IIFA 2014: "IIFA in Tampa is going to be magical" says Andre Timmins, Director, IIFA

The much awaited awards of the year, IIFA Weekend and Awards 2014 are going to be bigger and better this year. As the awards travel to the United States for the first time, the buzz is about what will be different this year. The 15th Indian International Film Academy Awards (IIFA) will be held from April 23-26, 2014.

The audiences are expecting a gala event as Bollywood is set to meet Hollywood at the mega event that promises entertainment at its best. The Director of IIFA and Wizcraft, Andre Timmins, said in an interview:

"They (audiences) can expect magic! It’s magical. If you ask me, from what I’ve seen over the years is that, anybody that comes to IIFA always comes every year wherever we are, because what you have to understand is that it is the only event where you can view the stars as a close audience. You can buy a ticket and watch the stars perform too. It’s all about the excitement. It’s all about being there. We are looking at 30,000 people in the venue, 35,000 people on the green carpet over 2 kilometers long."

The awards are popularly known as 'Bollywood Oscars' as IIFA is known to bring Indian cinema to an international level. When asked who else apart from Shah Rukh Khan and this year's hosts Shahid Kapoor and Farhan Akhtar, will be a part of the show, Timmins said:

According to Timmins, IIFA 2014 is going to be one of the best IIFA Weekends because:

"It’s going to be different because, well I can’t disclose names yet, but we are bringing a big Hollywood star along with our Bollywood star to do a Master class. There’s education, there’s business, there’s environment, there’s volunteer programs. Every city every country has it’s own good points, this market is very matured so we feel it is going to be one of the best IIFA weekends."

Read More

IIFA 2014: Hillsborough County approves $1 million to market the IIFA Weekend and Awards

The publicity expenses of the 'Bollywood Oscars' will now be aided by the Hillsborough County as it committed $1 million to market the 15th edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA 2014) that are scheduled to be held from April 23-26, 2014 at Tampa Bay, Florida.

"We've been marketing it, but without the money" said Santiago Corrada, CEO of Visit Tampa Bay.

To promote the area as a tourist destination, the Hillsborough County Tourist Development Council voted unanimously to use $900,000 from the reserve tourist development taxes to market and support the event. The amount will be used for private security, accommodation and transportation of the stars attending the event as well as the producers of the show. Some of it will also be used to reimburse the expenses already made to promote the event.

The Hillsborough County Commission also allocated $100,000 to the tourism agency to promote the show. It was decided to keep an account as to how the money is spent as they aim to brand not just the city of Tampa but Hillsborough County as well.

Previously the event was promoted through local, national and international media, but now Visit Tampa Bay will use other mediums like digital media, radio and other advertising to promote the event to the numerous Bollywood fans in the United States, Canada and Great Britain.

Read More

IIFA 2014 Host

In an attempt to bring the people of North America closer to India, philanthropists Kiran and Pallavi Patel, the hosts of IIFA Tampa Bay, are using the platform of IIFA 2014.

Through the Drs. Kiran & Pallavi Patel Foundation for Global Understanding, the Patel family has funded and developed various programs in health, education, arts and culture, not only locally but around the world. 

The family has made significant donations and has earned a reputation for their philanthropic endeavors. Contribution to the University of South Florida Charter School in 2003, the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute in Tampa, the Dr. Pallavi Patel Performing Arts Conservatory at the Straz Center, the Dr. Kiran C. Patel School of Global Sustainability (created at the University of South Florida to fulfill their vision to develop real Sustainability solutions for the future), are the many contributions made by them among others.

The most loved Cardiologist in the Tampa Bay area, Dr. Kiran Patel has a unique vision of the future of medical care. He is a specialist in Cardiology, in practice since 1982.

Dr. Pallavi Patel is a successful pediatrician and an entrepreneur. She has the honor of being the only Asian woman to be included in the Florida Hall of Fame (2008).

More Info : IIFA 2014 Host 

Read More