Showing posts with label Mumbai Film Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mumbai Film Festival. Show all posts
Top Films to watch at the JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023
It’s back! The JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival is back after a three year break (paused due to the pandemic), and it gets bigger in 2023 with a special focus on South Asia. Once again, cinephiles will be busy chalking their respective schedules to ensure they don’t miss any of the best films that will be screened this year. The euphoria to register themselves, the crazy excitement hop from one venue to another and the fascinating conversations at workshops, exclusive events makes this festival one of the most important event in a cinephile’s calendar. Moreover, this year the event will be hosted across eight different venues, including the beautiful NMACC (Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre).
The festival, which will be hosted from October 27 to November 5, will screen over 250 films from over 70 countries, filmed in various languages. And, here's the surprise - the gala will witness over 40 World premieres, 45 Asia premieres, 70 South Asia premieres and close to 13 interesting sections. Needless to say, there is a lot of planning required to ensure you catch up on the best films. So, in order to make your life a tad bit easy, we have listed some of the top films, which you can watch out for. Take out your diaries and jot down the list already!
The festival, which will be hosted from October 27 to November 5, will screen over 250 films from over 70 countries, filmed in various languages. And, here's the surprise - the gala will witness over 40 World premieres, 45 Asia premieres, 70 South Asia premieres and close to 13 interesting sections. Needless to say, there is a lot of planning required to ensure you catch up on the best films. So, in order to make your life a tad bit easy, we have listed some of the top films, which you can watch out for. Take out your diaries and jot down the list already!
Maestro
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper
Directed by: Bradley Cooper
Based on the life of Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre; Maestro highlights Bernstein's work and professional life, while exploring the couple's journey and experiences through love, betrayal and music. Cooper portrays the legendary American conductor and composer. The film premiered on September 2 at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a long standing ovation, and then served as the spotlight gala film at at New York Film Festival.
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan
Directed by: Hansal Mehta
The Buckingham Murders will be the opening night film at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023. The film promises to be Kapoor Khan’s best performance till date, and has enjoyed a successful world premiere at the 67th BFI London Film Festival, with endless praise from critics. Kapoor Khan will be seen playing a cop and single mother.
Kennedy
Starring: Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone
Directed by: Anurag Kashyap
Kennedy is a crime-drama highlighting the life of an ex-police officer, who secretly operates for the corrupt system. The film premiered at Cannes this year, and also received a standing ovation at the French film festival for its unpredictable story.
Anatomy of a Fall
Starring: Sandra Hullër
Directed by: Justine Triet
A French courtroom drama focusing on the life of a writer, who is trying to prove her innocence in her husband's death; Anatomy of a Fall is one of the highlights at JIO MAMI, and has won the Palme’ D’Or, and other top prizes across film festivals.
Dream Scenario
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Lily Bird
Directed by: Kristoffer Borgil
A24's much awaited production 'Dream Scenario' promises to be a unique dark comedy. The film has won rave reviews for its intriguing and catchy sci-fi premise. Expect the unexpected with some fantastic twists and surprises.
Perfect Days
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Aoi Yamanda
Directed by: Wim Winders
Touted to be 2023's most promising films, 'Perfect Days' is a German-Japanese joint production, and earned lead actor Koji Yakusho the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. Set in Tokyo, the film highlights a simple approach towards life by the central protagonist, who essays the role of a toilet cleaner.
Vasudhaiva Kutumbaka (The World is Family)
Directed by: Anand Patwardhan
The film premiered at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) and received acclaim. It promises to be one of Patwardhan's most personal films till date, focusing on his parents', their family history and documenting moments from the tumultuous period India's independence.
struggle.
Sultana's Dreams
Animated feature film
Directed by: Isabel Herguera
Herguera's much awaited debut feature film premiered at the 71st San Sebastián (Spain) and received acclaim, becoming the first animation feature directed by a woman to get selected. This unique and fascinating film is based on an Indian feminist tale written in1905 by Rokeya Hussain.
Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023 is just a day away. Follow us for all the updates from the best of Mumbai's most loved film festival. Don't miss live updates, exciting buzz and more, all week long on our Twitter | Snapchat | Facebook and Instagram page.
