Produced by Ruhaniyat Films in association with Everclear Films and Women’s Voices Now, Forbidden – a short film based on a true honor killing, will hold its world premiere at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in Iowa and its New York Premiere at the NY Indian Film Festival (NYIFF).

Starring Gulshan Grover, Salony Luthra, Gopal Divan, and Dhanish Karthik, Forbidden is a short dramatic thriller that follows a Sikh woman named Jasleen, who is running away with her Muslim lover, Fahwaz. Jasleen’s culture and religious conscious parents want her to marry within the Sikh community and are shocked when she suddenly disappears. After Jasleen and Fahwaz elope, they think they have found happiness—but Jasleen’s family tracks the couple down and commits horrific acts in defense of their family honor.

The film explores honor killings in the western world. It is inspired by the true story of a South Asian American woman who was brutally murdered for being in love with someone her family did not approve of.

According to the United Nations, 5,000 women and girls are killed each year in the name of family honor. Women’s Advocacy Groups, however, report the numbers are much higher as many of the cases go unreported. According to their findings, 20,000 women and girls are killed every year due to this brutal practice.

Reports submitted to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights show that honor killings have occurred in at least twenty-six countries. Of the twenty-six, nine are western countries with large immigrant communities including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Written and directed by Vibha Gulati, Forbidden marks her directorial debut. She is a working professional in the Indian Film industry and has worked on a number of Bollywood and independent feature films, including Raj Kumar Hirani’s ‘Laage Raho Munna Bhai,’ Bedoprata Pain’s ‘Chittagong,’ Rohan Sippy’s ‘Nautanki Saala,’ Prashant Nair’s ‘Umrika,’ Danis ‘Tanovic’s ‘Tigers,’ and many others.

According to Gulati, “The mission of this film is to end violence against women living outside of their native countries. In addition, it is to ignite a social change that will compel the legal system to take action against criminals who commit heinous crimes against women in the name of family honor.”

Forbidden will be screened on the following days and times during the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in Iowa:

Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 11.15 am at the Journey inside the Mississippi River Museum;

Saturday, April 28, 2018, at 5 pm at the Hotel Julien Dubuque; and

Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 5.15 pm at Phoenix Theatres.

For more information about the screenings please log onto the festival website: http://julienfilmfest.com

At the NY Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), Forbidden will be screened on Friday, May 11, 2018, at the Village East Cinemas, 2nd Avenue 12th Street, NYC at 9 pm.

For more information about the screening please log onto the festival website: http://www.iaac.us/nyiff2018/Schedule-May11.htm

For more information about Forbidden please log onto www.forbiddenthefilm.com