Cannes Film Festival: A look at the line up of Indian films to be screened at the festival

Cannes Film Festival is considered the most glamorous and popular festival in the world, catering to film enthusiasts who tend to enjoy an art form and share an ardent love for cinema. The 75th edition of Cannes is going to take place from 17th May to 28th May and there is a lot in store for India Indians this year.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has today, i.e 12th May 2022, released the lineup of films that will be screened at the Cannes Film festival. This year’s lineup includes the world premiere of actor R Madhavan’s starrer Rocketry, which is been directed by the actor itself. While Rocketry- The Nambi Effect will be premiered at Palais K, the other movies will be screened at the Olympia theatre.

List of the movies to be screened at Cannes

The movies that are set to amaze people from across the globe at the 75th edition of the film festival are as follow:

1. Rocketry – The Nambi Effect: Actor R. Madhavan takes the directorial hat and leads the movie – Rocketry which is based on the life of Nambi Narayanan. Beyond serving as a treatise for the vindication of quiet achievers in society, the film also challenges the audience to take up the responsibility of recognising, and celebrating the special contributors, whether it be a Nambi Narayanan or a teacher educating poor kids, soldiers at the border, doctors serving in remote villages, or volunteers helping the needy. It also raises a powerful question – why aren’t we standing up collectively to defend our innocent and powerless against the hegemony of the powers that be? For every Nambi, there are thousands of silent achievers fighting for justice.

Godavari – This Marathi movie is directed by Nikhil Mahajan and the story revolves around Nishikant Deshmukh – who resides along the banks of a river, in an old mansion with his family. Through generations, NISHI and his family have been rent collectors. They own a lot of property around the old part of town. While his grandfather, Naropant, suffers from dementia, his father Nilkanth, has chosen to forget.

At the end of his bloodline, Nishikant is frustrated with his life. He hates the ways of the old town, he hates the insignificance of his life, and he hates that he has been incapable – but like most Indian men, he chooses to internalize his hatred and blame it on factors like tenants and the town that is only incidental, if not entirely faultless. Nishikant collects rent and plays video games in his small apartment far away from the river. He has moved out of his family mansion, leaving his wife and daughter to live with his parents. He spends his time being angry at the river and everything it brings with it. He knows he is a lost cause.

What turns in this movie is a lesson of life and death that coincide every time with each other.

Alpha Beta Gamma – Shankar Srikumar’s directed movie, takes a glance at the character of Jai whose directorial career is on the uptick, though his marital life is on the rocks and he is trying to move on with his girlfriend Kaira. A story around the time of coronavirus induced lockdown, the three lives are seen afflicted with the love virus and struggle to decide what they want, and at what cost, with nowhere to go but inside.

Boomba Ride: From GOD ON THE BALCONY director Biswajeet Bora, BOOMBA RIDE is a scathing comic satire of corruption in India’s rural education system – and one 8-year old boy (newcomer Indrajit Pegu, in a remarkable performance) who knows how to rig the game for himself. Inspired by a true story, the film was shot in the state of Assam on the banks of the Brahmaputra River with a mostly nonprofessional cast.

Dhuin: This Hindi, Marathi film directed by Achal Mishra is the story of an aspiring actor who is making ends meet by doing street plays for the local municipality. He dreams of making it big, and along with his friend Prashant, is saving enough to move to Mumbai in a month’s time. Back at his home, his family is under financial strain post the lockdown, and his retired father is now looking for a job.

After a meeting with a Mumbai-based filmmaker ends in an unexpected manner, he has a change of heart and decides to give up his savings for his father’s job.

Tree Full of Parrots: This Malayalam film directed by Jayaraj is about an eight-year-old boy Poonjan who is not an ordinary boy. He earns a living by doing mean jobs like fishing in the backwaters. One day, Poonjan saw a blind man sitting alone on the boat jetty who seemed to have lost his way home. He is demented, and only remembers a certain tree full of Parrots in front of his house. Poonjan tried to find their way to the blind man’s home. Disheartened with the outcome of their journey, he was about to give up on the quest.