Tag: movies

Events in Goa

Tribeny Rai’s Shape of Momos Brings Everyday Sikkimese Lives to the Big Screen at IFFI 2025

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

At the 56th International Film Festival of India, Sikkimese filmmaker Tribeny Rai’s debut feature Shape of Momos captured attention for its sensitive and authentic portrayal of everyday life in Sikkim. Screened under the Indian Panorama section, the film explores the cultural and emotional landscape of the Eastern Himalayas through the eyes of its women protagonists. Following the screening, Tribeny Rai, producer and co-writer Kislay, and lead actor Gaumaya Gurung shared insights about the film and the Sikkimese film industry at a press conference.

An alumna of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Tribeny Rai is recognized for her nuanced storytelling that highlights the lived experiences of women in her region. Shape of Momos, rooted in her personal experiences and cultural memory, represents a journey of both artistic exploration and logistical perseverance. With Sikkim’s film industry still in its nascent stages, the team faced significant infrastructural challenges, including sourcing professional camera equipment from other cities. Despite these hurdles, the film has already been showcased at international festivals, including Busan, reflecting its global resonance.

The title of the film draws from the ubiquity of momos in Sikkim, a food that accompanies both joyful and sorrowful occasions, symbolizing the shared rhythms of daily life. Producer Kislay noted the importance of presenting stories from underrepresented regions like Sikkim without succumbing to stereotypes. He emphasized that the selection of the film at IFFI represents the fulfillment of a long-held aspiration to bring authentic regional voices to wider audiences.

Lead actor Gaumaya Gurung highlighted the significance of portraying a female perspective, something she finds rare in Nepali-language cinema despite her years of experience. She appreciated the film’s careful balance between subjective and objective storytelling, allowing audiences to engage deeply with the protagonist’s inner world.

Distribution remains a challenge for independent regional films, yet Shape of Momos is slated for release across Sikkim, North Bengal, parts of Meghalaya and Assam, as well as Dehradun, catering to Nepali-speaking audiences. Additionally, the film will have a theatrical release in Italy, extending its reach internationally. Tribeny Rai stressed the need for a supportive community of independent filmmakers in Sikkim to navigate these challenges and enhance visibility.

As the first woman filmmaker from Sikkim, Tribeny Rai reflected on the gradual emergence of film culture in the state. Limited resources and infrastructure make filmmaking a formidable endeavor, but there is growing enthusiasm among young Sikkimese film students, many of whom resonate with the portrayal of familiar lives in Shape of Momos. Through this debut, Tribeny challenges the mainstream cinematic lens that often exoticizes the Northeast or reduces it to narrow narratives, presenting instead a story where everyday Sikkimese people are the heroes of their own lives.

Events in Goa

Kei Ishikawa Brings A Pale View of Hills to Life at the 56th IFFI, Goa

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Japanese director Kei Ishikawa captivated audiences and media at the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa as he presented his second directorial work, A Pale View of Hills, showcased as part of the festival’s special segment, Country Focus: Japan. The curated selection highlights the richness and evolution of contemporary Japanese cinema, offering an expansive range of genres from intimate dramas to ambitious experimental narratives. Ishikawa expressed his delight at visiting India for the first time and spoke about the profound connection he felt with the novel by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, upon which the film is based. He reflected on the difficulty of portraying the emotional landscape of a period he did not live through—post-war Japan—and shared that discovering Ishiguro’s novel gave him the direction and confidence he needed to tell the story authentically.

The film follows a young Japanese-British writer who seeks to uncover the truth of her mother Etsuko’s past in Nagasaki, years after the trauma of her elder daughter’s suicide. Etsuko’s memories drift back to 1952, when she was expecting her first child and formed a complicated bond with Sachiko, a woman determined to leave Japan with her daughter Mariko. The fragments of memory and troubling inconsistencies that emerge as the daughter pieces together her mother’s past form the emotional core of the narrative. Ishikawa explained that he was drawn to the story not only for its connection to the atomic bomb but for its nuanced portrayal of women living through different eras, each navigating loss, change, and identity in deeply personal ways.

He also spoke about his decision to write the screenplay himself and to edit the film, describing editing as the final phase of writing. The film’s multinational production—spanning Japan, the UK, and Poland—brought diverse perspectives on how the story should conclude. British producers leaned toward a more definitive ending, while Polish collaborators preferred a subtler, less explicit resolution. Ishikawa acknowledged that the Japanese viewpoint fell somewhere in between, and he appreciated the collaborative discussions that ultimately shaped what he believes is the most fitting ending for the film. His experience creating A Pale View of Hills reflects both a deep respect for Ishiguro’s literary work and a commitment to exploring the emotional truths that lie beneath memory and silence.

Events in Goa

“This Tempting Madness” Team Unpacks Memory, Misogyny & Survival at IFFI 2025

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The press conference for This Tempting Madness at IFFI carried the same intensity and emotional weight as the film itself. Director Jennifer Montgomery, producer Andrew Davis, and actors Suraj Sharma and Zenobia Shroff came together to explore the responsibility of telling a story born from real pain. Jennifer began with a candid admission that the film is inspired by a true and deeply unfortunate event, a narrative so heavy that even speaking about it remains difficult.

She explained that cinema can often capture emotions and complexities that words alone cannot, offering audiences a space to understand experiences that are usually hidden from view. Andrew expanded on this, acknowledging the delicate balance required when adapting real-life trauma. The goal, he noted, is not simply to retell an incident but to search for meaning, context, and the lingering questions that haunt those affected.

Suraj Sharma spoke with quiet sincerity about how personal the project felt to him. Calling emotional and mental abuse “alarmingly common,” he shared that he had witnessed someone close to him endure abuse and had intervened to help her leave the situation. For him, the film stands as a tribute to those who have lived through such experiences.