Love,
The Dancebee
The MAMI Report Card | 19th Mumbai Film Festival 2017 Round Up
The festival of lights is already here, but one of the most important festival in a cinephile’s life has come to an end. The 19th Mumbai International Film Festival 2017 will draw its curtains tonight with the closing film - Omerta, starring Rajkummar Rao. The week long festival gave us some wonderful cinematic experiences and memories, that shall stay with us for long. With 220 films from 49 countries, filmed in 51 languages spread across 5 venues, it was nothing less than a cinematic visual treat.
Day 1: The day started with Annemarie Jacir’s Palestinian film - Wajib. It had a simple storyline, that of a father and his estranged son hand delivering the wedding invitation of his daughter. The film gave us an insight into the relationship between the father and son. It also focused on the aspect of a Palestinian living in Italy and a Palestinian living at home. Played by real father-son duo Mohammad and Saleh Bakri, the story explores different facets about how it is different to be an Arab in Nazareth. Up next was Ana Asensio’s ‘Most Beautiful Island’ a tale of an illegal female immigrant who is trying to make a living in New York, but ends up in a dangerous game, all for the sake of money. Director, writer and actor Asensio surely lured the audiences with her effective opening and gripping story, which makes strong comments about the life of an illegal immigrant in New York city. She surely envisioned the film in its cruel reality.
Day 2: We kickstarted the day with a much awaited screening from the Discovering India section titled - What Will People Say? Directed by Iran Haq, the film stars some powerful Indian actors including Adil Hussain, Sheeba Chaddha, Rohit Saraf among others. This Norwegian coming-of-age drama film explores the life of a 16-year-old Norwegian teenager; a carefree girl outside with her friends, but at home, she adheres to her Parents and their culture. When caught red handed with a boy in her room, she is sent to Pakistan, where she is grounded and forced to follow and accept the norms and culture. It is indeed an impactful film with a stellar cast. While the day began with Discovering India, it ended with one of the most talked about films in the India Gold section - Ajji (Granny), directed by Devashish Makhija. This thriller leaves you numb and uncomfortable, especially around the climax. The film does not have a background score. So, one can actually hear the audience gasping and reacting to the proceedings in the auditorium. The silence of the horrendous crime is deafening, but Ajji is powerful and fearless.
Day 3: First on our list was ‘I am Not a Witch’ – a film by Zambian born Welsh director Rungano Nyoni. The plot follows a nine year old girl Shula, who is identified by the local community as a witch and is forcefully sent to a witch camp. At the camp, one can witness how all the witches are treated. They are tied with a ribbon, so that they don’t fly away. The film depicts the corruption and vague display of witches as attraction for humans.
Day 4: All Darren Aronofsky fans in the house got together for an early morning show of the American psychological thriller - Mother! (the title includes an exclamation mark). Right from the opening scene to the climax, Mother! is spine chillingly disturbing and stands true to Aronofsky's style of film making. Jennifer Lawrence kept the audience at the edge of the seat with her terrific performance.
After experiencing seven days of pure cinematic bliss, it's time to get back to the humdrum. But, not without saying - Adios, MAMI! See you next year with many more captivating films.
Did you watch any movie at the 19th Mumbai Film Festival, 2017? Share your experience by commenting below or join the conversation at
The Ultimate Must Watch List - Part II | 19th Mumbai Film Festival 2017
220 films from 49 countries, filmed in 51 languages. The festival has begun and we are back at doing what we do best - bringing you tons of updates and reports from the ongoing 19th Mumbai Film Festival. The list of best films can be endless. Still, we thought of working on a two part series that will give you a round up of some super interesting films at the festival this year. So, go register and grab your seats to witness the magic of world cinema unfurl! Here's our second part in the ultimate must watch list. Create your lists, everybody!
Loveless (Nelyubov)
A couple going through a divorce team up to find their son, who has disappeared during one of their bitter arguments.
Directed by: Andrei Zvyagintsev
Section: World Cinema
#DancebeeApproved - Zvyagintsev’s Loveless has earned critical acclaim. The film was awarded Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and was also the Russian entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. This Russian drama definitely looks poignant.
Mother
A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. The film is a riveting psychological thriller about love, devotion and sacrifice.
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Section: World Cinema
#DancebeeApproved - Darren Aronofsky’s Mother is the much talked about film this year, thanks to its stellar cast and a thrilling plot. Aronofsky is known for his surreal, disturbing films. So, we are sure this one too won’t disappoint us.
