‘All We Imagine as Light,’ ‘Anora’ to Bookend Mumbai Film Festival
Payal Kapadia’s Cannes Grand Prix winner “All We Imagine as Light” will kick off the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival’s 2024 edition, while Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or recipient “Anora” will close the festival.
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Jio is no longer the title sponsor and, consequently, this year’s edition is a shortened version running from Oct. 19-24. The festival is led this year by renowned archivist and filmmaker Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
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The festival issued an open letter stating: “This year marks a period of transition for us, where MAMI has no title sponsor. While we have had to adjust to the challenges that come with such a shift, we are proud to announce that we’ve put together an exciting edition of the festival.”
“Now more than ever, we need the goodwill and encouragement of our audience. We ask for your patience and understanding as we bring to you this smaller but no less impactful edition,” the letter added. “In an attempt to navigate these changes, we’ve had to limit the number of venues and screens available this year.”
This year’s lineup boasts over 110 films from more than 45 countries, spanning 50+ languages and genres. The festival continues to cement its position as a powerhouse for South Asian cinema, with an expanded South Asia Competition section comprising 11 features.
Competition titles include: Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó’s Sundance-bowing “Agent of Happiness,” Shuchi Talati’s Sundance-winning “Girls Will Be Girls,” Midhun Murali’s Rotterdam winner “Kiss Wagon,” Lawrence Valin’s Venice-debuting “Little Jaffna,” Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan’s Sundance winner “Nocturnes,” Deepak Rauniyar’s Venice-bowing “Pooja, Sir,” the world premiere of Amit Dutta’s “Rhythm of a Flower” (Phool Ka Chand), Sandhya Suri’s Cannes-bowing “Santosh,” Min Bahadur Bham’s “Shambhala” and Raam Reddy’s “The Fable,” both of which debuted at the Berlinale, and Rima Das’ Busan title “Village Rockstars 2.”
The Focus South Asia section further amplifies regional voices with features like Nilesh Maniyar and Shonali Bose’s Busan title “A Fly on the Wall,” Konstantin Bojanov’s Cannes prizewinner “The Shameless,” Maisam Ali’s Cannes selected “In Retreat” and the world premiere of Vipin Radhakrishnan’s “Angammal.” Short film enthusiasts can look forward to works such as Nitin Baid’s “Blind Spot” (Chashma), Suman Sen’s “Cry Me a River” and Avinash Arun Dhaware’s “Monsoon Walk.”
Star power meets auteur vision in the Gala Premieres section. Kanu Behl’s “Despatch” starring Manoj Bajpayee, Tigmanshu Dhulia’s “Ghamasaan” featuring Arshad Warsi and Pratik Gandhi, Sonal Dabral’s “Go Noni Go” with Dimple Kapadia, and Suman Ghosh’s “Puratawn,” starring Sharmila Tagore are joined by multi-director anthology “My Melbourne,” helmed by Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Onir and Das.
The World Cinema section brings the cream of the global festival circuit to Mumbai. Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door,” Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” and Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance” are among the big-ticket offerings.
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