MUMBAI: The Indian Film Company (TIFC) has given the international sales of Sooni Taraporevala’s debut directorial venture, Little Zizou to LA-based world sales company – American World Pictures (AWP).

Set in Mumbai and presented by Indian Films and Mira Nair, Little Zizou is a satirical take on two Parsi (Zoroastrian) families, one headed by an extremist out to cleanse the community of inter-racial marriages and the other by a liberal rationalist running a sinking daily.

Zizou won two awards – Best Director and Best Screenplay, at the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival in New York. At the Asia-Pacific Festival of First Films held in Singapore, it clinched the Best Producer award.

“We are delighted that ‘Little Zizou’, our first international feature presentation, has received widespread critical acclaim. We look forward to our association with AWP who will be enabling this gem of a film to reach out to audiences in countries across the world,” said Indian Films’ advisory company CEO Sandeep Bhargava.

AWP senior vice president international sales Jeffrey Goldmann added, “We fell in love with Little Zizou on watching it. It is a simple, sweet and well-intentioned comedy with a message of tolerance at its heart. We introduced the film to buyers at EFM (Berlin) and will continue to do so at the upcoming markets to lock distribution.”

On 13 March, Studio 18 will undertake a selective Indian theatrical release of the film. The movie stars Boman Irani, Sohrab Ardeshir, Zenobia Shroff, Shernaz Patel, Mahabanoo Mody- Kotwal, Imaad Shah, Kunal Vijaykar, Kamaal Sidhu, introduces Jahan and Iyanah Batlivala, and features John Abraham in a guest appearance.