Ronita Torcato's blog

The audience is spoilt for choice with 793 entries from 37 countries to  the 12th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) which closes  February  9 at the NCPA.

 MIFF began its journey in 1990 as Bombay International Film Festival BIFF), and has since grown in size and stature as one of the premier international events of documentary film movement. The past editions have been overwhelming successes, and now MIFF is considered as one of the most spectacularly organised international festivals in the world. It is reckoned on par with prestigious international film festivals like Leipzig, Berlin, Oberhausen, Cracow, and Tampere, etc. However, MIFF has an edge over other festivals as it gives away the maximum cash awards—a total worth approximately Rs 6.35 million as against Rs. 22.75 lakhs during MIFF-2010, besides mementos such as golden and silver conches for outstanding films.

On an average, morethan 35-40 countries participate in every edition of the festival, which serves as a platform for documentary filmmakers to meet, interact and exchange ideas. The festival attracts the best of films made all over the world on varied subjects. Many internationally renowned filmmakers like Nagisa Oshima, Werner Kobe, Krzysztof Zanussi, Peter Wintonick, etc. have participated in the festival as jury/participants in the past. The MIFF 2012 too will have many internationally acclaimed film makers as part of the jury. From a micro animation of 33 seconds to a lengthy 200-minutes documentary, MIFF-2012 has received 793 entries from 37 countries. Apart from Indian and International competitions in documentary, fiction and animation categories, the festival boasts of a bouquet of acclaimed films curated and sourced from India and abroad in special packages and retrospectives.

This include the acclaimed Eye Candy Animation films; films from Afghanistan; Balkan shorts; best of various international film festivals; films from film schools; World War specials; North East package; a specially  curated and restored film on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru by the National Film Archive ofIndia (NFAI); and the decades’ best from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). There will be a special showcase of films made by Mani Kaul, M. V. Krishnaswamy,  P. B. Pendharkar, Zull Velani and Dilip Roy as homage to the luminous veterans.

Another attraction is the MIFF’s salute to all-time greats Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray to commemorate their 150th year and centenary respectively. The MIFF will also have thought-provoking seminars, workshops and an Open Forum organised by the IDPA that will delve into the finer nuances of the short film genre.

The Indian Competition section was revived in 12th MIFF. This section had been merged with International Competition in the 11th edition of the festival in 2010.

The Best Indian Documentary or short film will receive a Golden Conch and a cash award of Rs.5, 00,000 while the second best documentary or short film will receive a Silver Conch and a cash award of Rs.2, 50,000.

The award money for MIFF-2012 has been enhanced in all categories.  The total award money is Rs.63.50 lakhs as against Rs. 22.75 lakhs during MIFF-2010