The line-up for the 12th annual Mumbai Film Festival (MFF), consists of 200 films from 58 countries. All the international films to be screened in the main sections of this year’s festival will be Indian, Asian or world premieres. Director, David Fincher’s Social Network will open the Festival on October 21st, 2010.
MAMI will be honoring two outstanding film personalities with a presentation of distinctive awards. Honorees include: three times Academy Award Winner Oliver Stone who will receive the International Lifetime Achievement Award; noted Indian film actor-director-screenwriter-producer Manoj Kumar, who will be honored with the Indian Lifetime Achievement Award at the awards function on 28th October, 2010.
Some of the films include:
1. Honey (Bal) by Semih Kaplanoglu: Winner of the Golden Bear award at Berlinale’ 10
2. Somewhere by Sofia Coppola : Winner of Golden Lion Venice 2010
3. Winter Vacation by Li Hongqi which won the top prize at Locarno this year.
4. The Mosquito Net by Agustí Vila (La mosquitera) Premiered & won Grand Prix – Crystal Globe & The Don Quijote Prize (FICC – Intl. Federation of Film Societies) at Karlovy Vary in Competn. (Jul. ’10)
5. Route Irish by Ken Loach: Premiered in Cannes in Competition
6. Company Men: Directed by John Wells starring Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones and Mario Bello
7. Banraku : Directed by Guy Moshe with Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson
8. Inside Job : Directed by Charles Ferguson starring Matt Damon
9. Letters to Julliette : Directed by Gary Winick starring Venessa Redgrave, Gael Garcia, Franco Nero, Amanda Seyfried
10. Of Gods And Men (Des hommes et des dieux) Xavier Beauvois: Premiered & won Grand Prize in Cannes in Competn. (May ’10)
11. Certified Copy (Copie Conforme) by Abbas Kiarostami: Premiered & won Best Actress (Juliette Binoche) Award in Cannes in Competn. (May ’10)
12. Poetry by Lee Chang-dong: Cannes FF 10, Best Screenplay Award
13. How I Ended This Summer (Kak ya provel etim letom) by Alexei Popogrebsky: Won Silver Bear for Best Actor (Grigory Dobrygin & Sergei Puskepalis) & for Outstanding Artistic Contribution (Pavel Kostomarov, DoP) at Berlinale in Competn. (Feb. ’10)
The festival is divided in Nine Special Sections:
1. International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors
2. Above the Cut
3. World Cinema
4. Real Reel
5. Indian Frame
6. New Faces in Indian Cinema
7. Dimensions Mumbai
8. Celebrate Age
9. Celebration of Japanese Cinema
The 14 Feature Films of first time Directors in the International Competition section from across the world will compete for the cash awards of US$ 150,000.
All these young directors will be personally present in Mumbai during the Festival. Above the cut will present 14 first feature films of extra ordinary cinematic merit which could not be included in the competition. World Cinema section will showcase the best of the crop from around the world during the year. Real Reel will show case a selection of the best feature length documentary films from around the world. Indian Frame, as the name indicates, presents a selection of Indian cinema made in one calendar year before the festival dates. This section is meant to be a show window for the best Indian films targeting the foreign delegates, Festival directors, sales agents and co-producers.
The New Faces in Indian Cinema is a brand new initiative which will screen First and Second Feature Films of the Indian directors and aims to provide a platform to young emerging Indian filmmakers. Dimensions Mumbai is to tease, target and provide a forum to the young creative minds in the city of Mumbai to come up with the best film on any aspect of this metropolis in any format of their choice.
This year in collaboration with Harmony Silvers Foundation, MAMI is introducing a brand new competition section “Celebrate Age” which will showcase short fiction films, documentaries and feature length films on the concerns, spice, fun and adventure of growing older.
“Celebration of Japanese Cinema” a collection of pristine 35MM prints of 43 films and one special screening of RAN by Kurosawa — classic as well as contemporary — will be screened providing festival-goers with an unparalleled opportunity to choose from an array of films from one of the most vibrant national cinemas.
Mumbai Film Festival carries one of the richest cash awards for its International Competition for Directors who are Debuting Feature Films with a cash prize of US$ 100,000 (approx. Rs. 50,00,000). Additional awards include the Golden Gateway of India trophy for the Best Film, the Silver Gateway of India trophy and cash prize of USD $50,000 (approx. Rs. 25,00,000) for the Jury Grand Prize. The best talent from these films will be awarded the Silver Gateway of India trophy and all films in this category are Indian premiers.
Lastly, the Audience Choice Award which was introduced last year includes Silver Gateway of India trophy and cash prize of USD $20,000 (approx. Rs. 10, 00,000)].
source: press release