Mohanlal & Mammootty Reunite in 'Patriot' to Open IFFLA 2026 Film Festival

Scheduled to take place from April 23 to 26, 2026, the festival will showcase 27 films, including seven narrative features, two documentaries and 18 short films, representing countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Opening the festival will be 'Patriot', marking the on-screen reunion of Malayalam cinema legends Mohanlal and Mammootty after 18 years. The high-octane thriller also stars Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara and Revathy, and revolves around covert missions, assassination attempts and espionage intrigue.

The festival will conclude with the North American premiere of Rizvi's 'The Great Shamsuddin Family', a Delhi-set social satire that follows a writer juggling a looming deadline with escalating family chaos, exploring themes of generational conflict, urban anxiety and female resilience.

IFFLA Artistic Director Anu Rangachar said the lineup reflects a diverse spectrum of South Asian storytelling, highlighting themes of identity, migration, urban isolation and women's perspectives. She also noted a significant rise in women filmmakers across the region and diaspora.

Anu Rangachar, IFFLA's Artistic Director, said in a statement, "Apart from our impressive galas, the program travels across South Asia, from Bangladesh's meditative Sand City to Pakistan's emerging new wave with the haunting Ghost School and the visually arresting Lali. Alongside Indian stories like Shape of Momo and Venice-winner Songs of Forgotten Trees, this year's lineup reflects a remarkable surge of women filmmakers across the subcontinent and the diasporas, something we are very proud to champion. Two intimate diaspora documentaries, Karla Murthy's The Gas Station Attendant, and Ben Rekhi and Swetlana's Breaking the Code, round out the selection with deeply personal tributes to their fathers."

Among the narrative features, Seemab Gul's Ghost School presents a haunting tale of a young girl navigating a fractured system amid rumours of supernatural possession. Mahde Hasan's Sand City, set in Dhaka, explores the intersecting lives of two strangers and has already won the Proxima Grand Prix at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Tribeny Rai's Shape of Momo follows a woman returning to her Himalayan roots to confront entrenched traditions.

Anjay Nagpal, IFFLA's Executive Director, added, "Each year IFFLA puts the spotlight on the brilliant breadth and scope of South Asian storytelling. We look forward to bringing another exciting group of filmmakers together with the Los Angeles audiences and industry vets eager to see their new work. This curated connection is what makes IFFLA such a vital and unmissable event."

Other notable entries include Sarmad Khoosat's Lali, a darkly comic story of a newlywed couple grappling with buried family trauma, and Anuparna Roy's Songs of Forgotten Trees, which traces the bond between two migrant women in Mumbai and earned the Best Director award at the Venice Film Festival.

The documentary section features Karla Murthy's The Gas Station Attendant, an intimate portrait of an immigrant father's journey, and Breaking the Code by Ben Rekhi and Swetlana, which chronicles a tech pioneer's rise from post-independence India to Silicon Valley.

The short film lineup includes several world premieres, such as Nihaarika Negi's Tenfa, Fatima Liaqat's Plain Folks and Sana Zahra Jafri's Permanent Guest. International festival favourites like Bleat! by Ananth Subramaniam, Ali by Adnan Al Rajeev and O'Sey Balamma by Raman Nimmala will also be screened.

IFFLA 2026 will also host its Industry Days forum, featuring panels, masterclasses and a pitch competition offering a USD 10,000 development grant, aimed at connecting South Asian creatives with Hollywood industry leaders.

IFFLA Executive Director Anjay Nagpal said the festival continues to spotlight the breadth of South Asian cinema while fostering meaningful collaborations between filmmakers and global industry professionals. Tickets and passes for the festival went on sale on March 19.

- ANI