9 most-anticipated Indian and international titles to watch at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024

Get ready for a six-day celebration of global cinema, creativity, and culture at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, showcasing over 110 films from more than 45 countries in 50+ languages. Taking place from October 19-24, the festival is an exciting fusion of international cinema and captivating local stories highlighting diverse narratives and innovative filmmaking. 

Talking about what to expect from the festival, Deepti DCunha, artistic director of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, says, “Cinephiles can expect carefully curated titles from the entire spectrum of contemporary cinema which includes the biggest award-winning art house titles, to genre films and intimate personal expressions. We curate films that leave behind a deep impression and we are confident that anyone who goes in to watch a film at MAMI without looking at the catalogue or knowing what to expect will encounter great surprises.”

Here’s a list of some of the most anticipated titles to watch out for.

The festival opens with ‘All We Imagine as Light’

Payal Kapadia’s debut fiction feature, All We Imagine as Light, is a brilliant portrayal of three women in Mumbai, struggling for survival, lost love, and elusive intimacy. As they reconnect with themselves and each other, they learn to embrace their desires, seize life’s fleeting moments, and find liberation and hope in a quiet retreat by the sea in Ratnagiri. Kapadia subtly weaves in our contemporary socio-economic and political realities while providing a sensory experience of the bustling, bristling Mumbai and deep into the lives of its vital migrant working class. This Cannes Grand Prix winner is a sublime reflection of the universal human condition and shared sentiments, marking Kapadia as a filmmaker with global appeal.

When and where to watch: 18 October, Regal Cinema at 5:30 pm

Santosh - UK’s Oscar Entry

A newly widowed Santosh inherits her husband’s job as a police constable in the rural badlands of northern India as part of a government scheme. When a young Dalit girl is found raped and murdered, she is pulled into the investigation, under the wing of the charismatic Inspector Sharma. Sandhya Suri’s feature debut is a riveting crime drama that challenges the Indian feminist police fantasy with sharp intellect and urgency. There is also so much to glean between the lines, especially through the naturalistic performances of Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, and the film’s probing of the blurred lines between oppressor and oppressed.

When and where to watch: October 21, Juhu PVR at 5 pm; October 23, Juhu PVR at 12:45 pm; October 24, Juhu PVR at 10 pm

Shambhala - Nepal’s Oscar Entry

In a polyandrous village in Nepal, the newlywed and pregnant Pema faces uncertainty when her first husband, Tashi, vanishes on a trade route. As her community questions the legitimacy of her unborn child, Pema embarks on a transformative journey into the wilderness. Director Min Bahadur Bham masterfully contrasts patriarchal burdens with Buddhist spirituality, while Aziz Zhambakiyev's breathtaking cinematography captures Nepalese social mores in a visually striking, contemplative odyssey.

When and where to watch: October 22, Juhu PVR at 8 pm; October 23, Juhu PVR at 1 pm; October 24, Juhu PVR at 2 pm

Emilia Pérez - France’s Oscar Entry

In Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard blends musical crime drama with a bold narrative about a former cartel leader who undergoes gender-affirming surgery to become a woman, Emilia. After faking her death, Emilia turns to lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña) for help as she navigates her transformation. Karla Sofía Gascón's riveting portrayal of Emilia is complemented by a strong cast, including Selena Gomez. The film's operatic musical numbers mark a stylistic departure from Audiard's previous gritty realism, embracing a more flamboyant, surreal storytelling approach.

When and where to watch: October 24 at Juhu PVR and Regal Cinema, both shows at 9 pm

The Girl with the Needle - Denmark’s Oscar Entry

The Girl with the Needle is a gripping post-WWI period drama about Karoline, a pregnant factory worker in Copenhagen, who becomes entangled in Dagmar’s dark adoption racket. As Karoline uncovers Dagmar's sinister operations, her life spirals into moral collapse. The stark black-and-white cinematography and haunting score intensify the film’s bleak atmosphere, drawing viewers into its unsettling world. Avoiding melodrama, the film tells a visceral and emotionally disturbing tale that lingers long after it ends.

When and where to watch: October 21, Regal Cinema at 9:30 pm; October 23, Juhu PVR at 10 pm

A special screening of 'Arth'

To celebrate Shabana Azmi, who has completed 50 remarkable years in cinema, the festival will showcase one of her most iconic films, Arth. The film revolves around the life of Inder Malhotra (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), a fashionable filmmaker married to Pooja (Azmi), who has an affair with film star Kavita (Smita Patil). After Pooja leaves him, she faces the social insecurities of a single working woman, while her cleaning lady (Rohini Hattangadi), embarks on a parallel journey to discover her own identity.

When and where to watch: October 20, Juhu PVR at 10 pm

Despatch

Timid but tenacious tabloid journalist Joy Bag—who is anything but—is gripped by a serious mid-life crisis. His stories aren’t sensational enough, digitalisation is threatening his job, and his romantic adventures are limited to making whoopee with his young colleague in a hatchback in the company parking lot. Joy’s fortunes, however, change when, in the pursuit of a small-time criminal, he is sucked into an increasingly murky affair involving a corporate-political nexus—an exposé that will shake the foundations of the city. With striking location photography and a complex lead turn by Manoj Bajpayee, Despatch produces a rugged ode to Mumbai, written with blood and grit.

When and where to watch: October 19, Juhu PVR at 7:30 pm

Ghamasaan

Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, Ghamasaan stars Arshad Warsi, Pratik Gandhi, Rajpal Naurang Yadav, and Ishita Dutta. The movie is a cat-and-mouse tale about a fictional battle between Siddharth (Gandhi) and the established system. Siddharth fights to defend the rights of the downtrodden and in the process challenges and destroys the established system. He prepares an alternate system of justice but is eventually considered a threat and enemy of the state. The movie is filled with love, passion, ambition, betrayal, greed, happiness, life, and death. 

When and where to watch: October 20, Juhu PVR at 7:45 pm

The closing film—‘Anora’

Anora, winner of the 2024 Palme d’Or, continues Sean Baker’s exploration of the marginalised and often overlooked people in society. The film tells the story of Ani, a sex worker in Brooklyn who marries the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, only to face an escalating series of events that challenge her hopes for a better life. Baker masterfully blends comedy and tragedy, taking audiences on a rollercoaster journey that echoes screwball comedies of the 1930s while also diving into modern social issues.

When and where to watch: 24 October at Juhu PVR Dynamix Mall and Regal Cinema, Colaba (both shows at 9 pm)

Image credits: mumbaifilmfestival | Instagram

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