It is that time of the year when the city is buzzing with film and theatre festivals. MAMI festival is in full swing and international filmmakers are in town enjoying the sun and the big screen. This year MAMI is honouring two renowned directors Mani Ratnam and Luca Guadagnino. with the Excellence in Cinema Award. The award honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema and the previous recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, and Chen Kaige.
Mani Ratnam is one of the most celebrated directors from South Asia. His cinema has explored different themes and addressed varied issues. His characters are complex and deeply rooted in a cultural and social context. His most notable movies include Mouna Ragam (1986), Nayakan (1987), Roja (1992), Bombay (1995), Iruvar (1997), Alaipayuthey (2000), Kannathil Muthamittal (2002), Guru (2007), and Ponniyin Selvan (1 & 2).
Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), has brought the best of contemporary world cinema and talent to the city of Mumbai since 1997. With its new expanded vision to spotlight South Asian and South Asian diaspora filmmakers, Jio MAMI becomes the hub for South Asia, discovering and connecting emerging talent to the worldwide festival ecosystem.