After a fierce competition, the Chicago South Asian Film Festival , now in its 9th year, announced the winners of its four Audience Choice awards, with the award for Best Feature Length Fiction Film going to EVENING SHADOWS, and the award for Best Feature Length Documentary going to SALAM: THE FIRST ****** NOBEL LAUREATE.

2018 Chicago South Asian Film Festival Award Winners

Best Feature Length Fiction Film
EVENING SHADOWS
Directed by Sridhar Rangayan – a film depicting the story of a young Indian man disclosing his sexuality to his traditional parents. This was a particularly poignant tale in light of the recent
decriminalization of homosexuality by the Supreme Court of India.

Best Feature Length Documentary
SALAM: THE FIRST ****** NOBEL LAUREATE
Directed by by Anand Kamalakar, this enlightening documentary is a biopic of Abdus Salam, a Nobel Prize winning Pakistani physicist.

Best Short Length Fiction Film
LIFE AFTER
Director Ria Tobaccowala’s emotional short follows Nisha, a single mother and Indian immigrant who travels to New York City to clear out her daughters apartment. Out of her element in the big city, Nisha discovers surprising new details about her daughter.

Best Short Length Documentary Film
DO WE BELONG?
The film depicts the aftermath of a hate crime against an Indian man in Kansas City. In his acceptance speech, producer Pulkit Datta underscored the importance of this film by sharing a message of love, and the need to challenge
ignorance, in preventing incidents of hate.