DR. ABHIJIT VAIDYA

DR. ABHIJIT VAIDYA

Founder Director

Dr Abhijit Vaidya a cardiologist, activist and an author. He is the Founder & Director of the Smita Patil International Film Festival. He is the National President of Arogya Sena(Health Army), which has 14000 volunteers across 7 states and has treated 72 thousand patients free of cost. He was also a Managing Trustee of 75 years old organization “Rashtra Seva Dal”. He is the author of Sahitya Academy Lalit Gadya award-winning book Shalom Israel and editor of the magazine Purogami Jangarjana.

YOGESH JAGAM

YOGESH JAGAM

Associate Director

“Cinema is the most beautiful fraud in the world” – Jean Luc Godard. As a storyteller, Yogesh is not confined to procedures and theories. He passionately strives to bring great films to the audiences through the various festivals he is associated with

He has worked as an associate director & executive producer on feature films and documentaries for over 10 years. 

SOHIL VAIDYA

SOHIL VAIDYA

Co-Founder / Jury

Sohil is a writer and director based in Pune and Los Angeles. He won the prestigious Directors Guild of America(D.G.A) Award for his thesis film ‘Difficult People’. Sohil’s films have been screened at more than 70 international film festivals such as Rotterdam(IFFR), Melbourne(MIFF), Athens(AIFVF), IFFI(Indian Panorama), Palm Springs, Rhode Island International, Edmonton International, LA Asian Pacific, Dharamshala (DIFF), Kerala (IDSFFK), Newyork Indian Film Festival etc. Sohil is alum of USC Film School and a BAFTA Fellow in Los Angeles.

programming team

Sohil Vaidya
Sohil Vaidya

Programming Head

Sohil is a writer and director based in Pune and Los Angeles. He won the prestigious Directors Guild of America(D.G.A) Award for his thesis film ‘Difficult People’. Sohil’s films have been screened at more than 70 international film festivals such as Rotterdam(IFFR), Melbourne(MIFF), Athens(AIFVF), IFFI(Indian Panorama), Palm Springs, Rhode Island International, Edmonton International, LA Asian Pacific, Dharamshala (DIFF), Kerala (IDSFFK), Newyork Indian Film Festival etc. Sohil is alum of USC Film School and a BAFTA Fellow in Los Angeles.

Yogesh Jagam
Yogesh Jagam

Programming Head

“Cinema is the most beautiful fraud in the world” – Jean Luc Godard. As a storyteller, Yogesh is not confined to procedures and theories. He passionately strives to bring great films to the audiences through the various festivals he is associated with

He has worked as an associate director & executive producer on feature films and documentaries for over 10 years. 

Rasika Agashe
Rasika Agashe

Programmer

Rasika Agashe is an actor, working in theatre – television – films parallelly. She is an alumnus of the prestigious National School of Drama. Rasika has acted in Marathi and Hindi films. Apart from her work in films, Rasika has always favoured the medium of theatre. She has produced, acted, and directed a number of plays.  Rasika Agashe has recently finished directing her debut film, as a director. She has directed in Marathi feature film – Tiche Shahar Hone, which is currently doing festival rounds.

Aneesh Prabhune
Aneesh Prabhune

Programmer

Aneesh holds a masters degree in Broadcasting and Production from Royal Holloway, University of London. He has worked in Indian film industry for over 10 years in various roles such as script doctor, producer and media consultant. Aneesh is associated with Pune International Film Festival(PIFF). 
Aatish Shinde
Aatish Shinde

Associate Programmer

Aatish holds Masters in Clinical Psychology. He is a screenwriter, photographer and an avid cinephile. Apart from films, Aatish enjoys classical literature, philosophy and chess.