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Tag: Berlin Film Festival

  • Red Lorry rolls out with September 5 as opening film at festival

    Red Lorry rolls out with September 5 as opening film at festival

    MUMBAI: The Red Lorry Film Festival is shifting into high gear, opening with the critically acclaimed September 5, a tense, true-to-life thriller directed by Tim Fehlbaum. Hosted by Bookmyshow, India’s premier international film festival will set the stage with this Academy Award-nominated film that dives into one of modern media’s most tension-filled moments, the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis.

    Blurring the lines between history and cinema, September 5 reconstructs the gripping real-time coverage by Abc Tv, transporting audiences straight into the nerve-wracking newsroom that found itself reporting on an unfolding tragedy. Featuring a stellar cast including John Magaro, Leonie Benesch, Peter Sarsgaard, Ben Chaplin, and Benjamin Walker, the film seamlessly integrates archival footage, bringing an unparalleled level of authenticity to the screen.

    “September 5 is a testament to human resilience and the power of storytelling. Opening the Red Lorry Film Festival with such a film reflects our vision of curating globally significant narratives that inspire and challenge audiences,” said Bookmyshow COO for cinemas Ashish Saksena.

    Beyond September 5, the festival’s stellar lineup promises a cinematic feast with contemporary award-winning films like Anora and The Last Showgirl, timeless classics like Pretty Woman, Karz, and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and premieres fresh from the Berlin Film Festival. With over 120 films spanning languages, genres, and cultures, this year’s festival expands its footprint with Red Lorry: Take 2 in Mumbai and the all-new Parallel Verse in Hyderabad.

    Running from  21 to 23 March 2025, the festival invites cinephiles to book their tickets exclusively on Bookmyshow, starting at Rs 750. With a promise of unforgettable storytelling, the Red Lorry Film Festival, powered by Bookachange, continues its mission of empowering emerging artists and celebrating the transformative power of cinema.

  • Kukunoor bags Grand Prix for children’s film at Berlinale

    Kukunoor bags Grand Prix for children’s film at Berlinale

    NEW DELHI: International award-winning filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dhanak (Rainbow) has won the Grand Prix for Best Feature given by the International Jury in the Generation KPlus section for children, as well as a Special Mention of the Children’s Jury in the same section, at the Berlin Film Festival.

     

    Kukunoor has directed and written the film, which is a fable-like story of a young girl in Rajasthan who is determined to have vision restored to her blind brother before his ninth birthday.

     

    “This dynamically-directed film delivers joy and heartbreak in equal measure – the young brother and sister at its heart and the unbreakable love between them is irresistible… Filled with colour, magic, music, spontaneity and a plenty of emotion, this film lives up to its name and delivers a celebration of life to savor long after the end credits roll,” a statement from the International Jury said.

     

    Dhanak, produced by Manish Mundra, also won prize money of 7,500 euros that comes with the Grand Prix. 

     

    This is Kukunoor’s 14th film since Hyderabad Blues. He was on the red carpet at the Berlin Film Festival along with Mundra, co-producer Elahe Hiptoola, sound designer Vipin Bhati and music composer Tapas Relia.

     

    “Actually when I met Manish, I went to pitch a film about a boxer,” Kukunoor recalled. “In passing, I also mentioned a small, sweet film – as a filler – about a brother and sister set in Rajasthan, and he said let’s do this one.” 

     

    Mundra grew up in Jodhpur and for Kukunoor too, it is the third film in Rajasthan after Dor and Yeh Honsla. “I am repeatedly drawn to Rajasthan because I’m fascinated by how small and insignificant humans become in vast open spaces,” said the director. “The moment I had this image of a brother and sister against the desert landscape, I rushed to my computer and wrote the script right away. I couldn’t stop,” he added.

     

    Dhanak also conveys a message. “I wanted to say that life is good and there are good people too. When I was growing up in Hyderabad, you could trust people. You could go over to a stranger’s house and they would be kind to you. WithDhanak, I’m kind of returning to my childhood and a kinder world,” Kukunoor said.