Manifesto
Acclaimed visual artist Julian Rosefeldt brings us Manifesto, which features two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett in 13 distinct, must-see vignettes, that incorporate timeless manifestos from 20th century art movements. From anchorwoman to homeless man, Pop Art to Dogma 95; Blanchett's performance pays homage to the moving tradition of artist manifestos.
Directed by: Julian Rosefeldt
Section: World Cinema
#DancebeeApproved - A powerful actress. 13 distinct characters. One film! Well, that's the best thing ever. We surely feel this one deserves a place in this list.
I am not a Witch
Welsh-Zambian director Rungano Nyoni's first feature tells a story of eight-year-old Shula, who is accused of witchcraft. Officials take advantage. send her to state custody and later, exile her to a witch camp.
Directed by: Rungano Nyoni
Section: International Competition
#DancebeeApproved - Nyoni's first feature film looks promising, and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year under 'Director's Fortnight'. The director participated in the Cannes’ Cine Fondation Residency as a major talent in 2013.
Ajji
This year, the India Gold section has a great lineup of films. However, for us, one of them stands out from the rest, and that is film maker Devashish Makhija’s - Ajji. This revengeful thriller has a 65 yr old grandmother as the central character, who decides to take revenge against the rapist of her nine-year-old grand daughter - Manda.
Directed by: Devashish Makhija
Section: India Gold
#DancebeeApproved - The trailer is gripping and dark spiking the curiosity and interest to not miss this film for anything. Ajji premiered at the Busan International Film Festival last month and if the trailer is anything to go by, this one will definitely leave you awestruck.
What Will People Say?
Nisha (16) lives a double life. At home, she is the perfect Pakistani girl with a family life. When out with her friends, she is a normal Norwegian teenager. Things take a wrong turn and Nisha lands in Pakistan, where she is forced to adapt her parents' culture.
Directed by: Iram Haq
Section: Discovering India
The MAMI Diaries (Day 2 & 3) | Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016
You've read all about our first day at the festival in an earlier post. After a mad rush at the bookings, we finally managed to secure seats for our favourite picks during the weekend. Of course, we knew it wasn't gonna be easy and had to let go of some films, due to unavailability. Weekend at the cinemas saw a huge crowd. People were literally seen camping out and queuing up hours before the screening, just to ensure they catch up with their favourite film. Here's a round up of our weekend watch at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016.
Day 2 kickstarted with the most dark, unsettling, psychological-horror film, The Neon Demon. Certain visuals in the film were nicely crafted, but as the story progressed, it somehow made the breakfast (morning show, remember) churn in your tummy. After wrapping up some commitments in between, we got back to the cinemas to end our day with a fun, satirical Saudi Arabian film, Barakah meets Barakah. The theatre was packed, with people rushing to grab a preferred seat, and later, even sitting in the front row seats, to enjoy the film. Barakah meets Barakah was an irony of how the moral police in Saudi Arabia, and the whole society at large, is caged and deprived of freedom of expression, art and love.
When it's the MAMI week, even a Sunday is packed with schedules and day filled with other work commitments. For us, Day 3 was full of experimental cinema. We started off with the much anticipated French-German-Belgian psychological thriller - Elle. While the film had an interesting plot, it unfortunately could not hold our attention for long. Our afternoon pick certainly set the tone right. Swiss Army Man received a thunderous applause from the audience. The chemistry between the lead actors, Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe was spectacular, making the audience fall in love with their world. Our Sunday ended with Madly, a global anthology film with six stories of modern love. However, we personally felt it was full of loose ends and random stories. Definitely not worth the hype.
It's Day 4 at the cinema and we look forward to watching some good films. It also marks the premiere of 'Marathi Talkies', where four beautiful Marathi films will be showcased. Watch this space to know more about our day at the cinemas.
The MAMI Diaries (Day 01) - Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016 | #DancebeeatMAMI
Regulars at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016 know that once the festival kickstarts, life is never the same again for an entire week. A typical MAMI delegate's day starts as early 8 am, schedule in one hand and maybe, coffee in another. bookmyshow becomes a permanent bookmark on your desktop, as you log on to book a seat for your 'must watch' shows, scheduled for the next day (good ol' advance booking). All this, while secretly praying for availability. Of course, rest of the day is spent hopping from one screening (and cinema hall) to another, enjoying the magic of world cinema. For those familiar with the routine, these words may have made you smile. And we are quite sure, Day 01 was similar for most of you. Well, here's what it looked like for Team Dancebee.
