MAMI Mumbai Film Festival announces the 2024 Official Film Selections

The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, one of Asia’s most prestigious cinematic events, returns for its 2024 edition (19-24 October). This six-day celebration of global cinema, creativity, community, and culture will showcase 110+ films from over 45 countries—spanning 50+ languages, lengths and genres—as part of the Official Selection.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural South Asia Competition, the Main Competition section continues to highlight the strongest voices among independent filmmakers from South Asia and its diaspora. The expanded vision of the erstwhile ‘India Gold’, already very popular among independent filmmakers in the country, continues to successfully attract some of the best talent from across the region to compete with their feature films. This year’s competition comprises 11 features with a wonderful representation of seven South Asian and diaspora films, alongside four Indian features. The line-up has a mix of fiction, documentary and animation as well as internationally co-produced films and independent sole productions. Five of the competing directors are women, and most of the films are South Asian Premieres, with a line-up that includes World, Asia, and India Premieres. Two of the competing films are official Oscar submissions from their respective countries.

The Focus South Asia section includes films of all lengths, with the non-features grouped into packages. The non-competitive feature films in this section offer a diverse and dynamic array of storytelling, including two films on South Asian themes by non-South Asian directors. The eclectic selection explores a broad spectrum of unique and demanding experiences, from a deeply personal narrative to a postmodern take on superstardom, making this section a rich exploration of the South Asian experience.

The World Cinema section will showcase some of the most celebrated films of the year. Among the big-ticket films are The Room Next Door by Pedro Almodóvar, Emilia Pérez by Jacques Audiard, The Substance by Coralie Fargeat, A Different Man by Aaron Schimberg, Cloud by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Harvest by Athina Rachel Tsangari, Suspended Time by Olivier Assayas, Rumours by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson & Galen Johnson, April by Dea Kulumbegashvili, and Universal Language by Matthew Rankin.

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SOUTH ASIA COMPETITION

This is the main competition section of the festival. The section aims to showcase breakthrough contemporary South Asian and South Asian diaspora films of the year.

With films representing 10 languages and 12 countries, the competition exemplifies the festival’s dedication to discovering new talent while championing the innovative and transformative power of cinema.

1. Agent of Happiness by Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó

Nepali, Dzongkha, English | Bhutan, Hungary | South Asia Premiere

2. Girls Will Be Girls by Shuchi Talati

English, Hindi | France, India, Norway | South Asia Premiere

3. Kiss Wagon by Midhun Murali

Malayalam | India | South Asia Premiere

4. Little Jaffna by Lawrence Valin

French, Tamil | France | Asia Premiere

5. Nocturnes by Anirban Dutta, Anupama Srinivasan

English, Hindi, Bugun | India, USA | South Asia Premiere

6. Pooja, Sir by Deepak Rauniyar

Hindi, Maithili, Nepali | Nepal, Norway, USA | Asia Premiere

7. Rhythm of a Flower (Phool Ka Chand) by Amit Dutta

Hindi | India | World Premiere

8. Santosh by Sandhya Suri

Hindi | UK, Germany, France, India | South Asia Premiere

9. Shambhala by Min Bahadur Bham

Tibetan, Nepali | Nepal, France, Norway, Hong Kong, Turkey, Taiwan, USA | India Premiere

10. The Fable by Raam Reddy

English, Hindi | India, USA | Asia Premiere

11. Village Rockstars 2 by Rima Das

​Assamese | India | South Asia Premiere

FOCUS SOUTH ASIA

MAMI’s non-competitive section of feature and short films by South Asian and South Asian diaspora filmmakersspotlights talent from the region highlighting the wealth of narratives and styles.

The lineup, comprising 10 features and 13 non-features, spans multiple languages and reflects the festival’s commitment to diverse, thought-provoking cinema.

Features

1. A Fly on the Wall by Nilesh Maniyar, Shonali Bose

English | India, USA | South Asia Premiere

2. Angammal by Vipin Radhakrishnan

Tamil | India | World Premiere

3. Boong by Lakshmipriya Devi

Manipuri | India | Asia Premiere

4. Humans in the Loop by Aranya Sahay

Hindi, Kurukh | India | World Premiere

5. In Retreat (Be-qayaam) by Maisam Ali

Hindi, Ladakhi | India | South Asia Premiere

6. Marching in the Dark by Kinshuk Surjan

Marathi | Belgium, India, Netherlands | South Asia Premiere

7. The Real Superstar by Cédric Dupire

Hindi | France | Asia Premiere

8. The Shameless by Konstantin Bojanov

Hindi | Switzerland, Bulgaria, France, Taiwan, India | Asia Premiere

9. The Sharp Edge of Peace by Roya Sadat

Arabic, English, Farsi, Pashto | Afghanistan, Belgium, Qatar, United Kingdom, USA | Asia Premiere

