Film Festivals

 16 Th MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (MIFF)

  MUMBAI ---28 Jan.to 3 Feb. 2020

16 th MIFF takes  a flying start

Highlights

• Star studded opening at the Posh South Mumbai Liberty Cinema  with an inaugural film of Anurag Kashyap’s “Mukkabaaz”. This was also Asian premiere of the film.
• Red Carpet galore on the inaugural ceremony  was lit with glamour filled presence of Chairman MAMI Neeta Ambani,  Shridevi,   Kangna  Ranaut , Sharmila Tagore , Nandita Das   Kiran Rao, Anupama Chopra and  stars Amir Khan , Rajkumar Rao, Anupam Kher  with host of Present   generation film directors like Anurag Kashyap, Kabir Khan, Karan Johar, Imitiaz Ali  etc. On last day additions to glamour quotient and celebrities were Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Rajkumar Hirani, Ashutosh  Gowarikar,Konkona Sen Sharma, Vidhu Vinod Chopra to name a few.
• About 200 films from 29 countries were screened during the six days spread over 16 luxury auditoriums with capacity of 4974 seats in Mumbai and Thane. This large seating capacity made it easier for Fest cineists to choose the screening of their choice without hassles or serpentine queues  for those without reservation .
• For convenience and easy categorization films were divided in 14 segments viz; After Dark, Discovering India, India Gold , Marathi Talkies, Restored Classics, Special Screenings, The India Story , Tribute, Dimensions Mumbai , Half Ticket ( For children), International Competition, Rendezvous, Spotlight , The new Medium besides, Seminars, talk shows, Master Classes and Q & A with the film makers after the screening.
• For the first time ,MAMI had introduced “Movie Mandi” an online platform for film makers to find funding in collaboration with Netflix, having world wide presence.
• The popular “Movie Mela” this year was held preceding day of the festival.
• Besides the Life Time Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema conferred  on a veteran film maker in International arena. Other  awards were the Jio-MAMI-Reliance Foundation Award for excellence in Digital content in Indian Cinema, Best film/s in International Competition , India Gold and Dimensions Mumbai awards Etc.

( 20 TO 28 NOVEMBER 2016 )

AT THE OUTSET MUST MENTION THAT OPPOSED TO THE ESTABLISHED NORM OF 10 DAYS DURATION SINCE TEH INCEPTION OF THE FEST; THE DIRECTORATE OF FILM FESTIVALS PRUNED THE DURATION FROM TEN TO EIGHT DAYS IN ORDER TO SAVE THE COST AND TIME OF OUTSIDE PARTICIAPTING DELEGATES ;BUT WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FILMS TO BE SCREENED.

A Recap

Celebrating its 10th edition this year, the annual NFDC Film Bazaar has become a beacon for budding filmmakers from South Asia. The platform has been tirelessly evolving into a one-stop shop that encourages collaboration between South Asian and international film fraternities; a confluence point for screenwriters, filmmakers, sales agents, distributors, film festival programmers and financiers from around the world.

20 Nov. --- 30 Nov. 2015

• Lack luster Fest
• Inaugural Function reduced to a Cheap Entertainment Event, giving it a local colour sans Indian Culture
• World Cinema or Competition Films Selection below International standard,
• Poor Infrastructure , Chaotic systems, More security personnel than Workers
• Rampant Bureaucratic rule sans accountability
• Media/Press  ignored in all respects, Pathetic facilities,
• More of Tourist and Spenders’ Festival, Film Industry and serious cineists almost extinct ;
• Film Bazaar, a Flop , Special events ,Master Classes, empty and
• Erratic,unplanned/unscheduled  Press Conferences.