For us, the day began with a lot of chaos. Technical errors delayed bookings for shows scheduled on Oct 22. However, 15 minutes later, things got normal. By 8:45 am, most shows were full. However, we were assured of 20% reservation for on-ground bookings at the venue, apart from the general queue. This, of course, came as a huge sight of relief to us. We packed our bags and head out to attend our respective commitments for the day. While Priya chose PVR Phoenix, Team Dancebee's Rasika picked PVR ECX.
 |
| Follow us on Snapchat & Instagram for live updates |
While we thought our worries were restricted to just the technical errors, there was more. At ECX, confusion led to chaos at most screenings. Delegates in the general line had to make do with front row seats only. There were arguments and hassles almost before every screening. It was like watching a film outside the audi. However, the situation at Phoenix was completely the opposite. Most afternoon screenings were empty, and the entire on-ground booking process was quite smooth. There was no chaos or argument of any sort. Cinephiles were spotted enjoying a chat or hot cuppa at the nearby Starbucks outlet, in between shows. Nobody rushed ahead of others, and the atmosphere was great.
 |
| (Top to Bottom) - Keith Mainland's Tower and Pankaj Johar's Cecilia |
While Priya had to miss her first screening for the day - I Called Him Morgan, due to unavoidable reasons, she caught up with Keith Mainland's documentary Tower, based on the University of Texas shootings in 1966. The film is a mix of rotoscopic animation and archival footage, which is predominately used to depict the series of events. It also includes interviews, including that of the witnesses, police among others. Pankaj Johar's Cecilia followed next, a documentary based on the crisis and confusion faced by Johar's house help Cecilia Hasda, after her daughter goes missing and becomes a victim of child trafficking. The film perfectly explores the poignant journey of Cecilia, the vicious circle of child trafficking and the ugly twists and turns that one has to face, in order to achieve justice in this country. Truly, an eye opener!
 |
| (Top to Bottom) - Certain Women and Wild |
For Rasika, the two films she watched on Day 1 revolved around strong and distinct characters. The story was like a background theme, and the characters stood out extensively. Certain Women explores a handful of intersecting lives and focuses on three women, who led a normal life, and are creating their own path in life, while living in a small town. Next, the German film - Wild, made the audience go speechless. The female protagonist (Lilith Stangenberg) took her performance to another level of wildness.
As the day came to an end, we got back to work and life, all ready to set our alarms for another early morning (and some mad rush for Sunday show bookings). In addition, we are looking forward to the much awaited Movie Mela, a two-day film extravaganza that has some fun sessions in store.
Don't forget to follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Snapchat | Instagram for live updates from the event or join the conversation with the hashtag #DancebeeatMAMI!
Text by: Priya Adivarekar, Rasika Pote
Compiled by: Priya Adivarekar
The Indian Cinema Treasure | Films to watch out for at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016
The 18th edition of Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star, has 170+ films selected from all over the world. While we discussed our international favourites in a special series, we have also got several Indian films taking centre stage. This year, they have been distributed largely into three categories: India Gold, India Story and Discovering India. Also, not to forget, the 'Marathi Talkies' section, which also includes some remarkable films.
Like last year, this year too, an Indian Film - Konkana Sen Sharma’s directorial debut ‘A Death in the Gunj’ opens the festival at Royal Opera House in Mumbai. With Indian Films are all set to entertain the audiences at MAMI, we help you pick some of the best on the list. Don’t miss out on our Indian films, that have been made with a lot of hard word, determination and dedication, by our desi filmmakers.
Lipstick Under My Burkha (India Gold)
Director: Alankrita Shrivastava
The film weaves together life of one burqa-clad college girl, a young beautician, a mother of three and a 55-year-old widow who rediscovers her sexuality. The film is produced by Prakash Jha, while his assistant director Alankrita Shrivastava wears the director’s cap in this one. The film is packed with a renowned cast and is also going to premiere at the 29th Tokyo International Film Festival 2016.
