The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne continues as a hybrid festival for its 14th edition, incorporating in-person screenings, events, special screenings and an online program.

IFFM’s Opening Night will feature the world premiere of the much-anticipated Hindi film, Ghoomer directed R Balki and starring Indian cinema icon Shabana Azmi as well as Abhishek Bachchan and rising stars Saiyami Kher and Angad Bedi. The film is inspired by the achievements of Hungarian athlete Karoly Takacs, who was the first athlete with a disability to reach the podium in shooting at the Olympic Games. The film follows the story of a Indian cricketer played by Saiyami Kher, with Abhishek Bachchan playing the role of her coach.

In 2023, the festival will present over 120 films in more than 20 languages including 100 Australian premieres, bringing together South Asian stories from across the globe, with more to still be announced. This year’s program is made up of feature films, including international festival prize-winners, and documentaries tackling crucial contemporary issues from established and upcoming documentarians – all sitting within its usual dynamic program streams: Beyond Bollywood, Hurrah Bollywood, Documentaries, Short Films (Official Selection), Film India World, Films from the Subcontinent and Made in Melbourne.

Other program highlights include Rima Das’s drama, Tora’s Husband, which was the first Indian film to be included in the prestigious Platform section of TIFF in 2022, and is set against the stunning backdrop of Assam, which shows a family man’s life unravelling in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Direct from its premiere in Cannes is Kanu Behl’s feature film, Agra, taking an unfiltered look at sexual repression in India. From the Berlin International Film Festival is Marathi feature film,Aatmapamphlet (Autobio-Pamphlet), a fast-paced comedy, which tells the twin stories of a childhood love and of momentous social change in 1990s India. Hindi feature film, All India Rank, is Varun Grover’s semi-autobiographical debut feature, diagnosing the malaise of a society where children squander their best years living their parents’ dreams and parents let their self-worth repose on their children’s achievements. Also on the line-up is Prithvi Konanur’s feature film, Hadinelentu (Seventeeners), which examines the irreparable damage on the lives of two 17 year olds when their selfie sex video is leaked on the internet; documentary While We Watched, directed by Vinay Shukla, will also makes its Australian premiere, and chronicles the working days of infamous Indian broadcast journalist Ravish Kumar as he navigates a spiralling world of truth and disinformation; and Devashish Makhija’s thriller Joram, starring Manoj Bajpayee, which recently screen in competition at Sydney Film Festival.

Key Dates:

Friday 11^th August:

• IFFM Press Conference, Melbourne CBD
• ANZ Plus Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards Night @ Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne

Saturday 12^th August:

• Flag Hoisting Ceremony for the 76^th Anniversary Indian Independence
• IFFM Dance Competition @ NGV, Melbourne
• IFFM Opening Night @ Hoyts District Docklands

Sunday 13^th August:

• IFFM Talks @ NGV, Melbourne

Sunday 20^th August:

• IFFM Closing Night @ Hoyts District Docklands