     

    Kukunoor’s work reveals a lively keenness to experiment with genres and subjects, varying wildly from homegrown romance Hyderabad Blues to thrillers Teen Deewarein and 8×10 Tasveer, inspirational drama Iqbal, to Dhanak. “The process of filmmaking is what I live for, and the day the print comes out, my fun ends,” said the director. 

     

    One of the revelations of Dhanak is how confidently its young blind protagonist moves, unlike the cane-tapping, champion hobblers of Bollywood. Kukunoor says he knew he wanted to make it as a road movie, so he needed to know “how the kid moves.” 

     

    Kukunoor said, “I’m extremely impatient and immediately asked my assistant director Ranjeet Jha to bring me phone camera footage of blind children. He followed some blind kids in the slums of Ghatkopar. The blind kids moved so fast and confidently, not stumbling or even touching walls, I said, ‘Wow, what the hell is this?’ The characters, featuring Krrish Chhabria and Hetal Gada, were worked out accordingly.” 

     

    For the success of Dhanak, Kukunoor duly credits co-producer Elahe Hiptoola. “Elahe is always invaluable. I had hired her as an actress two days before we shot Hyderabad Blues, but her skills were so good, she was an assistant director on Hyderabad Blues, and then we formed SIC Productions, and she has been my creative producer since. She totally gets my back, above and beyond the call of duty.”

  • 10 Indian films in Berlinale, Bimal Julka meets stakeholders to promote India as film destination

    10 Indian films in Berlinale, Bimal Julka meets stakeholders to promote India as film destination

    NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry is to enter into negotiations with countries for promoting the platform of Co-production Audio Visual Agreements in an effort to ensure that India emerges as a viable Filming Destination.

     

    While a number of agreements had been signed, the broad framework of outlining such agreements had been shared with a number of countries, I&B Secretary Bimal Julka said in his deliberations with key stakeholders representing different film platforms at the Berlin Film Festival. 

     

    In his interaction with various film bodies and makers, Julka gave an overview of the Single Window Clearance mechanism drawn up in view of constraints faced by agencies for obtaining permission for film shooting in India. Julka said this platform had been created with the objective to establish a single window for film makers seeking permission for filming of feature films, short films and TV programmes. A Standard Operating Procedure had been put in place to facilitate the process and discussions were on to establish a dedicated web portal for this mechanism. 

     

    Julka said India’s co-production agreements were unique as they offered multiple benefits to foreign film producers. Any agreement to this effect enabled foreign producers to harness the strengths of India’s film prowess namely its technically qualified manpower, pool of talented actors and a multitude of shooting locations.

     

    Co-production agreements also enabled the films to be treated as National Films and thereby be eligible for National Film Awards and the Indian Panorama Section of the International Film Festival of India. The release of such films through Indian distribution network enabled coproduction to open up to Indian consumer market to the foreign producers. The Indian films industry also benefited by the profiling of shooting locations, generation of direct employment and encouragement to film tourism. 

     

    On the objective of participation and showcasing the industry at the India pavilion, Julka said it was to promote Indian films across linguistic cultural and regional diversity so as to forge an increasing number of international partnerships in the realms of distribution, production, filming in India, script development and technology, thereby accelerating the growth of film sector in India. Several networking sessions keeping in mind the future roadmap of the film industry had been planned. These included coproduction, single window clearance for filming in India, animation, gaming and visual effects, role of film schools in development of cinema and documentary movement in India. 

     

    Regarding the India Film Guide released during the Festival, he said the publication was an effort to brand the identity of the Indian film industry and commemorate the celebration of 100 years of Indian Cinema. It provided an opportunity for various stakeholders to understand the nuances of the Indian film industry and international players at the European film market. This publication was an effort to reiterate the role of the Ministry as a facilitator keeping in mind the liberal policies in the media and entertainment industry. The publication also outlined the key policy initiatives and processes under the ambit of the film sector. 

