Showcasing India’s cultural diversity through cinema, the first Indian film festival was organised in the western US state of Montana.
The Consulate General of India in Seattle, in collaboration with the nonprofit organisation Montana World Affairs Council, organised the first ‘Festival of Indian Cinema’ at the University of Montana in Missoula from March 2-4.
Over 500 students from 33 schools participating in the Montana Academic World Quest 2025 attended the gala, which featured screenings of films such as “English Vinglish”, “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” and “Raksha Bandhan” at the University Center Theater of University of Montana.
The film festival was attended by Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta; Mayor of Helena, Wilmot Collins; and World Affairs Council Executive Director Nikki Geiszler.
The film festival “aimed to provide high school and university students from Montana with a better understanding of the richness and cultural diversity of India through the medium of Indian cinema,” stated a press release issued on Tuesday by the Consulate General of India in Seattle.
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On the sidelines of the Academic World Quest, interactive sessions on Indian classical dance and music, along with presentations on India’s Digital Payments Platforms and the recently concluded Maha Kumbh were also organised at the University of Montana in Missoula.