Pranav Birje | Senior Correspondent
The 15th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) opened in spectacular fashion last night with the premiere of the anthology film “My Melbourne”. The event saw the presence of some of India’s most esteemed filmmakers, including Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan, and Rima Das, who served as mentors on this ambitious project.
My Melbourne is an anthology of short films that brings together four prolific Indian filmmakers—Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Onir, and Rima Das—to explore themes of race, gender, sexuality, and disability. Each short film is inspired by stories of several migrants and people that belong and make the fabric of a city they call home. Each of these stories reflects the diverse, inclusive spirit that both the city of Melbourne and the festival embody.
The opening ceremony began with the traditional Indian lamp-lighting, symbolizing the start of the festival. The premiere witnessed a plethora of Indian stars and directors who graced the opening night ceremony. From Kartik Aaryan to Rajkumar Hirani to Karan Johar to Malaika Arora.
Mitu Bhowmik Lange, Festival Director, along with the filmmakers and other Victorian delegates, inaugurated the festival with great fanfare.
In her opening remarks, Mitu Bhowmik Lange expressed her enthusiasm for the festival’s 15th edition, stating, “This year’s opening night film, My Melbourne, perfectly encapsulates the essence of what the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne stands for—diversity, inclusivity, and storytelling that transcends boundaries. There’s a real democratisation of content at the moment which has helped us to make the film in 5 languages. These are all very important stories that our important directors have picked carefully. It’s an honor to have such distinguished filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan, Rima Das, and Onir contributing to this unique project that highlights the vibrant culture of Melbourne”.
Kabir Khan added, “On behalf of the Hindi film industry I’m grateful. We got to work with such incredible cast and crew on the film. It was a brand new format for me and the learning experience was so enriching on the sets of this film. We drew inspiration from stories of people who live in Melbourne and for me it was such an honour to meet Setara and tell her story on celluloid”.
Imtiaz Ali concluded, “I feel it was me who truly learnt on this film. It felt like going back to school and learning something brand new each day. It was incredible honour to work with everyone on this project and truly collaborate together”.
With the opening night concluded, the festival will run till 25th August, 2024, featuring a wide array of films that celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of Indian cinema.
