New Delhi, March 31, 2016: India’s leading standup comedian, writer and filmmaker Radhika Vaz [1] is making India proud yet again. Her breakthrough series ‘_Shugs & Fats_’ [2] will be showcased during the 15th Annual Tribeca Film Festival at Tribeca N.O.W (New Online Work) – a platform that showcases online storytellers’ talent. The series will also be part of the inaugural Tribeca Digital Creators Market and Special Screenings program. Radhika will be attending the Tribeca Film Festival to be held in Lower Manhattan from April 13-24. Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, Tribeca is one of the leading indie film festivals on the planet. The films screened at Tribeca are chosen from over 6,000 submissions from every corner of the globe. Last year, it showcased works from 38 countries and was attended by more than 467,000 people.
The public screening of ‘Shugs & Fats’ will take place on Thursday 14 April evening at Regal Cinemas Battery Park Stadium 11 as part of the third edition of Tribeca N.O.W. that will feature the work of 11 creators chosen for their innovative storytelling and robust creative vision.
In November last year, Radhika Vaz’s _’__Shugs & Fats’__ _had also won the ‘breakthrough series’ at the 25th IFP Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York. ‘_SHUGS & FATS_’ is a contemporary satirical series about two Hijabi women clinging on to their heritage and culture in the midst of a westernized modern Brooklyn civilization. Radhika and her partner Nadia Manzoor have so far created and produced three seasons of the web series in Brooklyn, New York. With season three awaiting its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival, this duo takes a peek in to their future.
On representing India at the Festival, Radhika Vaz says, _”It is a dream-come-true for us to be invited to screen our comedy web series at the Tribeca Film festival, which has emerged as the mecca for online and experiential storytelling in recent years. With the world moving to digital, we are super excited that it is now launching the Tribeca Digital Creators Market as the first ever marketplace to connect online and digital creators with buyers, producers and agents.”
Radhika is born in Mumbai and raised in Bangalore, and is known for her outspoken views on gender roles. Her one-woman comedy specials _”Unladylike”_ & _”Older. Angrier. Hairier.”_ have given her an envious international following with her shows getting sold-out in New York, Los Angeles and all major Indian cities. She has been invited to speak and perform at university panels, fund raising events and literature festivals such as The Shift Series, India Radio Forum Awards, Young Presidents Organization, The Foreign Correspondents Club, Columbia University (NY), Women’s Education Project (NY), Human Rights Watch (NY), amongst others. Widely recognized as this generation’s feminist voice, Radhika has written and performed in online marketing campaigns for companies including Sofy Sanitary Pads and the fashion website Fab Alley that went viral. Hailed as _’the funniest person you will ever meet’_ by Harper’s Bazaar, Vaz has also performed at private corporate events for lifestyle oriented brands like American Express, McKinsey & Co, Ikea, Audi, Rado Watches and Makemytrip.com. Between this, her stand-up act and the promotional tour for her book, _”Unladylike, A Memoir”_, Vaz is a versatile artist to look out for.
Almost every film showcased at Tribeca is a North American, international, or even world premiere. In addition to movie screenings, Tribeca also offers a myriad of rich cinematic experiences including Tribeca ESPN Sports Film Festival, Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair, Tribeca Talks, filmmaker and industry special events, panels for working and aspiring filmmakers, music events, live performances, interactive installations, online screening library and more. Speakers at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival include Tina Fey, Tom Hanks, Jodie Foster, Sir Richard Branson, Idina Menzel, Patti Smith, Francis Ford Coppola, J.J. Abrams, Andrea Arnold, Joss Whedon, Mark Ruffalo, Alfonso Cuarón, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Hardwicke, Chris Rock, Julie Taymor, Jill Kargman, Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky, Ezra Edelman, Raina Kelley, Kelley Carter, Ken Levine, Sam Barlow, Will Gluck, Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Samantha Bee, Olivia Wilde, Donna Karan, Rosie Perez, Sophia Rossi, Julie Ann Crommett, Nahnatchka Khan, Mya Taylor, Stephanie Laing, Amy Emmerich, Laura Walker, Anna Sale, LaLa Anthony, Nate Silver, Micah Cohen, Jay McInerney, Josh Hutcherson, Jake Avnet, Austin Pendleton, John Oliver, Ellen Lewis, Juliet Taylor, Bernard Telsey, Nelson George, and many more.
Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)
