Arranged marriage film 'arranges' shows for Indian Americans

Washington, May 16: Just like arranged marriages in India, a new film on the subject uses a new more "democratic" way of distributing films to match niche South Asian audiences with select theatres in America. Theatrical-on-Demand (ToD) puts the power in the hands of the audience, says Rohena Gera, director of "What's Love Got To Do With It?" described as an unscripted micro budget film that explores arranged marriages in Indian society. "So a film that may not have the marketing muscle or money to release across the country but has a niche audience that would love to see it on screen can access this audience," Gera told IANS. Anybody anywhere in the US can request a film at a theatre near them, and even choose the date and preferred time and the distributor will assign a cinema for the show at no cost, Gera said explaining the concept. The only obligation the person has is to try to get people to commit to purchasing tickets in advance so that the show can be confirmed, she said The film currently has 8 live requests for screenings in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas, Washington DC and California.