Pune International Film Festival

Maharashtra Government Film Policy and Shooting Destinations

Maharashtra is home to cinematic excellence in India. Cinema is in the air we breathe in Maharashtra. Stunning locations, variety of terrains, and skilled technicians, artists with ample studio spaces in Film Cities. Maharashtra has everything to offer to make your vision come true.
Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and Principal Secretary to Cultural Ministry, Mr. Vikas Kharge, and Mr. Avinash Dhakne the Managing Director of Maharashtra Film, Stage, and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) will discuss the ease and multiple possibilities of film shooting in the State of Maharashtra. Joining the panel is avid explorer and actor Milind Gunaji, who has explored Maharashtra through his true passion of travel, and acting.

Mr. Jhanu Barua - Filmmaker’s passion, Handling actors and Non-actors

It is often said the success of filmmaking lies in passionately completing the process of making a film! Rest all, follows. How to handle the set, how to deal with professional crew and actors? What to do when dealing with non-actors? The questions that cloud the mind of any maker. Whilst doing all this, how can one keep the true passion of filmmaking alive?
Join the master of the craft, Jahnu Barua as he takes us through his journey and imparts the knowledge of filmmaking, handling the cast and crew. After all these years, Mr. Barua still passionately creates new stories and keeps working on his craft.
Mr. Jahnu Barua is an acclaimed film director from Assam, who prominently works in Assamese films. He is recipient of multiple National Film Awards. His films have garnered praise in festivals like Locarno IFF, Chicago IFF, Brussels IIFF, Singapore IFF and many others. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2003 and Padma Bhushan in 2015 by the Government of India.

Mr. Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh, Mr. Sanjay Krushnaji Patil, Mr. Nikhil Mahajan, Mr. Varun Narvekar Mr. Mangesh Desai - In Search of New Marathi Cinema

Marathi Cinema has a rich heritage of being one of the oldest regional industry in India. Being 100 year old itself, it has seen many transitions throughout the decades. In last few decades, Marathi cinema is achieving not only the box offices success, but national and international acclaim, like never before. But where does the future lie? How do we attract more audiences to theatres, and reach beyond borders of our region?
Discussing all these pertinent questions, we have a panel of young filmmakers who have carved their niche in cinema, and made their mark on global cinematic canvas.
Participating in the panel are National Award winner and internationally acclaimed directors Nikhil Mahajan, Varun Narvekar, Screenwriter and Lyricist Sanjay Krishnaji Patil, Actor and Producer Mangesh Desai, and Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Mr. Manoj Bajpayee - The Craft of Acting

A tour de force of acting, Manoj Bajpayee is a name known to every single audience across the country. Considered as one of the finest actors to work in Hindi film industry, Manoj Vajpayee has earned three National Film Awards, two Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and coveted honour of Padma Shri for his versatile acting in more than 70 films.
Initially, he got small roles in films like Drohkaal (1994). He got noticed in Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen (1994), despite a small role. He became a household name, and portrayed a character that touched everyone's heart – Bhiku Mhatre. It was Ram Gopal Varma's game changing Satya (1998) thatchanged his life, and Hindi cinema forever.
Since then Manoj has never looked back and delivered stellar performances in films like – Zubeidaa (2001), Pinjaar (2003), Rajneeti (2010), Gangs of Wasseypure Part 1 and 2 (2012), Aligarh (2016) and many others.
Manoj Vajpayee will offer insights into his craft as an actor, his journey so far, his challenges, and aspirations as he delivers Vijay Tendulkar Memorial Lecture.

