, in the company of an audience.

"Restoration is not just about saving films; it is about restoring memory, identity, and cultural continuity. Through these screenings by NIFFA, we are taking these stories beyond archives and into living, breathing audiences across Australia, with historic inroads in the outback, where they can inspire, provoke, and endure," said Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.

"At Film Heritage Foundation, our mission has always been to rescue and revive India's cinematic heritage. But preservation alone is not enough, these films must be seen, discussed, and rediscovered by new generations," Dungarpur added.

Over the years, the Film Heritage Foundation has restored rare gems of Indian cinema from different regions of the country, many of which were in danger of disappearing from cinematic history. As these restored works continue to travel the world, the collaboration with NIFFA marks another step in bringing India's cinematic legacy to new audiences - this time, from India to the Australian outback.