The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) has selected four Indian filmmakers to create a short film, ‘My Melbourne’ that will premiere at IFFM 2021.
The four notable directors are Kabir Khan, Rima Das, Onir and Imtiaz Ali. They will be collaborating with Victorian filmmaking teams to make short films on race, disability, gender and sexuality. They will be allocated a set budget for production and the directors will mentor and supervise the development of the original stories via online workshops. The directors will travel to Melbourne for the shoot once the national lockdown is lifted and international travel is allowed.
Acclaimed director Rima Das expressed her gratitude saying, “It’s an honour to receive this invitation. It’s essential for filmmakers to examine the world around them from the prism of its socio-political context. The short film will allow us to bring in authentic lived-in stories that often get lost in popular culture.”
National award winning director Onir said, “The role of a filmmaker I believe is to trigger a dialogue. The world we are living in calls for fresh discussions on inclusivity and diversity to reiterate strong value systems for our audiences. I am glad for the opportunity and hope it’s a step in the right direction.”
Renowned filmmaker Kabir Khan also expressed his excitement saying, “Celebration of our diversity is a dialogue that should be fostered in current times. In the post-pandemic world, being one with each other in a community should be the single most important takeaway. The virus has shown us the futility of everything else. I am excited at the opportunity presented by IFFM and looking forward to the experience.”
And notable director Imtiaz Ali said, “The last few months have been full of life lessons for all of us. Viewing stories of identity in the context of the diverse society that we are all a part of is quintessential for us to chart our path ahead. I am looking forward to meeting a new set of people and understanding their life stories for the screen.”
This is an incredible achievement for India and an exciting opportunity for these acclaimed and immensely talented filmmakers.
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