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9 most-anticipated Indian and international titles to watch at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024
From Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’ to Oscar entries like ‘Santosh’ and ‘Shambhala’, here's everything to look forward to at the upcoming festival.
Get ready for a six-day celebration of global cinema, creativity, and culture at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, showcasing over 110 films from more than 45 countries in 50+ languages. Taking place from October 19-24, the festival is an exciting fusion of international cinema and captivating local stories highlighting diverse narratives and innovative filmmaking.
Talking about what to expect from the festival, Deepti DCunha, artistic director of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, says, “Cinephiles can expect carefully curated titles from the entire spectrum of contemporary cinema which includes the biggest award-winning art house titles, to genre films and intimate personal expressions. We curate films that leave behind a deep impression and we are confident that anyone who goes in to watch a film at MAMI without looking at the catalogue or knowing what to expect will encounter great surprises.”
Here’s a list of some of the most anticipated titles to watch out for.
The festival opens with ‘All We Imagine as Light’
Payal Kapadia’s debut fiction feature,All We Imagine as Light, is a brilliant portrayal of three women in Mumbai, struggling for survival, lost love, and elusive intimacy. As they reconnect with themselves and each other, they learn to embrace their desires, seize life’s fleeting moments, and find liberation and hope in a quiet retreat by the sea in Ratnagiri. Kapadia subtly weaves in our contemporary socio-economic and political realities while providing a sensory experience of the bustling, bristling Mumbai and deep into the lives of its vital migrant working class. This Cannes Grand Prix winner is a sublime reflection of the universal human condition and shared sentiments, marking Kapadia as a filmmaker with global appeal.
When and where to watch:18 October, Regal Cinema at 5:30 pm
Santosh - UK’s Oscar Entry
A newly widowed Santosh inherits her husband’s job as a police constable in the rural badlands of northern India as part of a government scheme. When a young Dalit girl is found raped and murdered, she is pulled into the investigation, under the wing of the charismatic Inspector Sharma. Sandhya Suri’s feature debut is a riveting crime drama that challenges the Indian feminist police fantasy with sharp intellect and urgency. There is also so much to glean between the lines, especially through the naturalistic performances of Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, and the film’s probing of the blurred lines between oppressor and oppressed.
When and where to watch:October 21, Juhu PVR at 5 pm; October 23, Juhu PVR at 12:45 pm; October 24, Juhu PVR at 10 pm
Shambhala - Nepal’s Oscar Entry
In a polyandrous village in Nepal, the newlywed and pregnant Pema faces uncertainty when her first husband, Tashi, vanishes on a trade route. As her community questions the legitimacy of her unborn child, Pema embarks on a transformative journey into the wilderness. Director Min Bahadur Bham masterfully contrasts patriarchal burdens with Buddhist spirituality, while Aziz Zhambakiyev's breathtaking cinematography captures Nepalese social mores in a visually striking, contemplative odyssey.
When and where to watch:October 22, Juhu PVR at 8 pm; October 23, Juhu PVR at 1 pm; October 24, Juhu PVR at 2 pm
Emilia Pérez - France’s Oscar Entry
InEmilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard blends musical crime drama with a bold narrative about a former cartel leader who undergoes gender-affirming surgery to become a woman, Emilia. After faking her death, Emilia turns to lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña) for help as she navigates her transformation. Karla Sofía Gascón's riveting portrayal of Emilia is complemented by a strong cast, including Selena Gomez. The film's operatic musical numbers mark a stylistic departure from Audiard's previous gritty realism, embracing a more flamboyant, surreal storytelling approach.
When and where to watch:October 24 at Juhu PVR and Regal Cinema, both shows at 9 pm
The Girl with the Needle - Denmark’s Oscar Entry
The Girl with the Needleis a gripping post-WWI period drama about Karoline, a pregnant factory worker in Copenhagen, who becomes entangled in Dagmar’s dark adoption racket. As Karoline uncovers Dagmar's sinister operations, her life spirals into moral collapse. The stark black-and-white cinematography and haunting score intensify the film’s bleak atmosphere, drawing viewers into its unsettling world. Avoiding melodrama, the film tells a visceral and emotionally disturbing tale that lingers long after it ends.