10. Wild Flower Garland (Katu Pootha Malay) by Udayraj P.J.

Tulu | India | Asia Premiere

Non-features

1. Am I the Skinniest Person You’ve Ever Seen? by Eisha Marjara

English | Canada | International Premiere

2. Blind Spot (Chashma) by Nitin Baid

Hindi | India | World Premiere

3. Bunnyhood by Mansi Maheshwari

English | UK | Asia Premiere

4. Claws and Teeth by Srujan Belli

Kannada | India | World Premiere

5. Comrade Poopy by M Anonymous

Burmese | Myanmar | India Premiere

6. Cry Me A River by Suman Sen

Mandarin, Taiwanese | India, Taiwan | India Premiere

7. Free as a Bird by Aditya Khude

Hindi | India | World Premiere

8. Holy Curse by Snigdha Kapoor

English, Hindi | India, USA | Asia Premiere

9. In Flanders Fields (Flanders Di Zameen Vich) by Sachin

Hindi, Nepali, Punjabi, Urdu | Belgium, India | India Premiere

10. Monsoon Walk by Avinash Arun Dhaware

Marathi | India | Asia Premiere

11. Skyward (Gagan Gaman) by Suruchi Sharma

Dhundhari, Hindi, Rajasthani | France, India, USA | World Premiere

12. The Gap (Le Gap) by Keerthigan Sivakumar

French, Tamil | Switzerland | Asia Premiere

13. Tracker (Taak) by Udit Khurana

Hindi | India | World Premiere

GALA PREMIERES

An out-of-competition section that presents a selection of Indian films with popular names in their ensemble cast. It showcases works from upcoming as well as established talent.

This specially curated out-of-competition comprises Despatch by Kanu Behl (starring Manoj Bajpayee, Shahana Goswami), Ghamasaan by Tigmanshu Dhulia (starring Arshad Warsi, Pratik Gandhi), Go Noni Go by Sonal Dabral (starring Dimple Kapadia, Manav Kaul), the anthology My Melbourne directed by Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Onir, Rima Das, and The Ancient (Puratawn) by Suman Ghosh (starring Sharmila Tagore, Rituparna Sengupta and Indraneil Sengupta).

1. Despatch by Kanu Behl

2. Ghamasaan by Tigmanshu Dhulia

3. Go Noni Go by Sonal Dabral

4. My Melbourne by Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Onir, Rima Das

5. The Ancient (Puratawn) by Suman Ghosh

WORLD CINEMA

The World Cinema section has been an integral part of the festival since its inception in 1997. This segment offers a panoramic view of the most ambitious and accomplished new films from around the globe.

This section also includes ‘Rendezvous with French Cinema’, showcasing some of the finest in contemporary French filmmaking, in collaboration with the InstitutFrançais en Inde. Additionally, select films have been brought to Mumbai through the generous support of the British Council, the Consulate General of Ireland, the Embassy of Spain, the German Consulate General in Mumbai, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Mumbai, and the Royal Norwegian Consulate General.

1. A Different Man by Aaron Schimberg

2. A Traveler’s Needs (Yeohaengjaui Pilyo) by Hong Sangsoo

3. April by Dea Kulumbegashvili

4. An Unfinished Film by Lou Ye

5. An Urban Allegory (Allégorie citadine) by Alice Rohrwacher and JR

6. Armand by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel

7. Blue Sun Palace by Constance Tsang

8. Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point by Tyler Taormina

9. Cloud by Kiyoshi Kurosawa

10. Diciannove by Giovanni Tortorici

11. Dying (Sterben) by Matthias Glasner

12. Edge of Night (Gecenin Kıyısı) by Türker Süer

13. Emilia Pérez by Jacques Audiard

14. Good One by India Donaldson

15. Happyend by Neo Sora

16. Harvest by Athina Rachel Tsangari

17. It’s Not Me (C’est pas moi) by Leos Carax

18. Kill the Jockey (El Jockey) by Luis Ortega

19. Kneecap by Rich Peppiatt

20. Love (Kjaerlighet) by Dag Johan Haugerud

21. Misericordia (Miséricorde) by Alain Guiraudie

22. No Other Land by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor

23. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl by Rungano Nyoni

24. Riefenstahl by Andres Veiel

25. Rumours by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson

26. Russians at War by Anastasia Trofimova

27. Sasquatch Sunset by David Zellner, Nathan Zellner

28. Sex by Dag Johan Haugerud

29. sr by Lea Hartlaub

30. Suspended Time (Hors du temps) by Olivier Assayas

31. The Damned by Roberto Minervini

32. The Girl with the Needle (Pigen med nålen) by Magnus von Horn

33. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin by Benjamin Ree

34. The Room Next Door by Pedro Almodóvar

35. The Sparrow in the Chimney (Der Spatz im Kamin) by Ramon Zürcher

36. The Substance by Coralie Fargeat

37. The Village Next to Paradise by Mo Harawe

38. The Wolves Always Come at Night by Gabrielle Brady

39. Universal Language by Matthew Rankin

40. Viet and Nam by Trương Minh Quý

41. Wild Diamond (Diamant Brut) by Agathe Riedinger

DIMENSIONS MUMBAI

Dimensions Mumbai is a competitive programme of short films by budding filmmakers (ages 18 to 25) presenting creative responses to the city that is home to MAMI.

