Mumbai Film Festival to get bigger?

It is becoming one of India’s most important film events. And this year too the Mumbai Film Festival wants to outdo itself.  If insiders are to be believed they are now getting some more international biggies after director Hugh Hudson for various events.

The opening film of the festival is actor Brad Pitt starrer Moneyball based on a book by author Micheal Lewis. The film is based on the true story of Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics, and his attempt to create a competitive team in spite of Oakland’s bad financial situation.

But that isn’t all, if insiders are to be believed, famous French actress, Isabella Huppert of The Piano Teacher fame and The Golden Compass and Twilight New Moon director Chris Weitz will be coming to attend the film festival.

2011 Cannes film festival’s most controversial film Meloncholia directed by Lars Von Trier will also be showcased in the festival. The films to be screened from Cannes Critics Week include Valeria Gaii Guermanika’s Everybody Dies but Me, Ken Loach’s Kes and Jerzy Skolimowski’s Walkover.

The Indian National Film Award winning films to be screened in this section include  director Shyam Benegal’s Ankur and Girish Kasaravalli’s Ghatasraddha.

Says Srinivasan Naryanan, Festival Director, Mumbai Film Festival, “By juxtaposing the Cannes Critics Week award winning films along with the Indian debut features which won National Film Awards, we are trying to create an analytical study of the films that have created trends abroad and in India.” He also added, “It will be a treat for cinema connoisseurs to be able to interact with these cinema legends. We are only happy to be paying this tribute to these masters.” The festival will be held from October 13 to October 20, 2011.