When and where to watch:October 21, Regal Cinema at 9:30 pm; October 23, Juhu PVR at 10 pm
A special screening of 'Arth'
To celebrate Shabana Azmi, who has completed 50 remarkable years in cinema, the festival will showcase one of her most iconic films,Arth. The film revolves around the life of Inder Malhotra (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), a fashionable filmmaker married to Pooja (Azmi), who has an affair with film star Kavita (Smita Patil). After Pooja leaves him, she faces the social insecurities of a single working woman, while her cleaning lady (Rohini Hattangadi), embarks on a parallel journey to discover her own identity.
When and where to watch:October 20, Juhu PVR at 10 pm
Despatch
Timid but tenacious tabloid journalist Joy Bag—who is anything but—is gripped by a serious mid-life crisis. His stories aren’t sensational enough, digitalisation is threatening his job, and his romantic adventures are limited to making whoopee with his young colleague in a hatchback in the company parking lot. Joy’s fortunes, however, change when, in the pursuit of a small-time criminal, he is sucked into an increasingly murky affair involving a corporate-political nexus—an exposé that will shake the foundations of the city. With striking location photography and a complex lead turn by Manoj Bajpayee, Despatch produces a rugged ode to Mumbai, written with blood and grit.
When and where to watch:October 19, Juhu PVR at 7:30 pm
Ghamasaan
Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia,Ghamasaanstars Arshad Warsi, Pratik Gandhi, Rajpal Naurang Yadav, and Ishita Dutta. The movie is a cat-and-mouse tale about a fictional battle between Siddharth (Gandhi) and the established system. Siddharth fights to defend the rights of the downtrodden and in the process challenges and destroys the established system. He prepares an alternate system of justice but is eventually considered a threat and enemy of the state. The movie is filled with love, passion, ambition, betrayal, greed, happiness, life, and death.
When and where to watch:October 20, Juhu PVR at 7:45 pm
The closing film—‘Anora’
Anora, winner of the 2024 Palme d’Or, continues Sean Baker’s exploration of the marginalised and often overlooked people in society. The film tells the story of Ani, a sex worker in Brooklyn who marries the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, only to face an escalating series of events that challenge her hopes for a better life. Baker masterfully blends comedy and tragedy, taking audiences on a rollercoaster journey that echoes screwball comedies of the 1930s while also diving into modern social issues.
When and where to watch:24 October at Juhu PVR Dynamix Mall and Regal Cinema, Colaba (both shows at 9 pm)
Academy-Award nominated film director Mira Nair is best known for her groundbreaking films that cross borders of all kinds: Salaam Bombay! (Caméra D’or, Cannes 1988), the pioneering Asian-African romance Mississippi Masala (1991),
David Michôd’s debut feature, Animal Kingdom (2010), won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize, earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for supporting actress (Jacki Weaver) and was named Best First Film of 2010 by the New York Film Critics Circle. Michôd’s second feature,
The Criterion Collection calls New York-based Isabel Sandoval ‘one of the most exciting and multitalented filmmakers on the
indie scene with a bold approach to cinematic style.’ She has directed three features, including Señorita (2011), which premiered at
Locarno,
Edouard Waintrop has been an Artistic Director of several renowned international film festivals which include the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes, a post he held for seven years and Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland for four years.
Kazakh film critic and researcher Dr Gulnara Abikeyeva was an artistic director of the Eurasia International Film Festival in Almaty from 2005 to 2013. She launched the film magazine Asia-kino, served as editor-in-chief of Territoriya Kino, and produced TV programmes about Kazakh cinema.
Latika Padgaonkar is a columnist, editor, translator, former Joint Director of Osian’s Cinefan Film Festival, and former Executive Editor of Cinemaya, the Asian film quarterly.
She was a foreign correspondent for The Telegraph in Paris in the 1980s;
Nashen Moodley is in his twelfth year as Festival Director of Sydney Film Festival. During his tenure, the festival has grown vastly. Moodley’s career in film programming has encompassed many leadership roles,
Aditya Shrikrishna is a freelance film critic and journalist from Chennai. He has been a published writer since 2013, and his work has appeared in The Hindu, Frontline, The Signal, The New Indian Express, Vogue, Fifty Two, Mint Lounge, Film Companion,
Senior critic, columnist and author Bharathi S. Pradhan is the former editor of Star & Style, Showtime, Lehren, Film Street Journal, Movie and Savvy (Consulting Editor). She continues to be a Sunday columnist with The Telegraph
Stutee Ghosh is an award-winning radio jockey, having won the prestigious India Radio Forum Best RJ Award. She started off while she was still doing her post-graduation in English Literature at Delhi University
Rashid Irani Young Critics Choice Award is awarded by participants of the Young Critics Lab, this includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 2,00,000 awarded to the producer(s).
