Oscar Shortlist Duo ‘Hollywoodgate,’ ‘Universal Language’ to Headline India’s Red Lorry Film Festival – Global Bulletin

FESTIVAL FLOURISHES

BookMyShow‘s Red Lorry Film Festival has landed two Academy Award-shortlisted films to anchor its sophomore edition, set for March 21-23, in Mumbai and Hyderabad. “Hollywoodgate,” from the producers of “Navalny,” shortlisted for documentary feature, offers an on-the-ground examination of Taliban-ruled Kabul. “Universal Language,” contending in the international feature category, presents an absurdist comedy-drama weaving multiple storylines between Tehran and Winnipeg.

The fest will showcase over 120 titles across both cities, marking its expansion with “Red Lorry Film Festival: Parallel Verse” in Hyderabad running alongside Mumbai’s “Take 2” edition. Notable selections include “When The Light Breaks,” which opened Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2024, and “999: The Forgotten Girls,” winner of the Miami Jewish Film Festival’s audience award.

New for 2025, the festival introduces a competition segment open to filmmakers, with submissions closing Jan. 7. Programming spans multiple languages including Spanish, French, German, Korean, Dutch, and Icelandic. BookMyShow COO, cinemas, Ashish Saksena cited the inaugural edition’s success as motivation for the expansion, noting growing demand for international cinema among Indian audiences.

PRISON PREMIERE

“Black Warrant,” a prison drama series, is set to premiere Jan. 10 on Netflix. The show takes place in Tihar, Asia’s largest prison, following rookie jailer Sunil Kumar Gupta as he navigates the institution’s complex power dynamics.

The series marks actor Zahan Kapoor‘s streaming debut in the lead role of Gupta, alongside cast members Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, Anurag Thakur and Sidhant Gupta. The project reunites Netflix with creator-showrunner Vikramaditya Motwane (“AK vs AK”), who co-directs with Satyanshu Singh, Ambiecka Pandit, Arkesh Ajay and Rohin Raveendran Nair.

Drama is based on the non-fiction book “Black Warrant: Confessions Of A Tihar Jailer” by former Tihar superintendent Sunil Gupta and journalist Sunetra Choudhury. Applause Entertainment presents the series, produced by Motwane’s Andolan Production with Confluence Media.

The show joins Netflix India’s recent slate including “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar,” “Amar Singh Chamkila,” “The Great Indian Kapil Show,” “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack” and “CTRL.”