The Yellowstone International Film Festival (YIFF), an event that one might expect to find nestled in the Wyoming wilderness, is instead making waves in the heart of New Delhi. Now in its fifth year, YIFF has grown rapidly, positioning itself as one of India’s leading film festivals by championing independent cinema and focusing on underrepresented stories. With screenings scheduled through November 20, the 2024 edition of YIFF includes 127 official selections, representing a broad spectrum of voices, from films about people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ perspectives to stories led by women and emerging filmmakers.
Founder and director Tushar Tyagi, an acclaimed filmmaker known for his short film Saving Chintu, shared his inspiration behind the festival, noting the significance of film festivals in supporting independent filmmakers. “The only space that I was able to make connections, to move from one project to another, were film festivals,” Tyagi said in an interview with Deadline. “So back in 2015 I decided if nobody else was coming up with a quality festival in my home city, then I would start that.”
This year, YIFF made its debut in Mumbai for the opening night, including curated screenings at the iconic Soho House Mumbai. YIFF has also partnered with Gaysi, a Mumbai-based queer organization, to showcase LGBTQIA+ films, expanding the festival’s reach and influence. “The entire point of a film festival is about cross culture and bringing other cultures to your country and taking your culture to other countries,” Tyagi explained. This collaboration, he shared, allows YIFF to “highlight the best of American culture” for Indian audiences who may not have experienced these stories otherwise.
Tyagi credited the American Center in New Delhi, the cultural division of the U.S. Embassy in India, for helping bring American documentaries to the YIFF lineup, allowing Indian audiences to view subjects ranging from disability to African-American culture. Among the four chosen films are The Orchestra Chuck Built by Christopher Stoudt and Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson. “These powerful stories…show American culture and lifestyle through a very wide variety of topics to the Indian audience who may have not had a chance to travel abroad,” Tyagi said.
The festival’s programming process involves a rigorous selection method, with industry professionals screening submissions from around the world. This year, YIFF received 2,490 submissions, narrowed down to the 127 official selections that met the festival’s high standards. Tyagi emphasized the meticulous approach taken by his team: “The screening members rate every film out of 10, evaluating originality, direction, story, script, cinematography, performances, and production value.”
The festival’s featured lineup includes acclaimed international documentaries and narratives. Noteworthy films include The Blind Sea, an Australian documentary about a visually impaired surfer, and Celebrating Laughter: The Life and Films of Colin Higgins, directed by Emmy-winner Nicholas Eliopoulos. The Pakistani narrative Wakhri (One of a Kind) and Korean thriller Mash Ville are also set to have their Indian premieres at YIFF.
YIFF’s mission extends beyond film screenings; it’s about bridging gaps in India’s film festival circuit, particularly for independent filmmakers. “A majority of film festivals in India are run by either entrepreneurs or people who have a limited sense of what a filmmaker or indie filmmaker wants or needs from a film festival,” Tyagi stated, emphasizing that his own experience as an independent filmmaker allows him to offer resources and programming geared toward emerging voices in the industry.
The festival’s name, Yellowstone, has an unusual story. While it might be associated with the U.S. national park, Tyagi explained that he named the festival after his deep appreciation for Yellowstone National Park, which left a lasting impression during his years in the United States. “As a filmmaker, I like a bit of ambiguity,” he admitted. “It could be a pleasant surprise when filmmakers and cinephiles find out that the film festival is actually in New Delhi, India and not in the middle of the woods in Yellowstone National Park in America.”
As YIFF continues to grow, it is redefining the role of film festivals in India, bringing international cinema to local audiences and spotlighting the diversity of storytelling in both Indian and global contexts.
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