Bugle blown for the 16th Mumbai film festival

After a lot of uncertainty, the 16th Mumbai Film Festival is finally ready to take off. The festival, organized by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), will be held between October 14 and 21 at PVR Cinemas, the main venue, and Liberty Cinemas at Marine lines, the satellite venue. As many as 185 films from more than 65 countries will be screened and US $ 200,000 will be given away as cash prizes.

MAMI, a trust of Indian film industry stalwarts, was founded in 1997 by late filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Noted filmmaker Shyam Benegal heads the body, which consists of filmmakers like Ramesh Sippy, Sudhir Mishra, Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Umesh Kulkarni, Kiran Rao, Vikramaditya Motwane, Farhan Akhtar, publisher Navin Berry and producer-director-lyricist Amit Khanna.

Globally-acclaimed French actor Catherine Deneuve, known for her iconic roles in films like 'Repulsion' (1965), 'Belle de Jour' (1967), 'Tristana' (1970) and the more recent 'Dancer in the Dark' (2000) and '8 Women' (2002), will be conferred with the lifetime achievement award to an international personality for her remarkable contribution to world cinema. The festival will screen a selection of her movies as a tribute.

While there is a lot of excitement over the special master classes by internationally acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle and director-writer Mahamat Saleh Haroun, the India Gold Jury will be presided by noted Serbian director Goran Paskaljevic. The Eminent jury for Dimensions Mumbai competition includes directors Gauri Shinde, Satish Kaushik, Homi Adajania, actors Huma Qureshi and critic Rajeev Masand. Apart from a celebration of Arab cinema and a 100 years of MOSFILMS studio, cinegoers will get to enjoy a rendezvous with French cinema. For those looking out, the Mumbai film mart will be held between 15th and 17th of October. This year, its focus will be on remake rights.

The festival's highlights were revealed on Wednesday at a curtain raiser in the presence of MAMI Trustee Amit Khanna, film creative advisor Anupama Chopra, festival director Srinivasan Narayanan, and several dignitaries from the entertainment industry including ace film makers and trustees of MAMI Kiran Rao, Farhan Akhtar, Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap.

The festival faced several hiccups before it dates were finally announced. Narayanan told the gathering, "This year's festival stands testimony to the deep-rooted belief of the film fraternity and film lovers in this event. The much anticipated festival would not have been possible without the incredible support from industry stalwarts Vidhu Vinod Chopra, RajKumar Hirani, Manish Mundra, Anand Mahindra and Rohit Khattar and most of all Anupama Chopra's passion and hard work at every step. We are elated to see this kind of support and are thankful to everyone who has contributed to make this festival rise like a phoenix."

This year's festival is also supported by actors Aamir Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Rajkumar Rao, Rahul Bose, directors Karan Johar, Rajkumar Hirani, Anurag Kashyap, Hansal Mehta, designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, producer Vivek Kajaria, industrialists Niraj Bajaj, Sandeep Raheja and Ford Foundation among other patrons and movie lovers. Leading jewelry designer Varuna D Jani has designed the trophies for this edition of the festival.

This year, the Mumbai Film Mart will see participation by leading buyers, sales agents and distributors focused on Indian cinema from France, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Germany, UK and USA amongst others, some of whom are coming for business in India for the first time. The first Remake Market, initiated by Unifrance and LaFabrique films will be held on the 15th and16th of October.

Another attraction at the festival will be a series of restored films in a tribute of sorts to the classics. Also, for the second consecutive year, the music composers' lab will be part of the festival. It will be presented by Abbey Road Studios in association with PRS for music.

Side bar events include master classes by internationally acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle, of 'Paranoid Park', 'Lady in the water', 'Psycho', 'In the Mood for love' and 'Chunking Express' among others, and noted director and writer Mahamat Saleh Haroun, known for his creations 'Girgis', 'Bye Bye Africa', 'A Screaming Man' and many more.

What to watch out for
Over 185 films from more than 65 countries to be screened, including Xavier Dolans', 'Mommy', Mike Leigh's 'Mr.Turner', Ken Loach's 'Jimmy's Hall', 'Boyhood' by Richard Linklater, Dardenne brothers' 'Two days, One Night', Kim Ki Duk's 'One on One', Yoji Yamadas 'The Little House', Jean-Luc Godard's 'Goodbye to Language' and 'Party Girl' by Marie Amachoukeli-Barsacq among others.

Celebrated French actor Catherine Deneuve to be conferred Lifetime Achievement award.

Special master classes by internationally acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle and director-writer Mahamat Saleh Haroun.

India Gold Jury president will be noted Serbian director Goran Paskaljevic.

Celebration of Arab and French cinema