The line-up for the 19th MAMI (Mumbai Academy of Moving Images) International Film Festival was released today with several Indian films competing for the top prizes.
The India Gold section of the competition particularly stands out for its eclectic mix of films from across the country.
Several films from the recent Toronto International Film Festival will make their India premieres at the MAMI International Film Festival this year. These include Anurag Kashyap's awaited Mukkabaaz. Kashyap, who was supposed to take the film to the Busan International Film Festival has decided to hold the premiere at MAMI instead. At the press conference, Kashyap said, "For me to premiere at MAMI is a thing of pride."
Devashish Makhija's Ajji, Shlok Sharma's Zoo, and In the Shadows, starring Manoj Bajpayee, are among the many names listed in the section.
The section also features several films from the North East. Assamese film Village Rockstars by Rima Das, which was recently screened at Toronto International Film Festival 2017, and Kho Ki Pa Lu (Up, Down and Sideways) from Nagaland have made it to the India Gold section. They are joined by another critically acclaimed film based in Sikkim, Ralang Road directed by Karma Takapa.