The film, set in Mumbai, follows Nurse Prabha who is troubled when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. Parvati, the cook at the hospital, is Prabha’s friend and confidant. The three women take an unexpected trip to a beach town in Ratnagiri that allows them the space to reflect upon their life choices.
Interim Festival Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said, “We’re delighted to open the festival this year with a film that has the city of Mumbai at its heart. All We Imagine as Light will always be remembered as a film that won the Grand Prix at Cannes, but it is also an independent film that faced many challenges, especially in finding funding, before it debuted in competition at Cannes and won accolades all over the world. As we begin a new phase in MAMI, this film embodies the kind of cinema that MAMI would like to showcase and provide a platform that will celebrate and enable independent cinema of every kind to reach a wider audience.”
Director Payal Kapadia shared her thoughts on her film being invited as the opening film at the esteemed film festival, “To have All We Imagine as Light open MAMI Mumbai Film Festival is a tremendous honour. When I was a student in Mumbai, I got a glimpse into world cinema and also cinema from other parts of the country because of MAMI. I am really happy that people in Mumbai will be able to see the film here first.”
Actor, producer, distributor, and MAMI board member, Rana Daggubati, expressed his excitement, “After creating history at Cannes and a tremendous theatrical opening in France, we are thrilled to bring the film to festival goers and audiences in India. MAMI strives to champion independent voices and elevate South Asian talent, and opening the festival this year with All We Imagine as Light is one of the many ways we continue to support this mission.”
MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, starting from Saturday, 19 to Thursday, 24 October 2024, promises a spectacular six-day celebration of world cinema, community, creativity, and culture. With over 110 films in more than 50 languages, including features and non-features across all genres, the festival will once again bring cinematic excellence to the heart of Mumbai.