Hindi film Soni, directed by Ivan Ayr to make world premiere at 75th Venice International Film Festival

Mumbai: Hindi film Soni will make its world premiere at the 75th Venice International Film Festival , where it will vie in the Orizzonti Competition category. It is the only Indian feature to be officially selected at the festival, which will be held from 29 August to 8 September. [caption id=“attachment_4824031” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] A still from the film. Image from Facebook[/caption] The other Indian film to be played at the Venice film extravaganza is Tumbbad , which will open the gala’s Critics’ Week, and will be screened out of competition. Soni will be part of Orizzonti, an international competition dedicated to films that represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends in foreign cinema. Directed by Ivan Ayr, who marks his debut feature film with the project, Soni had won the Facebook Award for Best ‘Work-In-Progress’ Project and Prasad DI Award for the Best Film In ‘Film Bazaar Recommends’ section at NFDC Film Bazaar 2017. “I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured to have received this invitation. It is truly a fulfilling culmination to a long journey, being offered this prestigious platform,” Ayr said in a statement. The film, featuring newcomers Geetika Vidya Ohlyan and Saloni Batra in lead roles, is produced by Kimsi Singh and Kartikeya Narayan Singh, whose previous credits include the 2015 Cannes Un Certain Regard Selection Chauthi Koot. It is about Soni, a young and fiery policewoman in Delhi and Kalpana, her superintendent who are dealing with a growing crisis of violent crimes against women. Their mission and alliance are further strained by complications arising in Soni’s personal and professional life. Soni was among the five films to be selected for the ‘Work in Progress’ Lab at NFDC Film Bazaar 2017 for post-production support where it was mentored by the renowned French editor Jacques Comets and veteran Festival Director Marco Mueller. For the producers, “the selection at Venice film fest 2018 has reinstated the faith and conviction we have invested in the film”. Kartikeya is confident the film will be “appreciated both internationally and in India, given the relevant social theme it engages with”.