Mumbai, Oct 26 (IANS) From the French lesbian coming-of-age story to the power crisis in Kanpur, this year’s Mumbai Film Festival, which concluded Thursday, presented a bouquet of films from different parts of the world that managed to entertain as well inspire audiences.
IANS lists top ten films of the fest:
– “Katiyabaaz”: One of the funniest as well stimulating films of the fest was “Katiyabaaz”, which revolves around the power crisis in Kanpur, where most underprivileged people steal electricity for a living. Directed by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa, the documentary features real-life actors and boasts a very quirky narrative. While trying to appear funny, it addresses one of the biggest problems of our country in the most admirable fashion.
– “The Past”: Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi proved his mettle with Academy Award winning film “A Separation”. Dealing with another story about complex human relationships, his new film “The Past” focuses on three key characters that are unable to forget their past, and therefore, struggle to move forward.
– “A Touch of Sin”: A modern take on how economic China is being gradually eroded by violence, Chinese crime-drama “A Touch of Sin” presents four stories that have violence and murder in common.
– “Blue is the Warmest Color”: The Winner of Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival, “Blue is the Warmest Color” is the coming-of-age story of two lesbians. The film throws the spotlight on extreme human desire and what happens when it’s not fulfilled. The strong use of graphic sex subtly highlights the thin line of divide between pleasure and pain.
– “Bad Hair”: A heartwarming story about young Junior, who is obsessed with getting rid of his curly hair for a perfect school picture, “Bad Hair” is one of the underrated films of the fest. This multilayered human drama focuses on the relationship between Junior, who struggles to express his views and his single mother.
– “Siddharth”: Inspired by a true story, “Siddharth” is a film about restoring hope. When 12-year-old Siddharth mysteriously goes missing, his father, who barely makes ends meet, sets out on a journey to find him. The film is shot very well in realistic locations with the help of guerrilla filmmaking.
– “Inside Llewyn Davis”: Directors Coen brothers return with a bang with this story about 1960s folk musician Llewyn Davis. With emphasis on the struggling career of Llewyn, the film which is a part biographical and part fiction is shouldered strongly by its lead cast Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan.
– “Ilo Ilo”: Singapore’s official entry to Oscar’s this year; “Ilo Ilo” is about events that unfold within a family when a Filipino woman enters. The film is backed by some wonderful performances featuring Yeo Yann Yann.
– “Qissa”: Featuring a very strong cast of Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra and Rasika Duggal, “Qissa” was one of the best films of the fest. Set in post-colonial India, the film is about a family that was forced to flee its village due to ethical cleansing. The twist in the film is something to look forward to if you’re planning to watch.
– “The Rocket”: This Australian humanist drama focuses on the story of a young boy who is believed to be cursed, and therefore, is always hated by everyone around him. How far will the boy go to prove that he is not cursed?