The Film Critics Guild—an association of the country’s most credible and discerning critics - recognises one South Asian film that questions gender norms and challenges stereotypes.
LIGHTS CAMERA IMPACT AWARD PRESENTED BY CIVIC STUDIOS
Civic Studios is a global media company with a vision of creating entertainment that drives social impact. This award recognises two non-feature films focusing on subjects of climate, sexuality, and caste. The intent is to spotlight engaging short films that spark conversation on oft-ignored, socially relevant topics. Each winner receives a trophy and a cash prize of INR 1,00,000, to be presented to the director(s).
Lights Camera Impact Award presented by Civic Studios
The Best Book on Cinema Award celebrates unique perspectives and nuanced, immersive film writing on cinema. The Winner of the Award will receive a trophy and a cash prize of INR 2,00,000.
Mahatma on Celluloid: A Cinematic Biography by Prakash Magdum
After much deliberation, considering the varied and engaging subjects of the shortlisted books, the jury has decided to award the meticulously researched book on cinema - ‘The Mahatma on Celluloid, a Cinematic Biography’ by *Prakash Magdum*. This book has significant and enduring value, not only to the student of cinema but also to the historian, the Gandhian and anyone studying media and communication worldwide.
RASHID IRANI BEST YOUNG CRITIC AWARD
Rashid Irani Best Young Critic Award honours the talent and rigour of young critical minds in writing, observing and analyzing cinema.
Rashid Irani Best Young Critic Award
The winner was presented with a Best Young Critic Award trophy and a certificate.
Diya Mathur
Having a vibrant, perceptive and talented set of mentees made this year's lab sessions fun and stimulating. All these young critics handled a range of writing and participatory exercises with intelligence and sensitivity. Of course, this also made the task of choosing the best critic a difficult one. Here are the three runners-up for this year: Varun Bhakay, Aadhya Kancharla and Vanij Choksi. However, there was one writer who showed a special ability to combine personal, accessible writing with formal analysis and to also weave in a contextual understanding of film history. The best young critic is Diya Mathur.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Lifetime Achievement Award this year acknowledges the focused dedication of individuals who have created worldwide visibility for South Asian films and talent through their life’s work.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Aruna Vasudev
In recognition of her lifelong commitment as an ambassador of Asian and Indian cinema internationally, and establishment of institutions that enable Asian talent through her work as a film critic, festival director, community builder and creator of organisations like NETPAC.
Nasreen Munni Kabir
In recognition of her contribution of outstanding artistic significance to the field of film and cinema, for archiving the legacies of stalwarts of Indian cinema, and making Indian films accessible globally through her impeccable English subtitling of over 800 Indian films and counting.
Uma da Cunha
In recognition of her lifelong commitment to showcasing Indian independent and art-house cinema at film festivals worldwide and creating visibility for Indian filmmakers and talent internationally through her work as a festival programmer and casting director.
EXCELLENCE IN CINEMA AWARD - SOUTH ASIA & INTERNATIONAL
Honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema cinema.
Dimensions Mumbai is a competitive short film section that invites young filmmakers between the ages of
18 and 25 from all over India to submit films on the theme of Mumbai city. The films must be no longer than 5
minutes in length. Shortlisted films from all the entries will be shown on the big screen to an enthusiastic Jio MAMI audience.
Dimensions Mumbai was first introduced to Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2009 by Ms. Jaya Bachchan, and since then it's been one of
the most sought-after sections at the festival. Many filmmakers who've won at Dimensions Mumbai have gone on to direct feature films and web-series.
Rules & Regulations
Please read the Rules and Regulations by clicking on the View & Download Button below.
Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival will be held from October 27 to November 5, 2023 in Mumbai.
This year, Jio MAMI announces its new vision to host the world’s biggest and most prestigious South Asian Film Festival and Year Round Programme, focused on building an ecosystem for new cinematic voices, facilitating exchange of ideas, collaborations and business opportunities while bringing the best of world cinema to Mumbai.
Jio MAMI will have two sections for South Asian and South Asian Diaspora filmmakers -
Main Competition Section - South Asia
Non Competition Section - South Asian and South Asian diaspora films of all lengths and genres
In addition to the above, Jio MAMI will showcase feature length films in the World Cinema section from around the world.
Submissions for the South Asia and World Cinema sections of the festival are closed.
Extended Deadline - July 20, 2023
Rules & Regulations
Please read the Rules and Regulations by clicking on the View & Download Button below.