Indian Film Festival in Seattle brings documentaries, podcasts and Bollywood productions

The 1st Indian Film Festival commenced in Seattle, Washington State, March 21, 2025, marking the beginning of a three-day celebration of Indian cinema.

The event on Indian cinema was held at the Museum of Pop Culture, was hosted jointly by the Consulate General of India, along with MOPOP (Museum of Pop Culture). It featured a short documentary on the recently concluded Mahakumbh at Prayagraj, along with excerpts of Prime Minister’s podcast with Lex Fridman, focusing on the foundational idea of India and its central message of Unity in Diversity, a press release from the Indian Consulate in Seattle said.

The Inaugural Ceremony was attended by leading members of the film and media fraternity in Seattle, along with US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, King County Council Vice Chair Sarah Perry, Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho and CEO of MOPOP Michele Y. Smith.

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It was followed by screenings of three popular Indian films – “English Vinglish” on 21st March and “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” on  March 22, and “Raksha Bandhan” – on March 23, respectively.

In a special gesture to honor the legacy of Indian Cinema, March 21-23, were proclaimed as “Indian Cinema Festival Days” across all the 39 cities of King County, including in the Greater Seattle area.

The three-day long Festival of Indian cinema also showcased a special photo exhibit on the “History of Indian Cinema”, which chronicles the journey of Indian films over the years along with some of its leading titles, and was on display at MOPOP Seattle till 23rd March 2025.

In post on X on Friday, March 21, India In Seattle wrote, “Excerpts of Prime Minister’s podcast with Lex Fridman were viewed by participants at the Inaugural Ceremony of the 1st Indian Film Festival at Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle today.”

As part of the festival, a short documentary on the recently concluded Mahakumbh at Prayagraj and a Photo Exhibit on History of Indian Cinema was also screened, providing a glimpse into India’s rich cultural heritage .

In a podcast with AI researcher Lex Fridman, on March 16, Prime Minister Modi spoke on a wide range of topics, outlining his vision for the country. Fridman is a popular podcaster and MIT researcher on Artificial Intelligence