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While watching a movie, are you the kind of person who susses out a plot before the interval? Or the kind of person who likes to engage emotionally with a movie; to learn a thing or two? If you identify even slightly with either of the above questions, there’s little chance commercial cinema is satisfying the inner cinephile in you; which is why you should be just as excited as we are about the Mumbai Film Festival this week. MAMI is an annual film festival, a gathering for the independent film fraternity whether you’re simply an individual interested in the plethora of films MAMI has to offer, a budding filmmaker, or a member of the film industry — there’s something for everyone here. And it goes without saying that it’s the need of the hour for our film industry today.
Unfortunately, we can’t all take a week off to catch films screening through the festival, but you can do the next best thing — avail of MAMI’s weekend pass. From the art houses of European cinema and the flavours of Indian regional movies to the classics of cinematic masters and the best of independent Hollywood; you’ll have an entire weekend of the very best to choose from.
To make your life a little bit easier, we’ve shortlisted some films that are rich in both, content and diversity. From Darren Aronofsky’s notorious film featuring Jennifer Lawrence to the bold and mature documentary on India’s favourite sexpert, here are some films you should book your seat for at MAMI this weekend:
SATURDAY
I. Ask The Sexpert
Director: Vaishali Sinha
A feature length documentary about a highly popular 90-year-old sex advice columnist for a daily newspaper in Mumbai. Despite sex being a taboo topic in India, with a ban on comprehensive sex education in schools adopted by approximately one third of the country’s states the column’s brand of non-moralistic advice and humor has encouraged many to write in with their questions!
HG Loves: Mumbai’s favourite sex advice columnist’s life on the big screen, breaking down societal stigmas one question at a time? What’s not to love?!
II. Brigsby Bear
Director: Dave McCary
A 25 year-old man James must confront the outer world after living a secluded existence with his parents in their off-the-grid home. To his utter shock James finds out that he is the only person he who has watched his favourite television program, Brigsby Bear Adventures he struggles to adjust to the show’s abrupt end and begins to make sense of the new world he inhabits through his beloved T.V show.
HG Loves: An absurdly charming story of the perils and pleasures of fandom.
III. Granny
Director: Devashish Makhija
When nine-year-old Manda is found raped in a garbage dump, her granny Ajji decides to hunt down the man who raped her; after the police fail to intervene. Will Ajji successfully go through with her revenge?
HG Loves: The film makes you question your own morals as you undeniably root for Ajji to get her revenge.
IV. I Am Not A Witch
Director: Rungano Nyoni
After a minor incident in her village, nine-year-old Shula is exiled to a travelling witch camp where she is told that if she tries to escape she will be transformed into a goat. As she navigates through her new life with her fellow witches and a government official who exploits her she must decide whether to accept her fate or risk the consequences of seeking freedom.
HG Loves: A debut feature of farce interweaved with pain, told with a clear vision.
V. Kaccha Limbu
Director: Prasad Oak
Based on a novel by iconic Marathi novelist, Jaywant Dalvi, this is the story of a couple struggling with raising a mentally-challenged child. While the father sinks into the perpetual night shift at work, the mother drifts towards another man. Meanwhile, their teenage son is growing into his sexuality. Can this family keep from falling apart and come back together?
HG Loves: A path-breaking narrative for Indian regional cinema treated with nuance and maturity.
VI. Loving Vincent
Director: Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman
This film brings the artwork of Vincent van Gogh; one of the most celebrated artists in the world, to life while exploring his complicated life and controversial death.
HG Loves: This is the world’s first fully oil painted feature film! Plus, come on, Van Gogh. Need we say anymore?
VII. Mother!
Director: Darren Aronofsky
A riveting psychological thriller about a couple’s relationship that is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. The film was even recently involved in several controversies regarding the plotline.
HG Loves: A black comedy that is a war-of-the sexes, a tale of marital breakdown, a metaphor for the mistreatment of Mother Earth — all packed into one surrealistic drama.
VIII. The Hungry
Director: Bornila Chatterjee
Based on Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, The Hungry follows a business deal gone wrong at a New Year’s Eve party and the murder and violence that will follow even as a wedding is all set to take place soon.
HG Loves: A blood-soaked contemporary narrative of the Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy with the legendary Naseeruddin Shah as part of the star cast.
IX. Village Rockstars
Director: Rima Das
10-year-old Dhunu lives in a remote village of Assam and ambitiously forms a rock band with the boys in the village. As the boys begin to give up on their music dream, Dhunu’s wish to own a guitar only grows stronger. Will her fortitude drive her towards achieving her dreams?
HG Loves: A film scripted, directed, shot, edited and produced by just one person it is a remarkable story of aspiration.
X. What Will People Say
Director: Iram Haq
Whilst living a double life, 16-year-old Nisha gets caught with her boyfriend in bed, by her father. Furious with their daughter for betraying their culture, her parents shift her to Pakistan to live with her relatives, forcing her to accept her own culture.
HG Loves: The film is based off director Iram Haq’s own personal experience, from when she was 14. A deeply emotional journey that emphasizes on the large gap between the two cultures, this film is a must-watch.
SUNDAY
I. Ashwatthama
Director: Pushpendra Singh
The film takes from the mythical tale of Ashwathama, a hero who was blessed with immortality but cursed to live with the pain of his raw wound forever by Lord Krishna. This very tale plays a centric role in the emotional development of Ishvaku, who is on vacation from his boarding school — the story is first narrated to him by his mother, who gets killed shortly after in an attack by bandits in the village.
HG Loves: The intricate weaving of myth into reality makes for a compelling narrative making it a major contender of the India Gold (competitive) category.
II. A Suitable Girl
Director: Sarita Khurana & Smriti Mundhra
An in-depth documentary on three women in India who face a constant battle between their contemporary values as opposed to their mothers’ traditional ones. The pressure to accept an arranged marriage over their career aspirations leaves behind a poignant portraits of India’s urban middle class.
HG Loves: Documented over four long years, the film is an apt portrayal of a modern woman’s struggles with Indian societal expectations.
III. It Comes At Night
Director: Trey Edward Shults
MAMI’s attempt to bring in horror, action and thriller films normally ignored by commercial cinema has resulted in one of their most popular categories. In this post-apocalyptic film, two families are forced to fight the outside world from the inside — but as time passes, Travis (17-year-old protagonist) begins to realise the horrors within may just be worse.
HG Loves: The director’s take on a personal experience in his life, playing on the factor of fear, and how easily it can misguide you. Sometimes, reality can be scarier than fiction.
IV. Loveless
Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
The film depicts the trauma of a child as a consequence of a loveless marriage. The child is used as puppet by his parents to settle fights between them until one day he disappears.
HG Loves: A harsh reality that is not stressed upon enough in our modern world, comes together beautifully in this Russian drama.
V. Machines
Director: Rahul Jain
As consumers of fast-fashion i.e. mass production of goods, we tend to overlook the monotonous, mind-numbing labour that goes into the same. Director Rahul Jain highlights the same through his documentary, which takes you through a gigantic textile factory in Gujarat, India.
HG Loves: The dark undertones of the film, as well as the narratives showcase the large divide between the rich and poor.
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