Zenobia Shroff added depth with her reflection on portraying an Indian mother navigating cultural pressures and unspoken expectations. She described the familiar but often unexamined dynamic where silence is encouraged, a silence rooted in internalised misogyny. Her hope, she said, was to expose these patterns and shift the narrative toward empowering women and raising better men.

While the film features Indian characters, Jennifer emphasised that the story itself is universal, noting that Simone Ashley was cast simply because she was the best fit for the role. The rest of the cast helped her navigate cultural nuances she was less familiar with. Technically, the film uses intercut memories to mirror the protagonist Mia’s amnesia and confusion.

Jennifer explained that memory loss is inherently unreliable, so the visual language intentionally shifts between the present and fragmented recollections to reflect her disorientation. When asked about literary influences such as Virginia Woolf, Jennifer admitted she had not drawn from them but expressed curiosity to explore that connection now.

Ultimately, she summarised her artistic goal as finding the humanity in every character, acknowledging that everyone faces moments where they feel tempted by their own inner chaos. Andrew closed the conversation on a hopeful note, emphasising that though the story is rooted in real suffering, it is also a testament to strength—people can grow, change, and emerge more resilient.

With themes of trauma, love, confusion, and survival, This Tempting Madness left the IFFI audience with more than reflections on filmmaking; it offered a deeper invitation to consider the unseen battles people carry and the empathy required to understand them.

Events in Goa

WAVES Film Bazaar Launches in Goa, Celebrates Global Filmmaking Collaboration

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The WAVES Film Bazaar, South Asia’s premier global film market, officially opened today at the Marriott Resort in Panjim, Goa, with a vibrant inaugural ceremony attended by distinguished leaders, policymakers, filmmakers, and international delegates. Held annually alongside the International Film Festival of India, the 19th edition of the Bazaar, now rebranded as WAVES Film Bazaar, serves as a global hub for filmmakers, producers, sales agents, festival programmers, and distributors seeking creative and financial partnerships. Scheduled from November 20th to 24th, the market features 300 film projects and welcomes delegations from over seven countries.

Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, inaugurated the event, describing the Bazaar as a “complete ecosystem of screenings, masterclasses, and technology showcases.” Highlighting the market’s alignment with the Prime Minister’s vision of “converting art into commerce,” he emphasized the world’s first e-marketplace for filmmakers, which facilitates collaboration between creators and countries. Shri Jaju also noted the curated projects, cash grants, and structured feedback mechanisms, alongside India’s first-ever AI Film Festival and Hackathon as key milestones in embracing the future of cinematic technology.

Guest of Honour Ms. Jaewon Kim, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, lauded the organisers’ dedication since the festival’s inception and expressed hope for strong India-Korea collaborations. She added a memorable moment by performing a soulful rendition of Vande Mataram, earning a standing ovation from the audience. Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, praised the Bazaar for empowering young storytellers and new voices, highlighting the participation of 124 new creators this year. He described the event as a bridge connecting creators and producers while projecting Indian culture and content on the global stage. Additional Secretary Shri Prabhat delivered the vote of thanks, rounding off a ceremony that celebrated creativity and industry leadership.

The inaugural event was further enriched by the presence of IFFI Festival Director and acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, actors Shri Nandamuri Balakrishna and Shri Anupam Kher, Jerome Paillard, Advisor to Waves Bazaar, Australian film director Garth Davis, and Shri Prakash Magdum, Managing Director of NFDC. Together, they underscored the Bazaar’s role as a dynamic confluence of artistic vision, innovation, and global collaboration, setting the tone for an inspiring and transformative week of cinematic exchange.

Films

Disney’s Bold Double Trailer Drop: Devil Wears Prada 2 & Toy Story 5 Smash 24-Hour View Records

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Disney continues to disrupt traditional movie marketing, this time with a bold and unexpected double trailer release that instantly dominated global conversation. The studio dropped the highly anticipated trailers for Devil Wears Prada 2 and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 simultaneously, generating massive first-day viewership and setting the stage for two major summer 2026 theatrical events.

Leading the charge was Devil Wears Prada 2, reuniting Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci under the direction of returning filmmaker David Frankel. The trailer soared to 185 million views in its first 24 hours, ranking as the second most-viewed trailer of the year behind Fantastic Four: First Family. It became the top trailer of 2024 on Instagram with 79 million views and added another 60 million on TikTok. Fan sentiment has been overwhelmingly positive, with early reactions praising the film’s return to the iconic Runway universe and its pitch-perfect tease that gives just enough without revealing too much. The film is set to launch the 2026 summer box office on May 1.

Pixar’s Toy Story 5 delivered its own commanding performance with 142 million views in 24 hours, outpacing many recent animated franchise debuts. Instagram led the platform engagement with 47 million views, followed by TikTok with 37 million. The trailer also generated more than 142,000 social mentions across platforms, pushing the film and its characters into the top trending positions on Twitter/X. Conversation has centered around fans’ excitement for the franchise’s return to theaters, along with enthusiasm for the film’s timely “toys vs tech” storyline, which many find relevant and fresh. With Toy Story 4 holding the franchise’s domestic opening weekend record at $120.9 million and the series already surpassing $3 billion worldwide, the fifth installment is positioned for another major theatrical moment when it arrives Father’s Day weekend, June 19–21, 2026.

Disney’s unexpected trailer strategy proved highly effective, sparking enormous reach, cross-platform momentum, and widespread fan enthusiasm for both films. As anticipation builds, the double drop underscores the studio’s ability to command cultural attention and generate massive engagement long before audiences arrive at theaters.