Mr. Saibal Chatterjee, Ms. Beena Paul, Mr. Edvinas Pukašta - Future & Importance of Film Festival

Film Festivals provide a unique experience to cinephiles. A platform for the makers of different kind of cinema, festivals offer them a way to showcase their art, their labour of love. For audience, it's a treat to watch those films from across the globe, and expand the horizons.
The advent of OTT platforms, global pandemics have forced many festivals to opt for alternatives of being online or even cease to exist. Not all festivals are receiving the love and numbers they used to.
Do festivals matter in such case? What is the position of festivals in today's “online” world. Are they still the avenues for the discovery of new talent? All these and many more questions shall be answered by our panel of eminent scholars.
Gracing the panel are꞉ National Award winning critic and festival director of Pondicherry IFF, Mr. Saibal Chatterjee.
We also have with us, Lead Programmer of Tallinn Black Nights FF, and jury member of festivals like Cannes and Busan, Mr. Edvinas Pukšta.
Two time National Film Award winner as Best Editor, artistic director of IFF Kerala, Ms. Bina Paul will discuss the topic, Future of Film Festivals.

Shai Goldman Cinematography Workshop

It is said that Camera is a pen for the screen. Captivating images, moving portrayals of humans create a magic on screen. Good camera can evoke emotions and create unforgettable visual memories. The Director of Photography is instrumental in crafting written words on the big screen.
We are privileged to have a magician, Mr. Shai Goldman, conducting his session on creating magic through camera.
Mr. Goldman is a multiple award winning cinematographer whose films are regular presence at prestigious film festivals. Winner of the Ophir Cinematography Prize 2006, 2016, and 2019 for his work in the film Synonyms, directed by Nadav Lapid, which won prestigious Golden Bear at Berlinale.
His best-known and most successful film as a Cinematographer was The Band's Visit (2007), directed by Eran Kolirin. Goldman brought the successful film, an abstract visual quality that allowed the work to deviate from the local and touch the universal, and therefore contribute to the film's considerable international success.

A Sreekar Prasad - The Invisible Art of Film Editing

It is said, that an editor, is the second director. When the film comes on the edit table, the magic starts unfolding. One such magician is editor extraordinaire, A. Sreekar Prasad.
His name is synonymous with multiple commercial, and critical hits of Indian cinema, across multiple languages. He has won numerous awards, including 8 National Awards, 7 State Awards, 2 International Awards – for films Firaaq (2008), and With You Without You (2012) and 3 Filmfare awards - for Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Firaaq (2008), and Talvar (2015). His name and work has been appreciated by Limca Books of World Records, as an editor with films edited in most languages-17 Languages!
Through his workshop he shall be sharing secrets of the magic of movie editing, the techniques, and the exposition of it. He aims to explain the journey, with a plethora of example from his personal experiences, and what the future holds.

Chaitanya Tamhane - Lessons I have learnt so far

Chaitanya Tamhane is regarded as one of the most promising filmmakers in the world right now. His debut feature, Court, premiered at the Venice FF in 2014, and was awarded the Best Film - Orizzonti and the Lion of the Future award. Court won the National Award for Best Feature Film. His second film, The Disciple, was awarded the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay and the FIPRESCI award at Venice FF.
Tamhane has been featured in the Forbes "30 Under 30 Asia". He was invited to serve on the jury at the 73rd Venice FF. In the same year, he was selected to be mentored by Alfonso Cuarón as part of the Rolex Mentor-Protégé Arts Initiative.
Chaitanya will be sharing his experiences as a writer-director, and his process of coming with stories that delve into complexities of social structures, while keeping an individual perspective at the centre through his session - Lessons I have learnt so far.

Shaji Karun - Thinking Images

Few filmmakers across the globe can proudly be given the tag of an 'auteur'. Shaji N. Karun, a veteran filmmaker, deserves such a title. A cinematographer- director par excellence, he is one of the finest filmmakers in India.

His debut film Piravi (1988) won the Caméra d'Or - Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes FF. He is one of those rare India filmmakers to have competed in Cannes, twice, including at the main competition. His film Swaham (1994) was in the main competition. Apart from that, he has been a regular at prestigious festivals like BFI London, Locarno, Chicago, IFF India and, many more.
As a cinematographer, someone who creates beautiful and meaningful imagery, and as a director, who creates a larger composition out of it, no better person than Shaji N. Karun to unravel the mystery of moving images. He will be sharing his wisdom, and tradecraft about - Thinking Images.

