‘Elijah,’ Film About NYC Cab Driver, To Make Australian Debut

India-West Staff Reporter

NEW YORK, NY- The critically acclaimed New York film ‘Elijah’, directed by Razid Season, is set for its Australian premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which runs from August 14 to 24. The festival will also feature other films with a Bengal connection and a retrospective on film maestro Ritwik Ghatak.

Produced by Image Maker Films, ‘Elijah’ tells the story of a Bengali cab driver in New York City facing financial hardship and the emotional challenge of his daughter coming out as transgender. The film explores themes of immigrant and Muslim identity. As Professor Shyamal Kumar Das noted, it confronts “intersectional marginalization… with nuance and emotional honesty.”

Since its January 2025 release, ‘Elijah’ has won awards including the Audience Choice Award at the Phoenix Film Festival. The Times of India praised the film for reflecting “a growing appetite for diverse South Asian perspectives across global platforms.”

Director Razid Season stated his intention as being to tell stories from marginalized communities and share his Bengali heritage.

The film features Debjani Banerjee, Ajaz Alam, and Mithila Gazi in leading roles, with cinematography by Uladzimir Taukachou and background music by Upasak Mukherjee and Orazio Saracino.