Imtiaz Ali, Rima Das, Onir, Kabir Khan
My MelbourneAn anthology of short films by filmmakers Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Onir and Rima Das will serve as the opening film at the 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).
The 2024 edition of the film festival will be held from August 15 to 25 in Melbourne, showcasing a diverse range of films that celebrate the rich heritage of Indian cinema, the organisers said in a statement.
My Melbourne It is an Indo-Australian collaboration, supported by the Victorian Government’s screen agency VicScreen and Screen Australia.
Inspired by true events, this anthology film focuses on the city of Melbourne, with each short film exploring themes of race, gender, sexuality and disability.
The shorts include Emma By slave, Jules By Ali, nandini Onir and Setara By Khan.
Das, whose film deals with the theme of disability, said he has tried to keep it “authentic and real”.
He said, “We worked with senior actors and relatively new actors, including members of the deaf community. I am happy with the result and look forward to seeing how the audience takes the film. I hope it starts a conversation about how we can be more inclusive in all areas of life, including the arts, and welcome diverse perspectives and narratives, especially from people with disabilities.”
Ali said he was deeply moved by the story of two very different but displaced women from Melbourne.
“Bringing the film to life with the brightest and most diverse group of young, local minds proved to be a huge learning experience for me. I could share my insights and freely test my ideas with the various creative voices that were part of the team and we all came away enriched with the amazing ‘My Melbourne’ experience. Hope you like our article – Jules In My Melbourne,” He said.
Onir said My Melbourne It is a film that celebrates Melbourne’s identity.
He added, “It is a place that embraces diversity and celebrates inclusiveness. The film captures this essence through various migrant experiences.”
Khan said his film is the story of Setara, who escapes from Afghanistan and comes to Melbourne.
“True stories that showcase the triumph of the human spirit have always held a special fascination for me. Setara’s extraordinary escape from Afghanistan to Melbourne and the sense of belonging he felt through cricket made this story important for me to tell.
“Working alongside local emerging creative people and the amazing girls cricket teams from Melbourne made it an even more authentic and amazing experience,” she said.
