• Seventh Annual IAAC Film Festival now titled The Mahindra IAAC Film Festival to be held November 7 -11, 2007 in New York City
• Mahindra – IAAC partnership will drive festival growth and underscore long-standing commitment to filmmaking, the arts and community

New York, NY: The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd announce their partnership to form The Mahindra IAAC Film Festival. Gearing up for its seventh year, the Film Festival promotes, showcases, and celebrates the unique voices and talent of filmmakers’ that tell compelling stories about the South Asian subcontinent. The Mahindra IAAC Film Festival promises to bring innovative experiences and programs to a broad audience and will take place in New York from November 7 – 11, 2007.

With the firm belief that ultimately it is innovation and creativity which will make India a global powerhouse, the Mahindra Group has decided to support the IAAC Film Festival. Through its corporate social responsibility initiatives, the Mahindra Group has committed support to IAAC’s endeavors to promote the voice of new South Asian cinema. Both Mahindra and IAAC are committed to a long term partnership that will transcend traditional boundaries of marketing partnerships and will enable the creative art form of film making from global South Asians to reach higher standards of excellence.

Aroon Shivdasani, Executive Director, IAAC, says 'We are excited about the partnership with the Mahindra Group because they play an integral role in supporting the infrastructure and rapid growth of the Festival. But more importantly they also bring a shared passion for and an understanding of our core values. Their continued support and dedication will enable the IAAC to present the work from the most diverse and original filmmakers from around the South Asian Diaspora.'

The Festival’s mission is to assist South Asian filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience, enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of their films. It includes film screenings, special events, and receptions for both opening and closing nights.

Commenting on the partnership with the Indo American Arts Council, Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra Group said, 'The Mahindra IAAC Film Festival will be a unique platform for alternative independent cinema. We are proud to be working closely with the IAAC and with the help of Mahindra the festival is now ready to grow in both its breadth and the depth of audience it reaches. This is in keeping with the Mahindra philosophy of supporting and nurturing the unsung and the unknown. Not only will this festival promote the Mahindra brand in the US but will also bring Indian talent to the world stage.'

The First Annual IAAC Film Festival held in 2001 was heralded by the godfather of Indian Diaspora films, the late Ismail Merchant and the Merchant-Ivory team. Hailed as "innovative, bold, and daring" the IAAC Film Festival was the first Indian film festival to take place in New York City, appearing on the scene right in the aftermath of 9/11, and introducing New Yorkers to films and artists from South Asia they may never have seen before. Over the year’s the Festival has featured films by leading Indian filmmakers like Mira Nair, Ismail Merchant, Deepa Mehta, Gurinder Chaddha, Nagesh Kukunoor as well as other upcoming filmmakers such as Shonali Bose, Nisha Ganatra, Smriti Mundhra and Ali Kazimi. Films premiered at the IAAC Film Festival were showcased at various Film Festivals including Tribeca, Berlin, Rotterdam, Cannes, IFFLA, Directors' Fortnight and India Now at MOMA, Mumbai International Film Festival, IFP Market and many more.

About The Indo-American Arts Council

The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to promoting, showcasing and building an awareness of Indian artists in the performing, literary, visual, and folk arts. Its focus is to help artists and art organizations in North America as well as to facilitate artists from India to exhibit, perform and produce their work here. The IAAC also supports all the artistic disciplines in classical, fusion, folk, and innovative forms influenced by the arts of India, working cooperatively with individuals and organizations around the United States to broaden collective audiences and to create a network for shared information, resources, and funding. For further information, please visit www.iaac.us

About The Mahindra Group

The US $4.5 billion Mahindra Group is among the top 10 industrial houses in India. Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top four tractor manufacturers in the world and is the market leader in multi-utility vehicles in India. The Group has a leading presence in key sectors of the Indian economy, including trade and financial services (Mahindra Intertrade, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd.), automotive components, information technology & telecom (Tech Mahindra, Bristlecone), and infrastructure development (Mahindra GESCO, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd., Mahindra World City). With over 60 years of manufacturing experience, the Mahindra Group has built a strong base in technology, engineering, marketing and distribution which are key in its evolution as a customer-centric organization. The Group employs over 40,000 people and has several state-of-the-art facilities in India and overseas. The Mahindra Group has ambitious global aspirations and has a presence in five continents. Mahindra products are today available in every continent except Antarctica. M&M has one tractor manufacturing plant in China and three assembly plants in the United States. It has made strategic acquisitions across the globe including Stokes Forgings (UK), Jeco Holding AG (Germany) and Schoneweiss & Co GmbH (Germany). Its global subsidiaries include Mahindra Europe Srl. based in Italy, Mahindra USA Inc. and Mahindra South Africa. M&M has entered into partnerships with international companies like Renault SA, France, and International Truck and Engine Corporation, USA. The Group recently made a milestone entry into the passenger car segment with Logan, a product of its JV with Renault SA. Forbes has ranked the Mahindra Group in its Top 200 list of the World’s Most Reputable Companies and in the Top 10 list of Most Reputable Indian companies. For further information, please visit www.mahindra.com