Discovering Indian cinema in a globalised landscape

There is a bonus in store for filmmakers premiering their work in the Discovering India section at the 21st MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. One critically-acclaimed film from the quintet being screened in this category will be awarded an international round-trip ticket to travel to a festival of their choice, sponsored by Turkish Airlines. The contest will be adjudged by a twomember jury comprising Namrata Joshi (The Hindu) and Mike McCahill (The Guardian).

Curated by Uma da Cunha, the Discovering India section spotlights Indian cinema’s appeal in an increasingly globalised landscape. Da Cunha has selected films made by Indians residing in India or films by non resident Indians living abroad and films by international directors who connect with India, thematically or by featuring the country’s locations and film talent.

A debut film to watch out for is Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna’s The Last Color, which will open the section on October 18, 2019. The award-winning film depicts the abiding friendship between Chhoti, a nine-year-old tightrope walker and flower seller, and Noor (Neena Gupta), a widow who has adopted a life of abstinence from festivities, notably Holi, the festival of colours. The Last Color chronicles the duo’s unique connection over the years in which time they challenge archaic social customs.

Another offering is Danish Renzu’s The Illegal, which is a gritty depiction of the immigrant underclass in the US. It’s central character is a middle-class Indian student who enrols in an American film school to fulfil his dream of becoming a filmmaker. An unforeseen turn of events forces him to make hard choices.

Social satire Aadhaar marks National Award-winning director Suman Ghosh’s Hindi film debut. It revolves around a Jharkhand male who becomes the first in the state to acquire the titular card, bestowing on him instant stardom. Sun is a debut feature in French co-directed by long-time collaborators Jonathan Desoindre and Ella Kowalska, both graduates of the prestigious Sorbonne, Paris.

Roam Rome Mein directed by acclaimed actor Tannishtha Chatterjee is a, Hindi, English, Italian film exploring the patriarchal psyche. Chatterjee makes her directorial debut with this film co-starring with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a narrative about a brother’s frantic search for his missing sister, which paves the path to his self-discovery.