     

    Ten Indian films will be screened in the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. Indian films screened officially at Berlinale include Imtiaz Ali`s Highway (Panorama), Jayan Cherian`s Papilio Buddha (Panorama), Pushpenra Singh`s Lajwanti (Forum), Jessica Sadana and Samarth Dixit`s Prabhat Pheri (Forum), Avinash Arun`s Killa (Generation), Gaurav Saxena`s Rangrez (Native), and two films Mount Song, Blood Earth (Forum Expanded) among others. The iconic Satyajit Ray`s Nayak (Berlinale Classics) and Mani Kaul`s Ghasiram Kotwal (Forum) will be screened at Berlin in restored prints. In addition, Overdose is in the Co-Production Market and three people in the Berlinale Talent section. 

  • Ken Loach to receive Berlin Film Festivals lifetime achievement Golden Bear

    Ken Loach to receive Berlin Film Festivals lifetime achievement Golden Bear

    MUMBAI: The 64th Berlin Film Festival will pay tribute to British director Ken Loach with an honorary Golden Bear at a presentation ceremony that will feature a screening of his 1993 Cannes Jury Prize winner Raining Stones.

     

    One of Loach’s early successes, Cathy Come Home, aired on the BBC in 1966, drawing 12 million viewers. The docudrama about a young working-class family that slides into homelessness and is subsequently separated, received such an influx of support at the time that it crashed the BBC switchboard.

     

    Among other highlights of the director’s oeuvre are Land And Freedom (1995), My Name Is Joe (1998), Bread And Roses (2000), The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006), Looking For Eric (2009) and 2012 comedy The Angel’s Share. He has appeared in Berlin several times, most recently with 2013’s The Spirit Of 45. The Berlinale will run a retrospective of 10 of Loach’s films to commemorate the award.

     

  • Rescheduling of Rome Fest’s dates pushed back

    Rescheduling of Rome Fest’s dates pushed back

    MUMBAI: After problems with the plan arose in recent days, plans to delay the International Rome Film Festival to late November may be put on the back burner till next year.

    The plan to change Rome’s dates so that the festival could serve as a mid-way point between the end of the Toronto Film Festival in September and February’s Berlin Film Festival was the idea of former Venice Film Festival artistic director Marco Mueller, who is expected to take up position as Rome fest’s new artistic director soon.

    But the plan has run into road blocks including scheduling conflicts with the Parco della Musica venue that is the centerpiece of the festival and a plea from officials at the Turin Film Festival, where its 30th edition is set to take place from 25 November to 3 December.

    Italian newspapers reported that Turin mayor Piero Fassino asked Rome counterpart Gianni Alemanno to postpone the change in dates for the Rome festival until next year to which the latter agreed.

  • Gattu wins Berlinale special mention

    Gattu wins Berlinale special mention

    MUMBAI: Rajan Khosa‘s film Gattu has been honoured with a special mention at the 62nd Berlin film festival. The film, produced by the Children‘s Film Society of India, won the award in the Generation KPlus category in which films meant for children are screened.


    Khosa said in a statement, “I‘m very thrilled. To children, I wish to say, believe in your dreams against all odds and your dreams will come true. And to adults, I wish to say, make sure all across the world, that no child remains on the street, but in the trustful environment of the school.”


    The film is portrayal of India‘s have-nots and the dreams of children living in want. Gattu, an 82 minute-feature, is a charming look at a street boy whose passion for flying kites gets him into the stickiest of situations.


    The director narrates Gattu in a way that is neither condescending nor preachy, while holding the attention of both the young and the older audiences through the right notes of pain and hope.


    Khosa had earlier won a Special Mention from the young people‘s jury at Berlin with his debut feature Dance of the Wind in 1997.


    “It is a proud moment for all of us in CFSI. Berlinale is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world and the little street urchin Gattu won many a heart by his witty pranks and his determination to fulfill his dream,” commented CFSI CEO Sushovan Banerjee.


    Earlier, Farhan Akhtar‘s Don 2 had a special gala screening at the Berlinale.