Autohead (India Gold)
Director: Rohit Mittal
The Autohead trailer has already driven most of the people insane and now, the film is all set to create some serious buzz at MAMI. This edgy documentary revolves around a film crew following a crazy rickshaw driver’s increasingly destructive adventures, across the suburbs of Mumbai. The film is directed, written by Rohit Mittal, who also stars in the film. Autohead was part of Hong Kong International Film Festival (the only Indian film selected there) and Sitges Film Festival in Spain.
Loev (India Gold)
Director: Sudhanshu Saria
LOEV is about a weekend between friends, where chances are missed, truths evaded and among all the stumbles, it shows how love unexpectedly prevails. Loev has travelled to more than 35 film festivals, including South By Southwest, BFI, Tallinn Black Nights (World Premiere), Tel Aviv International Film Festival (Audience Prize), Jeonju International Film Festival, Frameline among others. Actor Arfi Lamba, who was seen in films like Fukrey, has produced the film under his banner - Bombay Berlin film productions. The banner also has another film, The Road to Mandalay, that will be screened at the festival this year.
An Insignificant Man (Discovering India)
Directors: Khushboo Ranka, Vinay Shukla
This 100-minute film has been distilled from over 400 hours of behind-the-scene footage, shot over a course of two years, with a fly-on-the-wall approach. The film follows now Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi (Common Man’s) Party – an insurgent new political party, as they wield basic public issues like water, electricity, and graft against the country’s oldest and most powerful two political establishments. The film had its World premiere at Toronto International Film Festival and has been screened at BFI London Film Festival, Warsaw International Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival and finally, will now have it's India Premiere at MAMI.
The Cinema Travellers (India Gold)
Directors: Shirley Abraham, Amit Madheshiya
Directors: Shirley Abraham, Amit Madheshiya
The only Indian feature-film to be selected at Cannes earlier this year is an enthralling portrait of the fast-fading journey of the ‘Traveling Cinemas’ of India. A benevolent showman, a shrewd exhibitor and a maverick projector mechanic bear a beautiful burden - to keep the last traveling cinemas of the world running. The film has also been screened at Sydney Film Festival - Australian Premiere, Toronto International Film Festival - North American Premiere, New York Film Festival - US Premiere, Busan International Film Festival - Asian Premiere.
Marathi Talkies: The Marathi Talkies section is screening last year’s hit compilation Bioscope, Rajesh Mapuskar’s family comedy Ventilator, Sachin Kundalkar’s joint-family generational drama Rajwade and Sons and Punarvasu Naik’s satirical thriller Vakratunda Mahakaaya.
Just a few hours to go, before cinephiles rush from one move hall to another, in order to witness some pure cinematic bliss. For those of you who still haven't registered, go get it done right away. You don't wanna miss these amazing films for anything.
Follow us on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter & Snapchat as we bring you live updates, exciting buzz and lots of filmy stories from Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. Join the conversation using #DancebeeatMAMI and if you are around, do come and say hi!
Follow us on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter & Snapchat as we bring you live updates, exciting buzz and lots of filmy stories from Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. Join the conversation using #DancebeeatMAMI and if you are around, do come and say hi!
Films to watch out for (Part II) | Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016
Yesterday, we listed five international films that top our must watch list at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016 with Star, which starts tomorrow. In part two and final post of our special series for international cinema at the fest, we discuss five more films, that you should not miss for anything. Read on, and take notes!
I, Daniel Blake - UK
Director: Ken Loach
Winner of Palme d’Or and the Prix du Public winner at Locarno this year. 80-year-old British filmmaker Ken Loach’s latest populist masterpiece made him only the ninth director to win the Cannes award twice (after ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’ in 2006). This emphatic drama is about a disabled man, strangled by the red tape of the benefits system.
Director: Ken Loach
Winner of Palme d’Or and the Prix du Public winner at Locarno this year. 80-year-old British filmmaker Ken Loach’s latest populist masterpiece made him only the ninth director to win the Cannes award twice (after ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’ in 2006). This emphatic drama is about a disabled man, strangled by the red tape of the benefits system.
Neruda - Chile
Director: Pablo Larrain
Neruda is the story of an inspector, who hunts down Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, and becomes a fugitive in his home country in the late 1940s for joining the Communist Party. The film had its World Premiere at Cannes, followed by much talked about screenings at Telluride, Toronto and New York, making it one of the highlights at MAMI this year.
