JLT Films enthrals international audiences with Kannada Film, continues to champion regional, queer narratives

JLT Films' Kannada queer feature film, Naanu Ladies (I am a Lady) is set to open for its international premiere at the 16th Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (USA).

Between the 1st - 24th October 2021 the film will be available to watch around the globe.

In a male-dominated world of film production, JLT's Naanu Ladies, boasts of a primarily women-led crew, from the Producer Harini Daddala, Writer, Director & Actor Shailaja Padindala, DOP Chehek Bilgi, Second Unit DOP Komal Khiani and Actors Medini Kelamane and Pallavi Chander.

The film follows two women who fall in love, attempting to break away from the heteronormative culture while fighting the struggles of a middle-class life. The film makes you relook at marriage, parenting systems and the socio-political effects on queer love in India.

Writer, Director and Actor, Shailaja Padindala says, "Naanu Ladies is a story that is heavily inspired by my own life experiences, which I have attempted to present in a humorous fashion. In Indian cinema, more often than not, queer subjects are not treated with the sensitivity they require and border on homophobia or derogatory comedy. As a queer filmmaker, it is my responsibility to showcase stories from the community in the right light and sensitize society about the importance of inclusivity and treating everyone as equal."

This is JLT Films' third release that has been received with acclaim beyond Indian borders. Their previous web series The Other Love Story and short film Project Indian Bride, both shared poignant Indian LGBTQIA+ stories and were recognized at the NYC Web Fest (USA), TO WebFest (Canada), Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (USA) and Vancouver Web Fest (Canada) to name a few.

Generating over 70 Million Views for their films just on Youtube, JLT Films has solidified it's niche as a voice for independent filmmakers and queer storytellers for Indians around the world. Their fans hail from France, Spain, UAE, USA, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, who have on many occasions appreciated the choice of stories.

Talking about her journey, Producer and the woman behind the production house, Harini Daddala says, "I remember feeling confused and alienated growing up watching repetitive stories and characters in movies. I often wondered if this was truly a real reflection of society. Of course soon enough I learnt about the disbalance in Indian storytelling. Taking matters into my own hands as a filmmaker, when I started JLT Films in 2015, I ensured we breathed life only into stories with realistic nuances, inclusivity and equal representation, across gender, language, sex and religion. My biggest learning has been to listen to my audience, they tell you what they want and all my script choices will speak to that. I am eager to see the impact of Naanu Ladies on an international audience."

As global populations grow more informed about gender and sexual spectrums coupled with language barriers becoming redundant, Indian queer and regional voices no longer have cultural or geographic boundaries. Speaking about what's next for JLT Films, Producer Harini Daddala adds, "We are always on the lookout for unique narratives. We are keen on more regional content and will continue to be the biggest supporters of LGBTQIA+ storytelling in India. We are already in talks with some streaming services in India and abroad for releases."

You can book your tickets to watch the global premiere of JLT's Naanu Ladies here :

Contact JLTFilms at harini@jtplex.com

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( With inputs from ANI )

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