Cinema VinesSayani Gupta’s first feature, Aasmani, is riding a wave of festival triumphs that has taken it across the globe. The film has already bagged accolades at a string of prestigious events, including the International South Asian Film Festival in Vancouver, the Atlanta Indian Film Festival, and the Boston International Film Festival, where it earned Best Director and Best Child Actor awards. In the past month alone, Aasmani has appeared at nine festivals, from the DC South Asian Film Festival to the Tokyo International Short Film Festival, and has won Best Film at Atlanta and an honourable mention for Excellence in Short Filmmaking at iSAFF Vancouver.
Gupta, who celebrated her birthday during the International Film Festival of South Asia in Toronto, was honoured with the South Asian Screen Excellence Award and the Leadership Award in Excellence in Films at iSAFF Vancouver. She also delivered a masterclass titled “Becoming a Star, Remaining an Actor,” moderated by Anup Singh Batla, the director of Qissa and The Song of Scorpions. The film’s success has positioned it as a strong contender in the Oscar‑qualifying circuit, having already been screened at the Bangalore International Short Film Festival, the only Oscar‑qualifying festival in India.
Looking ahead, Aasmani will be showcased at five additional festivals over the next two weeks. The first stop is the 21st Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle, running from October 13 to 18. Tasveer is noted as the world’s only Oscar‑qualifying South Asian film festival. The film will then appear at the 55th Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival in Ukraine from October 24 to November 1, followed by the 22nd annual LA Femme International Film Festival in Los Angeles between October 22 and 25.
After its Canadian run, Aasmani will return to India for the 15th Dharamshala International Film Festival, held from October 29 to November 1 at the Tibetan Children’s Village in the Himalayan foothills. The film will also screen at the 30th Vancouver Asian Film Festival from November 5 to 14. These selections bring the total number of festivals the film has played to 12 within just two months.
The production team behind Aasmani includes Sayani Gupta Movies, Nikkhil Advani under the Sumitra Gupta Foundation for Arts, and Dia Mirza and Ananya Rane under One India Story. With its growing list of honours and upcoming screenings, the film’s journey is set to continue well into March 2027, cementing Gupta’s reputation as a promising new voice in international cinema.
