- Premiere of two Large Short Films starring Jim Sarbh, one directed by Dibakar Banerjee and the other written and produced by Chaitanya Tamhane
- Launch of a short film competition, providing a platform to talented young filmmakers; 10 shortlisted films were screened at the festival
Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films collaborated with Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023, a platform that brings the best of contemporary world cinema to the City of Dreams, to celebrate the art of cinema in the short-film format. Over the course of two days (Nov 1-2) at PVR Maison, Jio World Drive BKC, the platform offered passionate filmmakers the opportunity to bring forth authentic stories and engaged audiences with stellar performances.
As part of the association, Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films premiered two original short films at the festival – ‘Badminton’ (directed by Dibakar Banerjee) and ‘Next, Please’ (written-produced by Chaitanya Tamhane, directed by Rishav Kapoor). Starring Jim Sarbh, both films received a fantastic response from the audience. Equally engaging was the panel discussion that followed, where the moderator RJ Malishka spoke to the filmmakers, scriptwriters and Jim Sarbh about the significance of short format filmmaking and their association with Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films platform. Other cast members, including Sayani Gupta, Vijay Maurya, Shreya Dhanwantry and Shardul Bhardwaj were also present at the premiere.
This year, Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films also curated a short film contest #ForTheSelectOnes, inviting entries for 8 to 10-minute films across genres. The top 10 shortlisted entries were screened at the film festival, and the winners in two categories were acknowledged for their cinematic brilliance. Fostering a creative environment for filmmaking enthusiasts, the screenings were followed by engaging discussions about the rise of the short-film format, moderated by actor Inayat Sood and featuring the film creators. Awards for best film and best actor were also announced. Best Film winner was Summer of Soul by Sanjib Gogoi and Best Actor winner was James Elia from the film, Vakuppu (The Clause).
Head of Marketing, PR, and Partnerships – Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Abhishek Kumar, said, "This is a very special partnership for us, and we are thankful for the continued support by Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films to Jio MAMI. The curation is incredible by some established and new talent from different parts of the country. Our aim collectively is to provide a stage for filmmakers to showcase their authentic stories and further bolster the rapidly growing demand and appetite for the short film format in India."
