Source: NDTV
The MAMI 2024 Mumbai Film Festival came to a grand conclusion with Rhythm of a Flower and Nocturnes winning the top awards. The prestigious festival, organized by the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI), showcased the best of South Asian cinema. Rhythm of a Flower received the Golden Gateway Award, and Nocturnes took home the Silver Gateway Award. The jury, chaired by Rada Sesic, included notable members such as Clarence Tsui, Kate Laurie, Jerome Baron, and Marie Fuglestein Laegreid.
Adding to the excitement, Girls Will Be Girls, produced by Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, earned a Special Mention. This recognition was accompanied by the NETPAC Award and the Film Critics Guild Gender Sensitivity Award, marking MAMI 2024 as a festival that continues to challenge traditional narratives. The film also received the Rashid Irani Young Critics Choice Award.
Reflecting on the production journey of The Fable, which won the Special Jury Prize, actor Manoj Bajpayee spoke about the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the difficulties, the film’s patience and persistence paid off at MAMI 2024.
During the closing ceremony, Richa Chadha emphasized the importance of freedom of expression in films like Girls Will Be Girls, which challenges traditional gender roles. Her co-producer Ali Fazal added, “We are proud of our journey with this film, and MAMI 2024 has given us the platform to showcase it.”
In the Dimensions Mumbai section, Shreela Agarwal’s BMCLD took home the Gold Award, while A Tale of Two Cities and I Was Painted Red shared the Silver Award. The jury for this section included filmmakers Amit Masurkar, Chaitanya Tamhane, and Paromita Vohra.
The Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films competition also saw standout entries. Ade (On A Sunday) by Theja Rio won Best Film, and Coming Back to Life (Et Moi, Je Revis) by Mantra Watsa secured the Special Jury Prize for excellence in short filmmaking.
The MAMI 2024 festival also celebrated cinema with the Best Book on Cinema Award going to The Age of Heroes: The Incredible World of Telugu Cinema by Mukesh Manjunath. This year’s edition concluded with the South Asia premiere of Sean Baker’s Anora, a film that had earlier won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.
MAMI 2024 has once again proven itself as a platform that recognizes diverse and innovative filmmaking, making it a significant event in the global film festival circuit.
Follow us for more insights
