What to watch on Day 5 of Jio MAMI 19th Mumbai Film Festival — Firstpost picks

The 19th edition of the Jio MAMI film festival is finally here, and there is so much to look forward to if you’re a cinephile with unusual tastes! From off-beat Indian stories to international films that you may never have heard of, the festival can expose you to many types of cinema. The lineup is extensive, and the thought of checking out each film can be exhausting, so Firstpost will provide you with a list of must-watch films that will help you narrow down your choices, every day.

Last Flag Flying [caption id=“attachment_3977459” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A still from the trailer. YouTube screengrab.[/caption] Richard Linklater’s ode to war veterans  stars Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne in leading roles. The story revolves around Richard “Doc” Shepherd (played by Carell), whose son is killed in combat during the 2003 Iraqi War. Doc does not want to be left alone for his funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, which is when he and his old friend Sal (played by Cranston) set out on a journey to find the third member of their group, so that they can bury Doc’s son, together. The dramedy was the opening film at the 2017 New York Film Festival and received mixed to positive reviews. Summer 1993 Directed by Carla Simón, Summer 1993 is a Spanish film which revolves around a 6-year-old girl, Frida, who goes to live with her uncle once her parents die of AIDS. Told through her eyes, the film captures Frida’s moving struggle, as she tries to adapt to a whole new environment, while still dealing with the loss of her parents. The drama was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. Patang Winning the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1993, Patang boasts of a stellar cast comprising of Shabana Azmi, Om Puri, Shafiq Syed and Rabi Ghosh. A Goutam Ghose directorial, the film captures the lives of illegal slum dwellers. The film also fetched its lead actress the Best Actress Award at Taormina Film Fest. The Song of Scorpions This Irrfan Khan and Golshifteh Farahani starrer had its world premiere at the 70th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. Shot across the parched lands of Rajasthan, the film is follow-up to Qissa, Anup Singh’s haunting drama. A traditional tale replete with folklore, the film is a twisted tale of love, revenge and redemption.  A Fantastic Woman A Chilean drama directed by Sebastián Lelio, A Fantastic Woman was selected as the country’s Best Foreign Language Film entry at the 90th Academy Awards. If not for anything else, one must catch this film for Daniela Vega, a trans actor who plays a trans woman in the film, too. From being called a “stunning revelation” by The Hollywood Reporter, to being compared with Meryl Streep and Judi Dench, Vega’s big breakthrough might make history, if she becomes the first transgender actress to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.