On behalf of the City of Sydney, I extend my congratulations and best wishes to the organisers, filmmakers, participants and audiences of the Indian Film Festival.

Sydney is a vibrant, multicultural city that celebrates cultural diversity, artistic expression and creativity. Events like the Indian Film Festival make an important contribution to our cultural life by bringing compelling cinematic stories of the Indian subcontinent to the community.

The festival welcomes local and international audiences to experience a diverse program of story telling and talent which will foster understanding, strengthen community connections and encourage meaningful cultural exchange across our community.

The Indian-Australian community is an important part of Sydney’s multicultural identity, and contributes to Sydney’s social, cultural and economic life. This festival is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate that contribution while highlighting the depth and range of Indian cinema.

I commend the organisers for their commitment to supporting Sydney’s multicultural arts landscape.

I wish the festival every success.

Clover Moore AO

Lord Mayor of Sydney