Women filmmakers shared some interesting things at Mumbai International Film Festival 2024 that will surprise you

A special package at the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival

Prerna Barbarua, Isabelle Simoni, Farah Khatoon, and Srishti Lakhera talked about "Exploring women's stories through documentary filmmaking.

At the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), four well-known female filmmakers convened for a comprehensive discussion titled "Unveiling Their Story: Exploring Women's Stories through Documentary Filmmaking." Prominent documentary storyteller Queen Hazarika served as its moderator. The National Film Award winners Srishti Lakhera, Farah Khatoon, and Prerna Barbarua were present at the session, along with director, producer, and writer Isabelle Simoni. The panellists talked about social issues, their filmmaking techniques, and the difficulties and triumphs they had encountered in the business.

Uttarakhand-born Srishti Lakhera underlines that nothing is insurmountable for women—from breaking stones to penning poetry. "Ek Tha Gaon" is her debut documentary film, which took home the 69th National Film Awards' Best Film and Best Audiography prizes. She has portrayed life in her father's Himalayan village in this movie. There were just seven residents with her when she began shooting. In this documentary, the challenges of a 19-year-old girl and an 80-year-old woman who must decide between living in a lonely village and a remote city are shown.

According to Lakhera, since relocating to the city is typically a privilege granted to men, the individuals left behind in abandoned villages are typically women and Dalits. He claimed that although women wish to be financially independent, they are limited in their alternatives. He saw the encouraging rise of young hip hop musicians from low-income origins in isolated villages who have mastered the art of independent songwriting, recording, and mixing, as well as the growing reliance on digital platforms in rural areas.

The theme ‘Magic of AI’ at Mumbai International Film Festival discusses the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the film industry

A fascinating panel discussion about the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) in the film business was part of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2024. 'The Magic of AI' was the title of a seminar that addressed the use of AI technology in filmmaking, including its applications and ethical implications. The panellists gave a thorough explanation of AI's effects on the industry and covered both its benefits and possible disadvantages.

Prominent figures from the film industry and experts in artificial intelligence were represented on the panel. These included Shankar Ramakrishnan, a senior filmmaker and AI specialist from Trivandrum; Ujjwal Nirgudkar, President of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, India; Sanath PC, Co-founder and Director of Firefly Creative Studios; and Sanjay Jangid, Dean of Animation and Design at Chitkara University.