Director: Pablo Larrain
Neruda is the story of an inspector, who hunts down Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, and becomes a fugitive in his home country in the late 1940s for joining the Communist Party. The film had its World Premiere at Cannes, followed by much talked about screenings at Telluride, Toronto and New York, making it one of the highlights at MAMI this year.
Sand Storm - Israel
Director: Elite Zexer
Elite Zexer’s Sand Storm is a story based in Southern Israel. The film is about a teen's forbidden love affair, that challenges the traditions of her Bedouin mother and father. The film won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance, earlier this year.
The Red Turtle - France
Director: Michael Dudok de
This beautiful French-Belgian-Japanese animated film created a lot of buzz at the Cannes this year by winning the Un Certain Regard special prize. It is a co-production between Wild Bunch and Studio Ghibli. This film tells the story of a man, who tries to escape from a deserted island and battles a giant turtle. What's interesting is that the film has no dialogue, and is a hot favourite among film buffs at the fest this year.
This beautiful French-Belgian-Japanese animated film created a lot of buzz at the Cannes this year by winning the Un Certain Regard special prize. It is a co-production between Wild Bunch and Studio Ghibli. This film tells the story of a man, who tries to escape from a deserted island and battles a giant turtle. What's interesting is that the film has no dialogue, and is a hot favourite among film buffs at the fest this year.
First Screening: PVR Icon, (Audi 3), 10:30 am
Elle
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Isabelle Huppert delivers a standout performance as a woman turning the tables on her attacker, in the controversial director’s electrifying and provocative comeback. The film is official entry for the Oscars this year, from France.
Elle
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Isabelle Huppert delivers a standout performance as a woman turning the tables on her attacker, in the controversial director’s electrifying and provocative comeback. The film is official entry for the Oscars this year, from France.
The 18th edition of Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival is just a few hours away. Follow us, as Team Dancebee gives you the best of Mumbai's most loved film festival. Don't miss live updates, exciting buzz and more, all week long on our Twitter | Snapchat | Facebook and Instagram page. Add #DancebeeatMAMI to join the conversation.
Films to watch out for (Part I) | Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2016
It’s that time of the year again. A weeklong film celebration close to every ardent cinema buff's heart. The time when we eat, sleep and talk films. Yes! We are talking about the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star. Every year, films from across borders, continents and cultures are screened at the festival, and film buffs are known to enjoy world cinema to their heart's content. The festival is currently in it's 18th edition, and this year too, the lineup of 170+ films is invigorating and eclectic. Honestly, we are super excited to bring you all the scoop and amazing updates from the festival, all week long. But, before we kickstart the festival, we've got you covered with a few special features. In a series of two posts, we present to you a list of top 10 international films which you shouldn't miss for anything! In part one, we discuss the first five movies from the list.
Under The Shadow - Iran
Director: Babak Anvari
This year, the After Dark section at MAMI has got some really spine chilling films, and one of them is Babak Anvari’s film ‘Under the Shadow’. The film has been under the spotlight, ever since it was premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, back in January. It is also Britain’s official entry to the Oscars. The film is sure to give horror cinema fans a chance to lose their sleep, at least for a few nights.
Screening: Day 01, PVR ECX (Audi 1) at 9:15 pm (for more show timings, refer to the full schedule)
Personal Shopper - France
Director: Oliver Assayas
Another film from the After Dark section, which you should not miss! Oliver Assayas' Personal Shopper has Kristen Stewart playing Maureen, a young american in Paris who works as a personal shopper for a celebrity. The story revolves around a ghost story that takes place in the fashion underworld of Paris. Assayas also picked up the Best Director award at Cannes earlier this year.
Barakah Meets Barakah – Saudi Arabia
Director: Mahmoud Sabbagh
This film is considered to be the first ever Saudi Arabia’s rom-com exploring the relationship between a civil servant and a social media celebrity. It won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlinale, and has also been selected as the Saudi Arabian entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 89th Academy Awards.
Bacalaureat (Graduation) - Romania
Director: Cristian Mungiu
Master filmmaker Cristian Mungiu bagged the Best Director trophy at Cannes this year with this film. The plot revolves around a doctor and his efforts to help his 18-year-old daughter, who is on the verge of graduation and has a long-planned scholarship in mind. Mungiu's last film, ‘Beyond The Hills,’ won the best screenplay and actress award four years ago, at the Cannes film festival.
