The MAMI film festival in Mumbai is like a Disneyland for the cinephiles. The film festival that happens for a week in October brings a curation of some best films from across the globe. This was my second year at MAMI and well, I yet again got to witness some of the most beautiful stories and performances on the big screen. Here’s a list of my top 5 films at MAMI that I would definitely recommend to everyone.
1. All We Imagine As Light By Payal Kapadia
The Grand Prix winner at the Academy Award was the opening film at MAMI Film Festival 2024. This film by Payal Kapadia showcases the hardships of living in Mumbai. Starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam, the story revolves around three migrant nurses in Mumbai and their journey of self-discovery amid the hustle-bustle of the city. The lead cast is brilliant and so is the writing. Mumbai’s grim and dark sides are perfectly captured by the director. All We Imagine As Light is a simple but thought-provoking film that should not be missed!
2. Girls Will Be Girls By Shuchi Talati
Another moving, fun and hard-hitting watch at MAMI was Girls Will Be Girls starring Preeti Panigrahi, Kani Kusruti and Kesav Binoy Kirron. The film is about a teenage girl Mira studying at a boarding school. Girls Will Be Girls beautifully shows Mira’s first experience with high-school romance, s*xual awakening, the butterflies in her stomach and well, the heartbreak. The film also tells a parallel story of Mira’s troubled relationship with her mother (Kani Kusruti) and this part has been dealt with so much sensitivity and understanding. The brilliant performances are just the cherry on the cake. And I am still not over the last scene in this film, it was the perfect end!
3. Angammal by Vipin Radhakrishnan
What a watch and I cannot recommend it enough! Angammal is a Tamil film starring Sudhahar Das, Geetha Kailasam and Mullaiyarasi. The story revolves around a son trying to convince his mother to wear a blouse. Well, as simple as that may sound, it is not. The protagonist Angammal does not fit to the standard definition of being feminine. This bothers her son and he kinda feels ashamed of introducing his mother to a city girl who he is in love with. This one-of-a-kind story, unmatched performances and eye-pleasing shots of the village, each element of this film had me hooked!
4. Agents Of Happiness By Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbo
This was quite an eye-opener for me. The Bhutanese film starring Sarita Chhetri, Dophu Dem and Amber Kumar Gurung is about two agents who go around Bhutan to survey the country’s happiness index. Well, the film leaves you thinking how shallow it is to judge a person’s happiness based on a few general questions. This film was a unique watch that should go on your watchlist.
5. The Substance By Coralie Fargeat
Well, this film may have been recommended to you by many. The Substance stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, and it’s not for the faint-hearted! The film is about a celebrity who turns to a substance to revive her youthful self, but things go haywire after the side effects happen. The film is gory and dark but is a haunting take on the unrealistic beauty standards set for women. The lead performances stay with you a little longer because the impact is hard! Add this to your list!
6. Anora By Sean Baker
Ended the memorable MAMI Film Festival with a rather interesting watch. Anora is a film about a stripper who falls in love with a rich Russian guy, clearly unknown to the troubles coming her way after the two young adults decide to get married in Las Vegas. It’s a chaotic film with situational comedy, and watching this combination after a very long time was quite an experience for me. Mikey Madison’s performance as Anora cannot be described in words because she was absolutely remarkable. The last scene was quite hard-hitting and it felt like the film came to complete circle. Anora by Sean Baker shouldn’t be missed!
Other films that I couldn’t catch this year but many cinephiles during the festival were talking about it were- Kill The Jockey, Emilia Pérez, Santosh, Armand, Kneecap and Nocturnes!