Mullen pushes Canadian cinema in India

Niagara Falls-born director April Mullen found “magic in every corner” during her trip to the International Film Festival of India this week.

She was part of a Canadian delegation attending the nine-day festival, which continues to Tuesday. With Canadian cinema the focus of the 48th annual event, Mullen spoke at a panel discussing co-productions between the two countries.

“The women here are curious and extremely interested in how to get into the director’s chair, and in film,” said Mullen when contacted this week. “The percentage of women in film here is much lower than our already low numbers in North America.

“It’s important to show them that it’s possible. They have so many questions.”

Mullen was joined by Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) artistic director Cameron Bailey, along with Consulate General of Canada in Mumbai, Jordan Reeves.

India and Canada share an audiovisual co-production treaty, signed in 2014.

“It has yet to be officially used, and Telefilm Canada and the Canadian consulate are bridging that gap to make it a reality,” said Mullen.

Among the Canadian films screened at the festival, curated by TIFF, was Hugh Gibson’s The Stairs and Mina Shum’s Meditation Park.

Oscar-nominated Canadian director Atom Egoyan will receive the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mullen has emerged as one of Canada’s leading female directors, with her 2016 film Below Her Mouth utilizing an all-female crew.

This year she added plenty of TV shows to her workload, directing episodes of Wynonna Earp, Bellevue and Killjoys. After the India festival she will fly to Mexico City to work on Season 2 of the Bravo dark comedy series Imposters.

Founded in 1952, the International Film Festival of India is among the top film festivals in Asia. Since 2004 it has been held in the State of Goa in Western India.

In addition to plenty of spicy food (“I am a fan of the spicy stuff!”), Mullen says she has been soaking up the country’s scenery.

“I’m completely shooting films (and) stories in my imagination, it’s inspiring.”