India’s Seattle Consulate Hosts Montana’s First Indian Film Festival, Showcases Maha Kumbh

NEW YORK, 05 March 2025: For the first time, an Indian film festival was organized in Montana, a western US state, celebrating India’s cultural richness through cinema. The event attracted a diverse audience, including students attending an annual conference where presentations on the recently concluded Maha Kumbh were also featured.

The Consulate General of India in Seattle, in collaboration with the nonprofit Montana World Affairs Council, hosted the inaugural ‘Festival of Indian Cinema’ at the University of Montana in Missoula from March 2-4. The festival aimed to provide students with an immersive experience of Indian storytelling and traditions through film.

More than 500 students from 33 schools participating in the Montana Academic World Quest 2025 attended the event. The screenings, held at the University Center Theater at the University of Montana, showcased critically acclaimed films such as English Vinglish, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and Raksha Bandhan.

The festival not only introduced students to Indian cinema but also served as a platform to foster cross-cultural dialogue and appreciation. Alongside the film screenings, attendees also learned about India’s rich spiritual traditions through discussions on the Maha Kumbh, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings.

The initiative reflects India’s growing cultural outreach in the United States, using cinema as a bridge to enhance people-to-people connections. Organizers expressed enthusiasm for making the festival an annual event, further strengthening Indo-US ties through the lens of art and heritage.