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Mumbai Film Festival Showcases South Asian Cinema: 11 Titles Announced for Competition
Introducing the Selected Films
The Mumbai Film Festival has revealed an exciting selection of 11 films that will compete in its South Asia category, a highlight‍ of this year’s event. Notably, the line-up includes Sandhya Suri’s Santosh, which is submitted by the UK for Oscar consideration and will celebrate its South Asian premiere at the festival.
In addition to Santosh, the competition presents Nepal’s own Oscar contender, Min Bahadur Bham’s Shambhala. Joining these are two more titles from Nepal: Deepak Rauniyar’s Pooja, Sir and Bhutanese entry Agent Of Happiness, directed by Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbo.
A Look at Indian Entries
The list of Indian titles participating in the competition features Rima Das’ acclaimed follow-up film Village Rockstars 2, recently honored with a Jiseok Award at the Busan International Film Festival. Also included are multiple award-winning作品 such as Shuchi Talati’s outstanding film Girls Will Be Girls, along with Raam Reddy’s intriguing narrative titled The Fable and Midhun Murali’s romantic offering, Kiss Wagon.
Additional Insightful Screenings
In a non-competitive segment called Focus South Asia, audiences can look forward to ten feature films and thirteen short narratives. Among them is Roya Sadat’s poignant drama from Afghanistan named “The Sharp Edge Of Peace” as well as an anonymous but thought-provoking short from Myanmar titled “Comrade Poopy,” which portrays a couple navigating life amidst their country’s military coup.
Transitioning After Challenges
Organized by MAMI (Mumbai Academy of Moving Image), this year marks an evolution for the festival as it broadens its competitive landscape beyond India—a move first initiated last year after returning to physical events post-pandemic restrictions.
Despite facing challenges due to losing title sponsorship from Mukesh Ambani’s Jio, this year’s festival (scheduled between October 19-24) has adopted a more condensed format but remains committed to expanding its reach next year. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur—a prominent filmmaker and archivist—has taken on leadership during this transition period.
A Glimpse into Festivities
The festivities will kick off with Payal Kapadia’s Grand Prix-winning film “All We Imagine As Light,” setting an inspiring tone for attendees. In contrast, Sean Baker’s prestigious Cannes Palme d’Or victory piece “Anora” will conclude this year’s events with much anticipation.
Additionally, gala premieres include five significant Indian projects: Kanu Behl’s engaging drama “Despatch,” Tigmanshu Dhulia’s intense piece “Ghamasaan,” Sonal Dabral’s adventurous story “Go Noni Go,” Suman Ghosh’s historical exploration “The Ancient,” alongside collaborative work “My Melbourne” featuring voices like Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali among others.
Diverse Offerings in World Cinema
This section boasts an impressive collection of 41 international titles including popular festival selections such as “Emilia Perez,” “The Substance,” and “The Room Next Door.” The program also showcases promising debut works like Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s “April”, Matthew Rankin.targeted surreal comedy “Universal Language”, Agathe Riedinger’s bold feature “Wild Diamond” ,and Truong Minh Quy’s significant cultural commentary “Viet And Nam.”
Short Films Competition Sections
Furthermore, two prominent competitive categories within short films will present—Dimensions Mumbai, celebrating emerging talent in cinema alongside Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films, exhibiting narratives crafted by both budding filmmakers and seasoned professionals alike.
Mumbai Film Festival 2024: Competing Titles List:
- Agent Of Happiness – Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó (Bhutan/Hungary)
- Girls Will Be Girls – Shuchi Talati (France/India/Norway)
- Kiss Wagon – Midhun Murali (India)
- Little Jaffna – Lawrence Valin (France)
- Nocturnes – Anirban Dutta & Anupama Srinivasan (India/US)
- Pooja Sir – Deepak Rauniyar (Nepal/Norway/US)
- Rhythm Of A Flower – Amit Dutta (India)
- Santosh – Sandhya Suri (UK/Germany/France/India)
- Shambhala - Min Bahadur Bham (Nepal/France/Norway/Hong Kong/Turkey/Taiwan/US)
- The Fable – Raam Reddy(India/US)
– Village Rockstars 2 – Rima Das(India)
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