Mumbai’s movie haven is back. The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 is set to feature not one but two prominent winners from this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The festival will raise its curtains with Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light, a globally acclaimed film that brought home the prestigious Grand Prix, and close its door with Sean Baker’s masterpiece Anora, the recipient of the Palme d’Or.
Both these films are backed by strong female performances and perspectives, while All We Imagine as Light presents a poetic narrative about three working women in Mumbai grappling with their relationships and emotions, whereas Anora is your Gen Z-fied ‘eat the rich’ category film critiquing the wealth, privilege, and the legendary American dream.
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MAMI is scheduled from October 19 to 24, the festival will showcase over 110 films across various genres and languages. However, the number of screening venues has decreased to two: the historic Regal Cinema in Colaba and PVR in Juhu, which has five auditoriums. Following last year’s success, the festival will again highlight independent filmmakers from South Asia, featuring 11 films in its South Asia Competition, including four from India.
Calling The Cool Kids To Theatres
Deepti DCunha, Artistic Director of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, highlights that this year MAMI aims to engage Gen Z audiences by providing a platform for the best in world cinema, featuring contemporary films made in the past year that resonate with current themes, thereby appealing to both younger viewers and adults interested in expanding their appreciation of the art form.
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She also pointed “Over the years, MAMI has maintained its core mission of showcasing exceptional world cinema in Mumbai, which has now evolved to include a competition for South Asian and South Asian Diaspora films, broadening its focus beyond just India to embrace a more inclusive vision that reflects the diversity and richness of cinema in the region.”
So, in case you are planning to enjoy MAMI to the fullest. Scroll to bookmark our top 12 recommendations:
1. All We Imagine as Light
Payal Kapadia’s film explores the dreams and struggles of invisible migrants in Mumbai, focusing on three female characters—Anu, Prabha, and Parvathy. The narration highlights their experiences of loneliness and alienation as they navigate a city that often rejects them due to language, gender, religion, caste, and class differences. Kapadia examines how these factors shape their understanding of intimacy in a rapidly changing cultural landscape. Ultimately, the film serves as a poignant reminder of the lives of those marginalised in contemporary India.
2. Anora
Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner Anora is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey Madison captivates as Ani, a young sex worker from Brooklyn whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya, the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire (calling all the Wattpad girlies). However, when Vanya’s parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York.
3. Emilia Pérez
From renegade auteur Jacques Audiard comes Emilia Pérez, fever dream that defies genres and expectations. Through liberating moments filled with tonnes of song and dance and bold visuals, this odyssey follows the journey of four remarkable women in Mexico, each pursuing their own happiness. The fearsome cartel leader Emilia enlists Rita, an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emilia can finally live authentically as her true self.
4. Boong
5. Girls Will Be Girls
In this film 16-year-old Mira, an exemplary student and the first female prefect at her strict Himalayan boarding school, secretly dates Sri, a charming new classmate. When her mother, Anila, discovers their relationship, she surprisingly supports it, allowing Sri to visit their home. This creates an unexpected alliance between Mira and Anila, but their relationship becomes strained as they face differing views.
Director Shuchi Talati, sensitively explores teenage rebellion and the complexities of female characters, showcasing standout performances and balancing themes of defiance with tenderness amid societal pressures.
6. Village Rockstars 2
Rima Das returns to the familiar landscapes of Assam, exploring the lives of the same characters from her previous film. The narrative focuses on the transformations in their surroundings and aspirations, capturing the subtle rhythms of everyday life without imposing dramatic resolutions. The film reflects on the passage of time, highlighting the evolving desires and memories of the community. Central to the story is Dhunu, who is on the cusp of adulthood, with the camera observing her journey and the world around her with a patient, contemplative gaze.
7. Pooja, Sir
Set against the backdrop of the 2015 ethnic protests in Nepal, the plot follows Pooja, the country’s first female detective, as she investigates the kidnapping of two boys in a small border town. Arriving amid rising political unrest and racial tensions, she teams up with Mamata, a local Madhesi policewoman. Together, they confront systemic corruption, colourism, and misogyny while racing against time.
Deepak Rauniyar’s film blends police procedural and social thriller elements, exploring Nepal’s socio-cultural dynamics by contrasting queerness with ethnic identity. Asha Magrati, who co-wrote the screenplay, powerfully portrays the challenges of being a queer woman in a male-dominated field, while the film also examines complex ideas of womanhood as both protector and victim.
8. Viet and Nam
The film centres on two young miners, Nam and Viet, who navigate a covert queer relationship amidst the dangers of coal mining. Their subterranean environment serves as a backdrop for exploring themes of migration, the scars of war, and the quest for identity. Nam desires to escape Vietnam, while Viet is deeply connected to their shared experiences, making their relationship a poignant reflection of the country’s divided past and uncertain future.
While sharing aesthetic elements with other recent slow cinema films, this MAMI film stands out by emphasising the socio-political dimensions of post-war Vietnam, merging personal and political narratives to offer a poetic yet grounded perspective on the nation’s complex modern identity.
9. The Substance
A bold body horror film that critiques Hollywood’s toxic beauty standards through the story of Elisabeth Sparkle, an ageing celebrity played by Demi Moore in a career-defining role. Desperate to reclaim her youth, Elisabeth uses an experimental drug to create a younger, ‘perfect’ version of herself, portrayed by Margaret Qualley. However, this transformation leads to severe psychological and physical consequences.
The film serves as a visceral satire, highlighting Moore’s fearless self-parody and echoing her own experiences with public scrutiny. Directed by Coralie Fargeat, it employs a hyper-stylised visual approach reminiscent of David Cronenberg, examining the exploitation of women’s bodies in a male-dominated industry and the dangerous pursuit of unattainable beauty standards.
10. The Real Superstar
An experimental film by Cédric Dupire that reappropriates scenes from Amitabh Bachchan’s extensive filmography to create a unique portrait of India’s iconic actor. Through a found-footage assemblage, the film presents Bachchan as a multifaceted hero grappling with conflicting identities: a schizophrenic messiah, a man caught between social classes, and a demigod revered by fans.
He embodies both a resurrected Jesus and a vengeful Old Testament God, representing justice and the complexities of celebrity. This poetic exploration blurs the lines between dream and reality, offering an exhilarating reflection on Bachchan’s enduring legacy.
11. Ghamasaan
Set in the semi-urban and rural heartlands of north India, exploring themes of community, state, patriarchy, caste, and the desire for mobility. It presents a gripping cat-and-mouse narrative that highlights the homoerotic dynamics within male friendships and rivalries.
Through its protagonists and innovative casting, the film offers a fresh perspective on a familiar world, revealing deeper histories and emotions. As men navigate the arid landscapes—from jungles to hamlets to offices—their journeys create a rich tapestry of place.
12. The Shameless
Renuka escapes from a Delhi brothel after killing a policeman and finds refuge among a community of sex workers in northern India. There, she forms an illicit romance with Devika, a young woman facing a future in prostitution. As their relationship deepens, they confront political and familial challenges in their pursuit of freedom.
Anasuya Sengupta delivers an electrifying performance as Renuka, highlighting issues of fractured Muslim identity and rising religious intolerance in India. Bulgarian filmmaker Konstantin Bojanov adds depth by focusing on the tenderness of their relationship, offering a compelling portrayal of queer femininity.
