The Mumbai Film Festival has announced that Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt, will open this year’s edition of the festival (Oct 13-20), while Dolphin Tale, a family drama starring Morgan Freeman, will close the event.
India premieres at the festival also include Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia, The Whistle Blower starring Rachel Weiz, George Clooney’s The Ides Of March and Pina directed by Wim Wenders.
A total of 14 films have been selected for the International Competition for first-time directors, including Pablo Giorgelli’s Las Acacias, Julia Leigh’s Sleeping Beauty and Michael by Markus Schleinzer.
The festival also features two other competition sections – Dimensions Mumbai and Harmony Celebrate Age. A total of $200,000 will be handed out in the three competition sections. The previously announced jury of the international competition is headed by Hugh Hudson and also includes Roger Spottiswoode, Jerzy Skolimowski and Na-Hong Jin.
Other highlights of the festival include tributes to cinematic legends Shammi Kapoor, M.F.Hussain and Mani Kaul, who passed away this year, with a special screening of their works.
In addition, a film retrospective of Hugh Hudson’s works will be screened, including Revolution Revisited and I Dreamed of Africa. Noted poet, lyricist, writer and director Gulzar will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The festival will also host a special section in collaboration with Unifrance, Embassy of France in India and Consulate General of France in Mumbai which will screen the best of New French Cinema.
Another highlight includes a special presentation by Lee Yong Kwan, director of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), who will present a selection of the latest Asian films from BIFF.
The festival will also host the Mumbai Film Mart for Indian and international buyers and sellers, while the Indo-German Script Development Workshop, featuring speakers such as Dani Levy, Ashutosh Gowarikar and Thorsten Schulz, will be held Oct 11-13 just before the festival.
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