National Award-winning director Sudhanshu Saria’s Sanaa, starring Radhika Madan, will be screened at the 38th edition of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, widely considered the first stop for Academy Award nominees.
The film festival will be held at The American Riviera from February 8-18.
Sanaa, an introspective drama about an ambitious and headstrong woman fighting an internal battle due to unresolved trauma, will be the only Indian film to be screened at the California festival.
The film also stars Soham Shah, Shikha Talsania and Pooja Bhatt. Sanaa had its world premiere at the 26th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 16 last year and garnered positive reviews.
“I’m so honored that the festival has chosen to invite Sanaa and launch the film in North America. Their response confirms the film's universality and the urgent need to further conversations around female agency and autonomy — especially in the American context,” said Saria.
This year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival will witness the presence of eminent Hollywood stars and Oscar nominees like Brendan Fraser, Cate Blanchett, and Colin Farrell.
Saria is currently in the last phase of wrapping the shoot for his upcoming yet-untitled series for Prime Video. He is also producing the queer romance short TAPS, which won the Kashish QDrishti Film Grant. His upcoming spy thriller Ulajh with Junglee Pictures is in post-production.