Masterclass on Mainstream Cinema today & publishing the book:

Raj Kapoor - The Master At Work

Raj Kapoor - a master filmmaker, whose legacy stands tall in Indian cinema. His work will be studied, celebrated as long as Indian cinema lives! Who better than a veteran director himself - Rahul Rawail, to take us down the memory lane and talk more about the legend that was Raj Kapoor.

Rahul Rawail is a true insider man in Raj Kapoor's cinematic journey as he worked as an assistant to Mr. Kapoor on multiple films. Admittedly, the work ethic and the, genius of Mr. Kapoor, is something to be learned from.
Rawail himself, as a director proved this in his multiple successful, game changing films like - Love Story (1981), Betaab (1983), Arjun (1985), Anjaam (1994), and Arjun Pandit (1999). 21st Pune International Film Festival is proud to host Mr. Rawail on the occasion of publication of Marathi edition of his bestselling book - Raj Kapoor: The Master at Work. The book is as told to Pranika Sharma and, translated in Marathi by Milind Champanerkar, published by Rohan Publication.

Johnny Lever - Humor in Cinema

John Prakash Rao, better known to the world and all the fans as Johnny Lever! An exceptional comedian, well-versed in variety of forms of comedy. Throughout his career, he has carved a niche for himself through his expressive style of acting - may it be slapstick, verbal, situational, and witty comedy.

In 1984, Johnny made his first Bollywood debut with the movie titled Dard Ka Rishta. He is considered an influential Indian comedian who has been cited as an inspiration by many other comics. He has received 13 Filmfare Awards nominations in the Best Comedian Category and has won twice - for Deewana Mastana, and Dulhe Raja. Johnny proved that a comedian in film is not a sidepiece, but a supporting actor to the bigger narrative.
Where does this sense of comedy come from? How can one use 'humour', not just any comedy, in cinema? What is the meaning, the place of it? How has it changed? Johnny Lever answers all these pertinent questions about Humour in Cinema with his special session.

Dr. Lakshmi Lingam Aruna Raje - Making Films & Watching Films: Gender in Hindi Cinema

"Lights, Camera, and Time for Action: Recasting Gender Equality Compliant Hindi Cinema", a research study is being conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences - School of Cultural and Media Studies through a grant from the US Consulate in Mumbai.

Their special session at 21st PIFF will cover the topic of "Making Films & Watching Films: Gender in Hindi Cinema"
This will cover the following topics:

Calling the Shots: Women Directing Hindi cinema
Scripting Change: Women Screenwriters in contemporary Hindi Cinema and
Talking Back: creative and critical audience responses to skewed gender representation in Hindi cinema

The research has covered high revenue grossing Hindi films, as well as films made by women or with a focus on women. The project includes key stakeholders, leaders and influencers of the film industry, filmmakers, journalists, critics, audiences, gender specialists, academics and film researchers. Discussing more about this vital aspect are, project lead on research Dr. Lakshmi Lingam, and multiple National Film Award winning director, Aruna Raje.

Vidya Balan - Challenges of Female Actors in the Entertainment World

She embodies grace, with a wide enchanting smile on her face. Vidya Balan is one of the well regarded and, immensely talented actor, working in Indian film industry. Multiple award winner, Vidya has captured the attention of every audience with her remarkable acting prowess with diverse characters in films like - Parineeta, The Dirty Picture, Ishqiya, Paa, Kahani, Shakuntala Devi, and many more.

As a female actor, stakes change in a monumental way. How does this male dominated industry treat a woman who is breaking the glass ceiling? Does the prevalent patriarchy play an important role? What are the challenges of female actors in the entertainment world? Vidya Balan offers her unique insight in all these questions.

Master Class

Master Class

Sponsors

Festival Office