Cannes 2024: 'All We Imagine As Light' to 'The Shameless', 7 Indian films to screen at the festival

Cannes 2024

It's that time of the year when filmmakers and actors across the world will travel to Cannes to talk craft and cinema. The Cannes 2024 Film Festival will commence on May 14 and will end on May 25.

All We Imagine As Light

Category: Palme d'Or Main competition

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia's 'All We Imagine as Light' scripted history by becoming the first Indian title in 30 years since 'Swaham' (1994)to feature in the prestigious Competition section of the Cannes Film Festival, where it will vie for the top prize Palme d'Or. The movie is an Indo-France co-production about two Kerala nurses working in a Mumbai nursing home. The film stars Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha. Kapadia's project will be presented alongside 19 anticipated titles, including films from master directors, Francis Ford Coppola and Yorgos Lanthimos.

Sister Midnight

Category: Directors Fortnight category

Karan Kandhari's Sister Midnight has been selected for the Director's Fortnight category. Not much is known about the film, but its includins in the prestigious category speaks volumes of the quality of the film.

Santosh

Category: Un Certain Regard

British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri's Santosh will also be showcased at the 77th edition of the film gala. The movie will be screened under the Un Certain Regard section. The film delves into the lives of a family grappling with the aftermath of a tragic event. The film explores themes of grief, memory and complexities of human relationships.

In Retreat

Category: ACID

Maisam Ali's ‘In Retreat' finds its place in the ACID section at Cannes. The film explores themes of belonging and home, as a man returns to his hometown after many years and undergoes a one-night pilgrimage

The Shameless

Category: Un Certain Regard

Auroshikha Dey, who portrayed Jhalkari Bai in The Warrior Queen of Jhansi (2019), is thrilled to take her next, The Shameless, to the prestigious film festival. Bulgarian-American director Konstantin Bojanov's film will première in the UnCertain Regard section.

The Shameless tells the story of a young woman, essayed by Anasuya Sengupta, who escapes from a brothel in Delhi and seeks refuge in a community of sex workers. Dey recalls landing the role of the fiery Durva after a screen test. "Bojanov sir appreciated my audition, which led to my casting. Durva is confrontational and focused on securing her day-to-day livelihood. Bojanov sir meticulously outlined the character sketch. We also had workshops that helped me define the character's tone," she recalls.

Manthan

Shyam Benegal's 1976 masterpiece was restored and will be screened at the festival. This iconic film, which explores India's ‘White Revolution,' has been meticulously restored, allowing a new generation to experience its timeless storytelling and cultural significance.

Sunflowers Were The First To Know

Category: La Cinef

The short film has been made by a group of students from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. The film was part of their year-end TV-wing project. The film has been selected to compete in the La Cinef category at the festival in France. Mr. Chidanand Naik helmed the rural drama as director, with Suraj Thakur behind the camera, Manoj V on editing duty, Abhishek Kadam handling sound, and Pranav Khot taking care of production design. The film is going head-to-head with 17 other shorts for a shot at one of three La Cinef awards, set to be handed out at the Bunuel Theatre on May 23.