The 12th Mumbai Film festival held from 21 to 28th October, 2010 presented 200 films from 58 countries. All international films screened in the main sections were Indian, Asian or world premieres. Mumbai Film Festival is a Reliance Big Entertainment initiative and has the distinction of being the only international film festival in India to be organized by an independent body of practicing film professionals.
The festival films were screened at Chandan Cinema (Juhu) and the adjacent Five screens of PVR Juhu which functioned as the Main Festival Complex, two screens in Metro BIG Cinemas (Marine Lines) & one screen in BIG Cinemas R City (Ghatkopar). The films in the International Competition for the first films of the directors were judged by a five member International Jury headed by Academy Award winner, Hollywood-based filmmaker, screenwriter and producer Jane Campion.
Jury
- Jane Campion (Bright Star, In The Cut, The Piano, Soft Fruit).
- Tanya Seghatchian, the BAFTA Award-winning producer of Pawel Pawlikowski's My Summer Love and produced the first four Harry Potter film series.
- Iranian filmmaker Samira Makhmalbaf.
- South Koren actress Yoon Jeong-Hee known as the greatest of South Korean stars and who recently starred in Lee Chang Dong's acclaimed film "Poetry" screened in Cannes competition.
- National Film Award-winning Indian actor Suhasini Maniratnam.
MAMI's 12th Film festival this year offered an astounding total prize money of Rs 1 crore. The festival also held interesting sidebar events and open forums daily organized by Independent Filmmakers Association.
Acclaimed Director, David Fincher's Social Network opened the Festival on October 21st, 2010.
The festival was divided in Nine Special Sections:
1. International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors
2. Above the Cut
3. World Cinema
4. Real Reel
5. Indian Frame
6. New Faces in Indian Cinema
7. Dimensions Mumbai
8. Celebrate Age
9. Celebration of Japanese Cinema
The 14 Feature Films of first time Directors in the International Competition section from across the world competed for the cash awards of US$ 150,000.
All these young directors were personally present in Mumbai during the Festival. Above the cut presented 14 first feature films of extra ordinary cinematic merit which could not be included in the competition. World Cinema section showcased the best of the crop from around the world during the year. Real Reel presented a selection of the best feature length documentary films from around the world. Indian Frame, as the name indicates, presented a selection of Indian cinema made in one calendar year before the festival dates. This section was meant to be a show window for the best Indian films targeting the foreign delegates, Festival directors, sales agents and co-producers.
New Faces in Indian Cinema was the festival's brand new initiative which screened First and Second Feature Films of the Indian directors and aimed to provide a platform to young emerging Indian filmmakers.
The objective of Dimensions Mumbai was to tease, target and provide a forum to the young creative minds in the city of Mumbai to come up with the best film on any aspect of this metropolis in any format of their choice.
This year in collaboration with Harmony Silvers Foundation, MAMI introduced a brand new competition section "Celebrate Age" which showcased short fiction films, documentaries and feature length films on the concerns, spice, fun and adventure of growing older.
"Celebration of Japanese Cinema" a collection of pristine 35MM prints of 43 films and one special screening of RAN by Kurosawa --- classic as well as contemporary --- were screened providing festival-goers with an unparalleled opportunity to choose from an array of films from one of the most vibrant national cinemas.
This extraordinary showcase was co-organized in collaboration with the Consulate General of Japan in Mumbai and The Japan Foundation. Yoji Yamada's latest film OTOTO opened the Celebration of Japanese Cinema Section. Takashi Koizumi, Kurosawa Akira's first Assistant in the film RAN and an eminent director himself, presented this film to the audience.
MAMI's Film Business Center in its 12th Film Festival aimed to become the finest platform for Indian and International film Industries to come together.
For the first time in any Indian Film Festival all the important Buyers and Sales agents from around the world attended the film festival.
The 12th Mumbai Film Festival organized by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image offered great Academic properties to the participants:
- A master class in Direction and another on performance in films from the director's perspective by Jane Campion, one on direction and another one on performance from the perspective of director.
- Round Table by Oliver Stone with Indian filmmakers.
- A panel discussion "Emerging Directors' moderated by Sooni Tareporevala with Nandita Das, Zoya Akhtar, Sona Jain, Rajshree Ojha, Anusha Rizvi and Leena Yadav.
- Seminar on Japanese Cinema moderated by Aruna Vasudev
- Daily open forum conducted by Indian Independent Filmmakers Worldwide
- Daily press conferences and interviews.
Awards
The Indian Lifetime Achievement award was given to Manoj Kumar and International Lifetime Achievement award was given to Oilver Stone. After receiving the award Manoj Kumar said, "Oilver Stone was Oliver Stone until he came to India, after landing he became a precious gem and priceless stone." In turn Oliver thanked Mumbai, the Festival and Manoj Kumar for his kind words and said "India has great culture, you make great movies and I am honored to accept this award."
The Golden Gateway Award for the best film in the international competition category was presented to Turkish film Majority directed by Seren Yüce. The award was presented by director Girish Kasarvalli and Festival jury member Samira Makhmalbaf.
The Silver Gateway Award Jury Grand Prize film in the international competition category was presented to the Danish film "R" directed by Michael Noer & Tobias Lindholm.
The Silver Gateway Award for best director was presented to Anocha Suwichakornpong for her film from Thailand Mundane History. Anocha was the only female director competing in the international competition category.
The silver gateway award for best actor was presented to Bartu Kucukcaglayan for his performance in the film Majority. The silver gateway award for best actress was presented to Marie Hélène Bellavance for her performance in Canadian film Vital Signs.
The Jury award for Technical Excellence was presented to a Greek film Black Field directed by Vardis Marinakis.
The Audience Choice Silver Gateway Award was presented to Spanish-Mexican film Biutiful directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
In the Dimensions Mumbai section the Best Film award was won by Mumbaikar Ganesh directed by Collin D'cunha. The runner up position was shared by two films Tee directed by Avinash Medhe and Mera Ghar directed by Abhay Kumar. Mumbai Retina directed by Narayan Vijay Thakur won the special mention award. Dimensions Mumbai was juried by Dev Benegal, Bishaka Dutta, Ashim Ahluwalia, Brahmanand Singh and Manish Acharya.
The Harmony Celebrate Age was presented to Mama Gogo directed by Fridrik Thor Fridriksson and the runner up prize was given to Forget Me Not directed by Katia Grivot.
The Mumbai young critics Silver Gateway Award was given to Octubre directed by Daniel Vega & Diego Vega.
The closing ceremony witnessed great participation from the film industry with the likes of Yash Chopra, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Sudhir Mishra, Madhur Bhandarkar, Arunoday Singh, Satish Kaushik, Prem Chopra, Hrishita Bhatt, Rituparno Sengupta, Rajshree Ojha, Aamir Bashir.
The ceremony was followed by the screening of Red starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Mary Louise Parker and John Malkovich and directed by Robert Schwentke.
List of films screened at the 12th Mumbai Film Festival
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