Patakha, Chelsea, And Sheboygan: Rohit Relan On The Art Of Judging Cinema

Rohit Relan stands among India’s leading writer-directors, known for his distinctive voice and international acclaim across major festival circuits. His portfolio features award-winning films such as Bathroom Mein Baarish, which earned the Gold Remi Award at WorldFest Houston and was a finalist at the USA Film Festival, and the unconventional short Binge!, showcased at LA Shorts, Hawai’i International, Uppsala, and Unrestricted View Horror Film Festivals. Relan’s latest work, Patakha, has continued this impressive festival trajectory, being officially selected at the Giffoni Film Festival, Dances With Films in Los Angeles, Kinolub in Poland, Chelsea Film Festival in New York, and AFI FEST. He has also served as a jury member for respected events like the Sheboygan Film Festival, collaborating with renowned international talent, and is actively involved in nurturing new South Asian storytelling through film labs and festival panels.

You’ve just returned from Chelsea Film Festival, where Patakha had its New York premiere and you joined the filmmaker Q&A panel. What did this selection and audience engagement mean to you?

It was a privilege to see Patakha connect with such an international and passionate audience. Chelsea is known for its commitment to diverse voices, so being part of that dialogue on and off the stage was both energizing and humbling. It was great to see how many people could relate to a story set in rural India in New York, which led to a very engaging discussion after the screening.

On the festival trail, Patakha has traveled from Giffoni to Kinolub in Poland, to Dances With Films in Los Angeles, and is now set for AFI FEST. How do these selections influence your approach as a writer and director?

Each festival brings a new kind of validation. Giffoni’s focus on young audiences, Kinolub’s educational reach, and events like AFI FEST that place your film among Oscar and BAFTA contenders remind me to keep pushing for authenticity and universality in everything I write and direct. The wide acceptance motivates me to keep sharing my perspective.

Recently, you started serving as a jury member for the Sheboygan Film Festival. How did you approach your role as a judge this year?

Judging nearly 80 films, including works previously recognized at SXSW, Sundance, Dances With Films, Clermont-Ferrand, and Fantasia, really broadened my horizon. I evaluated each film on originality, direction, screenplay, cinematography, performances, pacing, and sound, with the committee depending on our insights to determine which films made the final cut. It was a powerful reminder of how high the bar is and how much creative talent is out there.

Some of the films you judged have already taken top honors at festivals like Sundance and SXSW. Which titles stuck with you, and what’s your own definition of an outstanding festival film?

The range was incredible, from MINE! (SXSW) and Sundance winner Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites to The Great Annual Party of the Creatures of the Moon and Check Please. The best films always linger after the credits, often because of a single image, performance, or narrative twist that feels completely one of a kind.

How do you juggle responsibilities such as developing new projects, appearing at panels, and providing festival evaluations while your creative career continues to climb?

It takes genuine curiosity. Every new festival, whether a major one like AFI or a cinephile-driven event like Mountain Shadow, pushes me to refine my storytelling and inspires my judging work too. That feedback loop is what keeps me moving forward.

What’s next for you, with so many new accolades and invitations stacking up?

With the completion of Patakha’s international run and judging experiences at Sheboygan and elsewhere, I’m focusing on my upcoming feature project and script labs, continuing to find ways to diversify the narratives I tell and champion South Asian representation on screen.

Finally, as someone whose work is seen by major juries and audiences across continents, how do you view the responsibility of being both a filmmaker and a judge?

It’s about keeping the standards high, for myself and for others. Whether I’m sitting on a jury or making a new film, the goal is to celebrate daring voices and make space for stories that might otherwise go unheard. Being part of a global movement to champion new ideas is the most exciting part of where I am right now.

With acclaimed selections at Chelsea, AFI FEST, Mountain Shadow, and distinguished jury roles, Rohit Relan continues to shape international cinema as a distinctive and confident Indian storyteller.