1. A Tale Of Two Cities by Sameeha Sabnis

2. After Twenty Years (Iruvathu Varudangal Kazhithu) by Sparsh Srivastava

3. Banata Hai by Arya Pravin Sagar, Karan Bharat Patel

4. Beyond Nothingness (Shunya Ke Paar) by Akul Kumar

5. Beyond the Horizon by Disha Pawar

6. BMCLD by Shreela Agarwal

7. Chhat by Vaidaangi Sharma

8. I Was Painted Red by Bhagyesh Rajeshirke

9. The Hamster by Vahram Adajania

10. The Jellyfish Can’t Live Without Water by Harsh Salunke

11. The Slow Train by Tanmay Gemini

12. What’s in a Name? (Naam Main Kya Rakha Hain?) by Avi Kesarwani

ROYAL STAG BARREL SELECT LARGE SHORT FILMS

Introduced in 2016, this is a competitive section for shorts where aspiring and established directors alike bring exceptional storytelling to curious audiences. These films of up to twenty minutes are from filmmakers across India and the Indian diaspora.

1. A Flight of the Lost Dreamy Bird (Hare Patte Ke Rang Ki Patrangi Aur Kahin Kho Gaya Naam Ka Ladka) by Chaman Ramesh Kishan

2. Ade (On A Sunday) by Theja Rio

3. Ballad of the Mountain by Tarun Jain

4. Coming Back to Life (Et Moi, Je Revis) by Mantra Watsa

5. Leela by Tanmay Chowdhary

6. Lice (Jooyein) by Vindhya Gupta

7. Noises from the Basement by Abhay P.

8. Sombre Skies (Mekhavritham) by Manoj Ajith Panicker

9. The Fishes (Meenukal) by Achuth Giri

10. The Usher by Zubin A. Mehta

1. Aloo Bhujia by Lakshmi R. Iyer

2. The Promise by Tigmanshu Dhulia

RESTORED CLASSICS

This section was first featured at the festival in 2012. The festival is deeply committed to honouring and preserving the cinematic legacy and this section showcases restored classic films from India and around the world. This curated collection features 4 films and offers audiences the opportunity to relish the magic of cinema’s past.

1. Burden of Dreams by Les Blank, Maureen Gosling

2. Camp de Thiaroye by Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow

3. The Mirage (Māyā Miriga) by Nirad Mohapatra

4. The Ritual (Ghatashraddha) by Girish Kasaravalli

AWARDS AT MAMI MUMBAI FILM FESTIVAL 2024

SOUTH ASIA COMPETITION

Dedicated to showcasing breakthrough contemporary South Asian films of the year.

Golden Gateway Award: This includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 25,00,000 to be equally shared by the director(s) & producer(s).

Silver Gateway Award: This includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 15,00,000 to be equally shared by the director(s) & producer(s).

Special Jury Prize: This includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 5,00,000. This is an individual prize awarded by the Jury.

Rashid Irani Young Critics Choice Award: Awarded by participants of the Rashid Irani Young Critics Lab, this includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 2,00,000 awarded to the producer(s).

NETPAC AWARD

The Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema (NETPAC), a globally renowned organisation with the primary aim of fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Asian films and their creators, was founded in 1990 by Aruna Vasudev. At MAMI, the NETPAC Award will be presented to a film from the South Asian Competition section.

DIMENSIONS MUMBAI

Showcases short films by budding filmmakers presenting creative responses to the city that is home to MAMI.

Dimensions Mumbai Gold Award: This includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 1,00,000 for the director(s).

Dimensions Mumbai Silver Award: This includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 50,000 for the director(s).

ROYAL STAG BARREL SELECT LARGE SHORT FILMS

Honouring the craft of select storytellers.

Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films for Best Film: This includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 1,00,000 for the director(s).

Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films for Best Actor: This includes a trophy and a cash prize of INR 75,000 for the actor.

Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films for Best Innovation in Tech

Film Critics Guild Gender Sensitivity Award

The Film Critics Guild—an association of the country’s most credible and discerning critics—recognises and awards one South Asian film that questions gender norms and challenges stereotypes.

The Best Book on Cinema Award

The award celebrates unique perspectives and nuanced, immersive film writing on cinema. The winner of the Award will receive a trophy and a cash prize of INR 2,00,000.

Rashid Irani Best Young Critic Award

Rashid Irani Best Young Critic Award honours the talent and rigour of young critical minds in writing, observing and analysing cinema. The winner will be presented with a Best Young Critic Award trophy and a certificate.

EXCELLENCE IN CINEMA AWARD

This award honours individual/s who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema.