Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023: Here are 6 topmost Indian and foreign films to be screened at the festival

New Delhi: Over 250 films from 70 countries will be shown at the JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023, which will take place from October 27 to November 5 at eight locations including NMACC.

Revolting against oppressive institutions by seeking safe places and communities is a common motif in works ranging from Milind Dhaimade’s Mai to Isabel Hergeura’s animated Sultana’s Dream.

During the first two days, audiences saw films including Hansal Mehta’s The Buckingham Murders and -Moe Myat May Zarchi’s The Alter (October 27th and 28th).

This list includes some of the most anticipated films to look out for over the forthcoming MAMI days.

1. Mai

Milind Dhaimade directed and wrote ‘Mai’, a 41-minute film produced by Colosceum Media Pvt. Ltd. and MacGuffin Pictures. The film stars Kunaal Roy Kapur and Shahana Goswami and is focused on the idea that we can’t find something without losing something. After his mother’s tragic death, 35-year-old Suman Das, who loves his mother’s cooking, learns about love, grief, and sacrifice. The movie is part of the anthology series ‘Lost & Found’, which features 7 storytellers’ intricate takes on Loss and Gain.

When: 5.30 pm, October 29

Where: Goregaon PVR ICON, Oberoi Mall

2. The World is Family

The universalist philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, a Sanskrit word meaning “the world is family,” is a challenge to the dominant, exclusive Hindu ideas of caste. Coming from a family that questioned caste and tyranny and fought for India’s freedom, Anand Patwardhan’s art represents liberty and equality. The activist and filmmaker started shooting home movies of his ageing parents. The story and narratives replaced birthdays and family reunions.

When: 6:30 pm, October 29

Where: BKC Maison PVR

3. The Sentence

Thadavu (The Sentence) is the sole Malayali film selected for the JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023, and it brilliantly depicts Geetha’s plight. Geetha is unemployed, on her own, and nearing the end of her life due to a severe illness. Conceiving of a scheme to conduct wrongdoing because of the free healthcare provided to convicts. This movie will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

When: 4:40 pm, October 29

Where: Andheri PVR ICON, Infiniti Mall

4. The Mother of All Lies

Moroccan director Asmae El Moudir has just one picture of herself as a toddler, which is damaged and scarcely recognisable. In this gripping documentary, filmed, written, produced, and edited by El Moudir on a handcrafted set imitating her Casablanca neighbourhood, the filmmaker searches for the truth with her childhood friends and untangles her family’s falsehoods.

When: 4 pm, October 30

Where: Ghatkopar INOX R-City Mall

5. Sultana’s Dream

The animated film Sultana’s Dream, Isabel Herguara’s debut, follows Inés, a Spanish artist living in India, who finds Rokeya Hossain’s 1905 science fiction novel. Ladyland is a paradise where women reign and males dwell in seclusion and do housework. Inés travels the nation to find a safe haven for women. This film’s subdued and earthy tones and fascinating protagonist will transport viewers.

When: 3:45 pm, October 30

Where: Juhu PVR Dynamix Mall

6. Berlin

Set in the winter of 1993, the film follows a deaf-mute young man detained by the ‘Bureau’ for spying. The government agent and the spy have a sign-language translator between them to help them communicate. The sign language specialist must navigate the murky waters of spy agency rivalry, dishonesty, and corruption on the road to solving the mystery. This is the grey area between innocence and guilt.

When: 7:30 pm, October 31

Where: BKC Maison PVR, Jio World Drive

Besides these, some other films to be screened on MAMI are – Mithya, Barir Naam Shahana, The Red Suitcase, Pushtaini, Stolen, Indi(r)a’s Emergency, Paradise by Prasanna Vithanage, Something Like an Autobiography, Kennedy, Sharmajee ki Beti, The Daughters of Fire, Monster, Fallen Leaves, and many others.