The first edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival (CIFF) has unveiled an exciting lineup of 20 projects that will participate in its accompanying market. These projects, consisting of 17 feature films and three series, showcase the talent and creativity of renowned creators both internationally and within South Asia.
A Diverse Range of Projects
One of the standout projects is “To Hell With Love”, an unconventional romance in Hindi and English-language from acclaimed Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, known for his Busan title “Something Like an Autobiography”. Alankrita Srivasttava, the Tokyo winner for “Lipstick Under My Burkha”, brings us “Girls of Orlem”, an English and Hindi-language drama based on Lindsay Pereira’s bestselling novel “Gods and Ends”. Meanwhile, Gurvinder Singh, the director behind Cannes selections “The Fourth Direction” and Venice title “Alms for a Blind Horse”, is preparing the historical thriller series “The Trial” in Hindi, Punjabi, and English.
Other notable projects include “JACK”, a thrilling film by Bhaskar Hazarika, director of Tribeca selection “Aamis”. Don Palathara’s folk thriller “Chhaal” (“The Skin”), adapted from a story by Vijayan Detha, and “Encounter” by Anurag Singh, a drama-thriller in Punjabi and Hindi languages. Atika Chohan’s “Husky” is a drama in Hindi, Chhattisgarhi, and English, while Ayappa K.M.’s “Peach No. 15” is a dark and funny thriller series in Hindi and English.
A Showcase of Talent and Themes
The Cinevesture market also features a range of projects with unique narratives and themes. Bauddhayan Mukherji’s “The Bookkeeper’s Wife” is a Hindi-language drama, while Deepa Bhatia makes her feature debut with “Sacred”, a thought-provoking film challenging gender concepts. “Lalita” by Disha Rindani is another Hindi-language drama that explores gender concepts, and Fahad Mustafa presents “Laali”, his debut Hindi-language drama-thriller.
“Dhundh Saleti” (“The Whispering Fog”) is the debut feature by Jasmine Kaur and Avinash Roy, a drama in Hindi and Punjabi. Kimsi Singh’s hybrid docu-drama series “Schooled Abroad” is an intriguing project in multiple languages, including Hindi, English, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Telugu. Nihaarika Negi’s “Feral” falls under the elevated horror genre and is in English and Kinnauri languages, while Randeep Jha brings us the Hindi-language thriller “April Mein Shootout”. Roopal Kewalya’s debut feature “Tigdi aka 3-SUM”, a Hindi-language chick flick, promises to be a delightful watch. Sona Jain’s whimsical romance “Miss Kumari” is in Hindi and Hinglish languages.
Showcasing Emerging Talent and Mentorship Projects
In addition to the 20 projects, the Cinevesture market also showcases three mentorship projects. Priyankar Patra’s Hindi-language drama “Representatives” is produced by Aditya Vikram Sengupta, winner at the Venice Film Festival for “Labour of Love”. Shivika Jain’s Hindi-language short film drama “Chanda” and Suyash Kamat’s Konkani-language “The Untimely Death of Leanne’s Dog” are other standout projects belonging to the coming-of-age/slice of life/comedy genre.
Cinevesture: A Gateway for Investors and Creators
The festival and market will take place from March 27-31 in Chandigarh, Punjab, northern India. The Cinevesture market aims to foster connections between investors and curated projects, offering a platform for filmmakers to engage with exhibitors and distributors. The event is organized by Cinevesture Pvt. Ltd., founded by Nina Lath, who brings her extensive experience from previously heading South Asia’s largest co-production market, Film Bazaar, from 2006 to 2018.
Supporting the Festival
The Cinevesture International Film Festival is supported by the Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh, the Department of Tourism Chandigarh, and the Chandigarh Administration. V.S. Kundu, former head of the National Films Division of India, serves as the festival director, while Bina Paul, an industry veteran, takes on the role of artistic director. The festival’s advisory board includes Jerome Paillard, former director of the Cannes film market, Indian actor and producer Rana Daggubati, Nicole Guillemet, former co-director of the Sundance Film Festival, and Indian filmmaker Ajitpal Singh.
Namrata Joshi, the CIFF market curator, shared her enthusiasm for the event’s project selection, stating that it is “fun, fearless, female, and full-on Punjab”. The projects span various stages of development, with some seeking funding for research and script development, while others are ready to go into production. The majority of the projects are by and/or focused on women, featuring filmmaking talent from Punjab or being set in the state. The selected projects explore class divides, conflicts, and queer identity issues, showcasing a diverse range of genres, including action, thrillers, drama, romance, and horror.
For more information about the festival and market, visit F5mag.com.
Source link: Variety