Majidi’s Indian Film Will Premiere at London Festival

Renowned filmmaker Majid Majidi will participate in the 61st British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival in October with ‘Beyond the Clouds’.

According to the Telegram channel of Cinema Daily, the India-set flick will have its world premiere at the British event which is considered as the biggest annual film festival in the UK.

Written and directed by Majidi and shot in India, the film features actor Shahid Kapoor’s brother Ishaan Khatter (in his debut acting experience) and actress Malavika Mohanan in lead roles. The story covers the nuances of an adorable brother-sister relationship. Indian companies Eye Candy Films and Zee Studios International have produced the film.

The lead cast, Majidi and Oscar-winning composer A. R. Rahman along with producers is expected to attend the festival, India.com reported.

  Triple Language Production

Majidi has decided to make three languages - Hindi, Tamil and English -- as part of the script. The film will see a combination of three languages instead of it being shot and dubbed separately. Each language will form a major part of the film and will be used in the scenes and setups that befit those languages.

Clare Stewart, director of BFI London Film Festival, has praised the film. “Majid Majidi brings a powerful outsider eye to Mumbai in this compelling, visually stunning film driven by an extraordinary debut performance from Ishaan Khattar. Anil Mehta’s breathtaking cinematography and the evocative score by A. R. Rahman bring additional depth to Majidi’s visionary filmmaking,” Stewart said.

  No Barriers

The film producer Vibha Chopra, head of Zee Studios International, said, “the film based in Mumbai masterfully captures the depth and simplicity of human emotions. A project which is completely ‘Made in India’ is helmed by Majidi and proves that human emotions know no barriers of language and geography.”

The first exposure of the film was at the Berlin Film Festival in February and the second poster was released at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

‘Beyond the Clouds’ marks the first time Majidi works on a film outside Iran. His works usually depict the innocence of children and grown-ups learning from them how to really live.

He is known for his globally-acclaimed films ‘Children of Heaven’ (1997), which had an Oscar nomination for the best foreign language film in 1999, ‘The Color of Paradise’ (1999), ‘Baran’ (2001), ‘The Song of Sparrows’ (2008) and ‘Muhammad: The Messenger of God’ (2015).

  Vying for Best Film Award

Twelve films are set to compete in the London festival’s Official Competition section for the Best Film Award, which is given to an inspiring, inventive and distinctive film.

Running October 4-16, the festival will screen 242 films, from 67 countries, with 29 world premieres, 8 international premieres and 34 European premieres.

Among the films (by notable filmmakers) that will be screened over the 12-day event there are Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck’, Alexander Payne’s ‘Downsizing’, Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’, Richard Linklater’s ‘Last Flag Flying’ and Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Shape of Water’.