April 19, 2024, Mumbai: Using an iPhone, filmmakers Saurav Rai, Prateek Vats, Saumyananda Sahi, Faraz Ali, Archana Atul Phadke, and Saumyananda Sahi create layered and visually appealing stories.
Last year, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival debuted a special program called “MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone,” which provided a platform for a gifted group of up-and-coming filmmakers from MAMI Alumni to reimagine conventional cinematic conventions through the creation of excellent short films that were edited on a MacBook Pro and shot on an iPhone 15 Pro Max. A few months later, these five short films had an exclusive theatrical premiere, which was attended by prominent members of the industry, including fiancee Siddharth, Gul Panag, Jim Sarbh, Kabir Khan, Kiran Rao, and Mouni Roy, as well as Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane, Rohan Sippy, Shakun Batra, Radhika Apte, Shabana Azmi, and Aditi Rao Hydari. The movies are currently only available for viewing on the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival YouTube account. Link to YouTube Playlist
The directors symbolize the new wave of Indian cinema and its evolving scene!
The five up-and-coming directors who are a part of MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone symbolize the new wave of Indian cinema and its evolving scene. They broke with convention and invented a whole new kind of narrative—both in terms of telling and creating it. The five filmmakers were mentored by renowned writer, director, and producer Vikramaditya Motwane; award-winning short film director and producer Vishal Bhardwaj; and renowned stylist Rohan Sippy, whose stylized films are well-known. The filmmakers were Archana Atul Phadke, Faraz Ali, Prateek Vats, Saumyananda Sahi, and Saurav Rai. These up-and-coming directors were inspired to push the artistic boundaries of filmmaking and craft compelling narratives in novel cinematic formats by the shrewd mentoring of the three titans of Indian cinema.
Anupama Chopra says our aim is to create an ecosystem that facilitates independent filmmakers
“At MAMI, our aim is to create an ecosystem that facilitates independent filmmakers by creating collaboration opportunities for new work and showcasing it to a larger audience,” Anupama Chopra, Festival Director of MAMI, commented on this. We are excited for the world to witness these films, which were edited on a MacBook Pro and shot on an iPhone, thanks to MAMI Select—Filmed on iPhone, an essential initiative in that area.
Renowned writer, composer, and director Vishal Bhardwaj offered his opinions on the movies that were shown: “It’s fantastic to be a part of the MAMI Select: worked on an iPhone film project and acted as a mentor for some of the best upcoming directors. I felt so liberated to be able to lift my iPhone and move it to a different position in order to alter my settings or take a canvas while filming “Fursat” on my iPhone! I’m excited for the world to witness all the amazing films that five of our filmmakers have created with an iPhone and a MacBook Pro. The concept of using an iPhone to turn your ideas into reality is inspiring a whole new generation of filmmakers.”
The film can be a game changer in the film industry: Vikramaditya Motwane
Filmmaker and writer Vikramaditya Motwane backed the concept, saying, “It can really be a game changer and open up new forms of storytelling when art meets technology like iPhone.” For filmmakers, these are exciting times, and the MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone initiative has allowed us to accomplish some very exceptional things. Storytelling has evolved along with the world, and now is the moment for a wide range of creative storytelling techniques. I’m excited for everyone to see the videos that the five filmmakers who participated in the program made; they’ve done some very inspiring work.”
“I am in complete awe of what these five immensely talented young filmmakers have been able to create using iPhone and Macbook Pro,” writer and filmmaker Rohan Sippy continued. Every movie has a unique narrative style that is based in the present era. With these stories, which utilize the iPhone to create a cinematic experience that stays with us long after we’ve finished watching them, these five filmmakers have put their hearts and souls into making them.”
The special screening of the following short films took place in Mumbai on April 18, 2024.
By-Sapna Meena