After its world premiere at the Indian Film festival of Melbourne (IFFM) this year, My Melbourne, an anthology from four of India's most celebrated filmmakers–Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan, Rima Das, and Onir–is set for its India premiere at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024. Also directed by up-and-coming filmmakers, the film will be shown at the festival’s Gala Section on October 22.
As per a press release shared by the makers, My Melbourne brings together, “four distinct voices, each interpreting personal and universal stories" told "through the lens of people from varied background living in Australia.”
According to the official logline, "Themed around the four pillars of diversity—sexuality, gender, disability, and race—the anthology film My Melbourne features four unique diverse stories based on true incidents."
It consists of short films like Jules, with Imtiaz Ali as a creative director, as well as Setara directed by Kabir Khan, Nandini by Onir, and Emma by Rima Das.
Reflecting on the upcoming MAMI premiere, Imtiaz, who served as a creative director on Jules, directed by Tammy Yang and co-directed by Arif Ali, said, "It's an honor to present My Melbourne to Indian audiences at MAMI. The stories we’ve told are not just about the diaspora but about anyone who has ever felt a sense of displacement or longed to belong. Jules is a deeply personal film for me, and I can’t wait for the audience in Mumbai to experience it."
Jules is about the friendship between an individual with no home and a newlywed.
Rima, who helmed Emma with co-director Samira Coxx, added, "What makes My Melbourne special is the sincerity of the stories. Each segment is a heartfelt exploration of human connections, set against the cultural diversity of Melbourne. I look forward to showcasing my film Emma at MAMI, where such narratives are deeply appreciated."
Emma charts the journey of a deaf dancer towards self-acceptance.
Onir, who helmed Nandini with co-director William Duan, expressed his excitement, saying, “My film is about breaking boundaries—emotional and physical—and telling human stories that resonate across geographies. It has been a beautiful collaboration with emerging filmmakers from Melbourne, and I am eager to see how Indian audiences connect with it at MAMI.”
Nandini tells the story of reconnection between an Indian queer person and his father.
Helmed by Kabir and Rahul Vohra, and co-directed by Puneet Gulati, Setara is about a young refugee from Afghanistan who finds her footing in Melbourne through cricket.
Produced by IFFM director and filmmaker Mitu Bhowmick Lange AM, My Melbourne has dialogues in Bengali, Hindi, Auslan, Dari, and English.