Billy & Molly steal hearts at Mumbai Int’l Film Festival
For the first time, the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) extended its screenings beyond the confines of the Maximum City. This initiative aimed to bring world-class documentaries, short fiction, and animation films to a broader audience.
In Pune, the inaugural MIFF red carpet event took place at the NFDC-National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI) on Thursday, attracting cinephiles and dignitaries from the region despite heavy rain.
Esteemed filmmakers Jabbar Patel and Pran Kishore Kaul graced the red carpet, adding gravitas to the evening. Their presence underscored MIFF's commitment to celebrating cinematic excellence and fostering a vibrant film culture across India.
The evening's highlight was the screening of the festival's opening film, 'Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story.' The National Geographic
documentary delves deep into the workings of the human (and otter) heart, becoming a meditation on what it means to give and receive love, and questioning the limits of how far one can or should go in its pursuit.
After the screening, Patel thanked the NFDC for the invitation and said, "'Billy and Molly' is a fantastic documentary that captures the emotions between a childless man and an otter. The cinematography enhances the cinematic experience even more. The decision to hold MIFF screenings outside of Mumbai was a step in the right direction."
The documentary received a huge round of applause at the end of the screening. Arif Shaikh, a Pune-based engineer who attended the screening, remarked, "Despite the movie being about a man and an otter, it had a lot to say about our lives too. The subtle message about being trapped in mundane everyday things and the need to break free was beautifully highlighted. I loved it and will surely watch it again."
Despite the movie being about a man and an otter, it had a lot to say about our lives too - Arif Shaikh, Engineer