The festival is held under the patronage of the Embassy of India and forms part of the 50 Giorni di Cinema a Firenze programme
The 26th River to River Florence Indian film festival will honour Indian actor Kabir Bedi on his 80th birthday with a special screening of the 1976 television series Sandokan and the Italian premiere of USA vs Raj. The festival will take place at Cinema La Compagnia in Florence, Italy, from December 3 to 8.
In a press statement, organisers say that Bedi, who played the title role in Sandokan, will attend the festival on December 5 for two screenings and an audience interaction. The programme will mark 50 years of the television series, which became a major success in Italy and established Bedi as a familiar face among Italian audiences.
The statement adds that tribute will begin at 19:00 with a screening of the first episode of Sandokan, directed by Sergio Sollima. The remaining five episodes will be screened on December 6, 7 and 8.
At 20:30, the festival will present the Italian premiere of USA vs Raj, directed by Ravi K Chandran. Based on a true story, the legal thriller follows the criminal trial of surgeon Rajendra Bothra, who was charged with the unlawful distribution of opioids. The film features Bedi alongside Indian actor Shabana Azmi, Mena Massoud and Academy Award-winning actor Fisher Stevens.
Following the screening, Bedi will meet the audience for a discussion and question-and-answer session covering his career and experiences in cinema. The festival will also mark his return to the event a decade after he received the Key to the City of Florence.
The festival is held under the patronage of the Embassy of India and forms part of the 50 Giorni di Cinema a Firenze programme, coordinated by Fondazione Sistema Toscana.
The event is supported by the Tuscany regional government, the Municipality of Florence, Fondazione CR Firenze and Italy’s Ministry for Information and Broadcasting, says the statement.
