Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane pose for paparazzi at the red carpet of MAMI Select.
Films which were screened at the event included Mirage, Óbur, Jal Tu Jalal Tu, A New Life and Crossing Borders.
MAMI Mumbai Film Festival launched a special programme ‘MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone,’ last year during the festival, wherein a talented group of emerging filmmakers from MAMI Alumni were given the platform to reimagine traditional cinematic conventions by creating high-quality short films, shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max and edited on a MacBook Pro. Six months hence, these five shorts had an exclusive theatrical premiere that was attended by top talent from the industry such as Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane, Rohan Sippy, Shakun Batra, Radhika Apte, Shabana Azmi, Aditi Rao Hydari and fiancee Siddharth, Gul Panag, Jim Sarbh, Kabir Khan, Kiran Rao and Mouni Roy to name a few.
The five young filmmakers, part of MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone, represent the new generation of Indian cinema and its changing landscape. They challenged the norms and created a new form of narrative, both in terms of storytelling as well as the making of it.
Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane and Rohan Sippy, who is known for his stylised films, mentored the five filmmakers: Archana Atul Phadke, Faraz Ali, Prateek Vats, Saumyananda Sahi, and Saurav Rai. Under the sharp guidance of the three stalwarts of Indian cinema, these young filmmakers were encouraged to push the creative boundaries of filmmaking and build strong narratives in a new cinematic format.
Talking about being a part of the mega event, Vishal Bhardwaj said, “It’s exciting to be a part of the MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone project and mentor some of the most talented next-gen filmmakers. While shooting ‘Fursat’ on my iPhone, I found it liberating to be able to change my setting or shoot canvas by simply lifting my iPhone and moving it to another angle! The idea of transforming your imagination into reality by using an iPhone is empowering a whole new generation of filmmakers, and I cannot wait for the world to see all the wonderful films that five of our filmmakers have made using an iPhone and a MacBook Pro.”
Writer and filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane echoed the sentiment and added, “The idea of art meeting technology like iPhone can truly be a game changer and make way for new formats of storytelling. These are exciting times for filmmakers, and what we have been able to achieve through MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone program is special. The world has changed, and so has storytelling, and it’s time for all sorts of experimental storytelling. The five filmmakers who have made films as a part of the programme have done some inspirational work, and I can’t wait for everyone to watch these films.”
Filmmaker Rohan Sippy also shared that he was in “absolute awe” of films which were screened at the event. “Each film has a different form of narrative, rooted in contemporary times. These five filmmakers have poured their hearts and souls into these stories that harness the power of iPhone to create a cinematic experience that will remain with us long after we have finished watching them,” he said.
Films which were screened at the event included Mirage by Archana Atul Phadke, Óbur by Faraz Ali, Jal Tu Jalal Tu by Prateek Vats, A New Life by Saumyananda Sahi and Crossing Borders by Saurav Rai.
All five short films are now exclusively streaming on MAMI Mumbai Film Festival YouTube channel for free.