The Salesman - Iran
Director: Asghar Farhadi
This film is directed by Asghar Farhadi - highly acclaimed film maker, who had earlier helmed ‘A Separation’ and ‘The Past’. The Salesman is Iran’s official Oscar entry this year. It was also nominated for this year’s Palme d’Or. Actor Shahab Hosseini went on to win the Best Actor award, while Farhadi walked home with the Best Screenplay trophy at the Cannes. The film is a story of a young couple, who play the lead couple in a local rendition of Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman'.
First Screening: Day 02, PVR Icon (Audi 2), 4:15 pm
The 16th Mumbai Film Festival | MAMI 2014
While we were busy with the routine hop-skip and jumping between one fashion week to another, we just didn't how realize that it's Mid - October. Well, for film buffs in the city, October means just one thing - Mumbai Film Festival. Yes, its that time of the year again when cinema aficionados are offered a delightful bouquet of world cinema, ranging from Russian, French, Japanese to Indian regional language films and more. Our rendezvous with World Cinema started on Day 1 at Cinemax Versova this year, but boy, did the election delay create a frenzy at the registration desk or what! Nevertheless, the going was good and we thankfully reached Screen 2 to witness the legendary Akira Kurosawa's magic unfold on screen, just in time.
No one can shoot a film with great aesthetics, harsh locations and flawless casting the way Kurosawa did. After all, his films were known to have expensive production requirements. Having seen some of his work including Throne of Blood, Rashomon, High and Low, Yojimbo among others (and being a self confessed fan), I was excited to watch his 1975 masterpiece, Dersu Uzala. A simple film based on the 1923 memoir (by the same name) penned by Vladimir Arsenyve, it explores the life of a Goldi hunter named Dersu Uzala, his knowledge of the wild, relationship with Captain Arseniev and more. The basic plot shows how those living in the wild were content with their lifestyle, until civilization took over and changed their life forever.
But what stayed with me were the beautiful moments brought to life on screen by Kurosawa and his team of actors. Maxim Munzuk as Uzala is simply delightful! His relationship with Arseniev, essayed beautifully by Yuri Gantman, might just make you shed a tear or bring a warm smile on your face. When Uzala realizes that he cannot hit the perfect aim anymore, he is devastated, and tries to hit the aim at his own glove, before realizing that something is indeed amiss. Kurosawa blends in an individual's struggle with old age with perfection. It also shows that merely assuming that a wild or village folk is an illiterate ain't fair. They may not go to a traditional school, but they memorize, grasp and learn from everything that they encounter in their daily life. Uzala does that too, and that's how his journey with Arseniev begins. Kurosawa indeed made my afternoon with this magical offering!
Moving from one maverick to another (and from Screen 2 to Screen 3), Kurosawa's Soviet and Japanese co-production venture was followed by a French documentary (albeit uniquely presented) titled Mr Leos CaraX. This melange of interviews, clips from his popular films like Boy Meets Girl, Les Amants du Pont-Neuf among others and anecdotes made for an interesting watch. It may not be an in-depth, insightful offering, but definitely proved to be a perfect window for those, who have never experienced his work in the past. Carax is not your usual film-maker, mind you! He is known for films with dream-like imagery, physical humour and dark romance.
Just as the closing credits of Mr. X rolled out, I got ready for another marvellous cinematic experience. This time, in my mother tongue - Marathi. I stood in a never-ending queue, to watch a Marathi film with film buffs (it was a full house) who were just as excited as I was. Maybe it was the popularity of Marathi cinema that drew them here, or perhaps the fact that this film had won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale earlier this year. There was something enchanting about the stills that we had all seen. And just when the film opened, we all witnessed a spectacular visual treat. Well, I shall discuss the film in detail in a separate post.
The film festival continued to keep me entertained with some spectacular films. Right from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg to Court, Siddhant to Chauranga, Fever to Barf, it was like traveling through different countries with the help of an eclectic mix of films made for the global audience. Was I impressed? Oh boy, I sure am. Every year, the Mumbai Film Festival mesmerizes me with the bouquet of films presented by them and this year was no different. Each film has stayed with me for various reasons and has taught me a lot more about the way cinema works.
And now, I am sure all the fellow film buffs have begun the countdown to the 17th edition and are missing the daily walk between Cinemax and PVR ECX (with the schedule in their hand) already.
Love,
The Dancebee
