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The Communiqué News

MIFF 2022 Begins: Bangladesh to be the ‘country of Focus’

The 17th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for documentary, short fiction and animation films is being hosted at the Films Division complex from May 29 to June 4. The opening ceremony of the one-week festival is taking place at the Nehru Centre, Worli, while the screening of the movies is scheduled to take place at the state-of-the-art auditoriums of the Films Division Complex, which also includes the National Museum of Indian Cinema.


Swati Bhat

Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr. L Murugan and Mumbai International Film Festival's Director Ravinder Bhakar arrived at the venue for the opening ceremony on Sunday evening. The guests were given a grand traditional Marathi welcome at the gate with Shankhs and Sringa playing in the background.

As a fitting tribute to the golden jubilee of the liberation of Bangladesh, it has been made ‘Country of Focus’ during the 17th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF). A special package of 11 films from Bangladesh including critically acclaimed film Hasina- A Daughter’s Tale will be presented at India’s foremost documentary film festival MIFF 2022. The festival starting from Sunday, 29 May 2022 in Mumbai will feature documentary, short fiction and animation films from across the globe.

The films in the ‘Country of Focus’ category from Bangladesh will include the ‘Hasina: A Daughter’s tale’ which depicts the persona of the iconic political figure and its current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Directed by Piplu R Khan, the film has won critical acclaim internationally.

The films in the country focus section trace the memories of Bangladesh liberation war and the sacrifices made by the people of the country for independence.

Films like ‘Not a Penny Not a Gun’, ‘Jolo Guerrilla’ derive their inspiration from 1971 war which liberated Bangladesh from Pakistan. These films detail the pain and agony suffered by Bangladeshi people in their pursuit of freedom. ‘Jothorleena’ directed by Dilara Begum Jolly is a film which follows the extra ordinary life of Bangladeshi writer Roma Chowdhury and her battle against the untold agony inflicted upon her by war. ‘Kaan Pete Roi’ directed by Mofidul Hoque is also a touching portrayal of the ordeal of a Mathematics lecturer who took a bold stand against the atrocities during 1971 war.

Other films like Silence (Nisshobdotar Shohor), directed by Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, Ripples, directed by Suborna Senjutee, Garden Memories directed by Humaira Bilkis and Born Together (Janmsathi) directed by Shabnam Firdousi deal with social issues are among those included in the country focus section.

This year MIFF received a whopping 808 entries from 30 countries, from which 102 movies are selected to be screened at the festival. The Best Documentary received in the entries will be awarded the title of Golden Conch with a cash price of Rs. 10 lakh. In a previous statement, the I&B Ministry stated, "The Best Documentary at the Festival will receive a Golden Conch and ₹10 lakhs as cash prize. Since India is currently celebrating [75 years of independence] Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, in this year’s MIFF edition, a special award will be awarded to the best short film on the theme ‘India@75’."


The latest Tweet by PIB India states, '#MIFF is the oldest & largest film festival for non-feature films in South Asia; It is a perfect platform for documentary filmmakers from all over the world to meet, exchange ideas, co-produce and market documentaries, short and animation films -Union Minister @ianuragthakur





17th MIFF to present array of enlightening master classes

MIFF Campus: Stalwarts like Resul Pookutty, Prasoon Joshi, Subbiah Nalla Muthu and Carter Pilcher to interact with delegates

Pritish Bagdi

From the master of sound, Resul Pookutty to the weaver of words, Prasoon Joshi, from the famed wildlife filmmaker Subbiah Nalla Muthu to the internationally acclaimed short film maker Carter Pilcher, the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) is back with an array of exciting and enlightening sessions with the master of crafts.

The Master classes by the stalwarts being an exclusive part of the film festival will be a major attraction this year. Master classes, immaculately curated by the festival organizers would help delegates to hone their understanding of the art and craft of cinema.

Master class on topics like the involvement of art and ethics to restore a film, the art of storytelling, aesthetics of sound in cinema and animating in India for the world will be a learning experience for budding film makers and cinephiles. Other aspects of film-making such as the Cinema in Post covid era, how OTT platforms are creating huge difference in the making and breaking of the film world and wildlife filmmaking will also be discussed.

The 17th edition of MIFF is all set to welcome aspiring filmmakers, viewers, believers, and thinkers of cinema to become part of these seven extravagant festival days i.e. from 29th May to 04th June, 2022, filled with eagerly awaited events that will hook you up as it proceeds.


List of master-classes to be presented this year at MIFF:

  1. ‘The Art and Ethics of Film Restoration.’ By Shivendra Singh Dungarpur 30 MAY 2022 | 11.30 AM – 1 PM

  2. ‘What Does it take to Qualify your film for the Oscars?’ By Carter Pilcher 30 MAY 2022 | 2 PM – 3.30 PM

  3. ‘Animating in India for the World.’ ( Animation ) by Krishna Mohan Chintapatta & Tirthadip Ghosh 30 MAY 2022 | 3.45 PM – 5.45 PM

  4. Subject: ‘My Creative Process.’ ( Animation ) by Regina Pessoa 31 MAY 2022 | 2 PM – 3.30 PM

  5. Subject: ‘Expanded Cinema from Screens to OTT Platforms – Cinema in Post COVID era.’ By Rizwan Ahamd 1 JUNE 2022 | 11.30 AM – 1 PM

  6. ‘Wildlife Filmmaking As a Career: Wildlife Filmmaking is not a career, It’s a commitment.’ By Subbiah Nalla Muthu 2 JUNE 2022 | 3.45 PM – 5.45 PM

  7. ‘Aesthetics of Sound in Cinema.’ By Resul Pookutty 3 JUNE 2022 | 3.45 PM – 5.45 PM

  8. ‘The Art of Storytelling.’ by Prasoon Joshi ( Date and timing to be finalized)

Children to be part of Mumbai International Film Festival for the first time and for free

MIFF Campus: Animation films ‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ and 'Mighty Little Bheem: I love Taj Mahal' to be screened free for children.

Swati Bhat

The first animation film co-produced by India and Japan ‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ is having its special screening at MIFF. The film is celebrating 30 years since its first launch. Based on the Valmiki's Ramayana, ‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ explores the ‘FUSION’ style of animation that consists of three different schools of animation-Manga from Japan, Disney from the US and Ravi Varma from India. The film is being directed by the legendary Indian animator Ram Mohan and Japanese director Yûgô Sakô and Koichi Saski.



Mighty Little Bheem: I love Taj Mahal, India’s first Netflix original animation serieswill have its world premiere at the festival. Krishna Mohann Chintapatla, an alumni of the Zee Institute of Creative Arts ( ZICA ) with 25 years of experience in the field of Animation film making has directed this epic entertaining film.


When we are celebrating the endless joy of cinema, how can we keep our young creative minds at bay! Yes, for the first time ever children under the age group of 18 are going to be part of 17th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), one of the oldest and largest film festivals for non-feature films in South Asia. Children will get a much coveted opportunity to watch two of the master class animation films ‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ and ‘Mighty Little Bheem: I love Taj Mahal’ at this 17th edition scheduled to be held from 29th May to 04th June 2022 in Mumbai.

The entry for the two films is free and open to all (even if you or your child has not registered as a MIFF delegate, you can attend these two shows). The children can also get a chance to visit the National Museum of Indian Cinema and interact with cine experts at the Films Division venue.

‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ will be screened at 3.45 PM at JB Hall, Films Division Complex on May 31, 2022. Likewise ‘Mighty Little Bheem: I love Taj Mahal’ will be screened at 3.45 PM at Audi-II, Films Division Complex on May 30, 2022.


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