Aditi Ahuja
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OTT and film festivals haven’t been the best of friends, especially after what happened at the Cannes film festival in 2017. Netflix had participated with two of its original offerings in the 2017 edition of the film, but the Cannes jury barred them from participating in future until they would commit to a theatrical release across France. Moreover, there had to be a 36-month gestation period between the theatrical release and streaming release, which Netflix couldn’t commit to.
Read: Deepika Padukone Appointed As 21st Chairperson Of MAMI Film Festival
But all that is now history, as the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI) announced that they will be screening a total of six different titles from across Netflix’ original offerings! Moreover, The Two Popes director Fernando Meirelles will present the films at the festival and also hold a masterclass. Anupama Chopra, who is the Festival Director at MAMI film festival, said –
Having Fernando Meirelles at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star to talk about his work is exciting and inspiring for the entire film and entertainment community. Services such as Netflix enable stories from around the globe to reach and be consumed by audiences everywhere. We are excited to explore the wonderful worlds that special Netflix titles will bring us at the festival this year.
The festival will be held in Mumbai from 17th to 24th October, and here are the six Netflix films that will be seen as part of the festival line-up.
1. Atlantics
The story of a 17-year-old girl, Ada, from the city of Dakar, who has fallen in love with Souleiman, a young construction worker. She has been betrothed to another man, but tragedy befalls her wedding and a mysterious fever plagues the citizens of the country. Is it because Souleiman has returned? Ada has to find out.
2. Bikram
Bikram is a documentary based on the life of the founder-guru of controversial concept of ‘hot yoga’, Bikram Choudhary. The film tracks the time when Bikram arrived in Beverly Hills from Kolkata, India in the early 1970’s, and he soon attained celebrity-like status. His reputation was temporarily marred by allegations of sexual abuse, resulting in several lawsuits piling up against his name. The film is directed by Academy Award winner Eva Orner.
3. I Lost My Body
Selected by the Cannes Jury to be screened in the Critics’ Week, I Lost My Body is about an experiment in a Parisian laboratory. A severed hand escaped its unhappy fate to reconnect with its body, battling rats and pigeons on its way to reunite with its owner, pizza boy Naoufel. The hand also has memories of Naoufel’s love for librarian Gabrielle, which sets a poetic backdrop for their possible reunion.
4. Marriage Story
What happens when a marriage breaks up and a family attempts to stay together? Marriage Story is a shockingly vivid portrayal of exactly this. Starring Scarlett Johannson and Adam Driver, the film has been directed by Academy Award winning director Noah Baumbach.
5. The Irishman
With a stellar cast comprising Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman is a tale of organised crime, its inner workings, rivalries and connections to mainstream politics in post-war America. Tracing a journey spanning decades, the film brings to life one of America’s greatest unsolved mysteries – that of the disappearance of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa.
6. The Two Popes
Read: The Two Popes Starring Anthony Hopkins And Jonathan Pryce Reveal The Secrets Of The Vatican
The Two Popes is an intimate story of what goes on behind the walls of the Vatican, as the current Pope and his successor battle it out with elements from their past to create a future for their followers. There is scandal and self-doubt as Pope Benedict reveals to his prodigy a secret that will shake the very foundations of Catholic Church from within.
