The 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne brings cinema visionaries back to Victoria

 
The 15th annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) has opened with thousands of community members gathering to welcome some of the biggest names in Indian cinema back to Melbourne for 10 days of film festivities.   

IFFM 2024 Awards night at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda

As well as lighting up cinema screens across the city and regional Victoria, IFFM’s annual flag-raising ceremony, the much-loved Bollywood dance competition, and the star-studded IFFM Awards Night have kicked off the festival with a bang.
 IFFM guests and dignitaries gather at Federation Square for  the annual flag raising ceremony and Bollywood dance competition
 

IFFM 2024 Bollywood dance competition

IFFM is the premier global celebration of Indian cinema outside of India, and in 2024, IFFM is showcasing an even bigger array of films, highlighting groundbreaking work from some of the most innovative filmmakers from the Indian subcontinent. 

VIPs arrive at the IFFM 2024 Awards Night

My Melbourne – a bold new film initiative spearheaded by IFFM’s Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange AM – opened the festival and saw the collaboration of four iconic mentor directors (Kabir Khan, Rimas Das, Onir and Imtiaz Ali) working with emerging Melbourne directors (Puneet Gulati, Samira Cox, Tammy Yang and William Duan). 

“My Melbourne is an anthology of four films, each celebrating one of the foundations of diversity,” Mitu said. “One is about race, one is about gender, one is about disability, and one is about sexuality, and it has been held by four of the most iconic filmmakers that we have…I'm really delighted that we finally get to present this film with a lot of love and support.”
 Leading filmmakers gathered for the annual IFFM press conference on Collins Street last week to launch the festival

The film showcases contemporary life in Melbourne, with each chapter unfurling across Melbourne’s varied streets and neighbourhoods. “Like the themes in My Melbourne, topics like sexuality, gender fluidity, diversity and inclusivity are totally specific to the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne,” Director Karan Johar said.
 Mitu Bhowmick Lange, Karan Johar, Kabir Khan and Kartik Aaryan at the IFFM 2024 press conference in Melbourne

“We participate in that wholeheartedly, which is why we are here,” Imtiaz Ali added. “All the films that have been made in My Melbourne are based on very broad-minded and positive topics. They’ve been made by people with great earnest. And I think [My Melbourne] will bring a certain resonance to Victoria and the rest of the country.”
 Imtiaz Ali take the microphone at IFFM’s 2024 press conference in Melbourne

“Our theme this year ‘All Our Voices’ shines a light on stories that centre inclusivity, diversity, and the multiplicity of perspectives within society,” Mitu said. “This year’s lineup is a testament to the power of storytelling and creativity of filmmakers from India and the Indian Subcontinent.” 

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne runs from 15 August to 25 August 2024.