Jump to content

My Melbourne

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My Melbourne
Official release poster
Directed byOnir
Rima Das
Imtiaz Ali
Kabir Khan
Arif Ali
Rahul Vohra
Written byNazifa Amir
Shivangi Bhowmick
Samira Cox
Monique Nair
William Duan
Gregory Francis
Arif Ali
Produced byMitu Bhowmick Lange
StarringArka Das
Arushi Sharma
Kat Stewart
Ryanna Skye Lawson
Setara Amiri
Brad Hodge
Jackson Gallagher
Mouli Ganguly
Jake Ryan
Ella Wilson
CinematographyBrad Francis
Edited byRima Das
Irene Dhar Malik
Mitesh Soni
Music byTamil Rogeon
Anurag Sharma
Production
company
Mind Blowing Entertainment
Release date
  • August 15, 2024 (2024-08-15) (IFFM)[1]
February 2025 (theatrical release in Australia)[2]
Running time
119 minutes
CountriesAustralia, India
LanguagesEnglish, Bengali, Hindi, Dari, Auslan

My Melbourne is an anthology film featuring four stories about identity and belonging, inspired by true incidents in Melbourne, Australia.[3][4] The film addresses themes of diversity, sexuality, gender, disability, and race, with each directed by Indian filmmakers Onir, Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali, and Kabir Khan.[5][3]

Envisioned and produced by Mitu Bhowmick Lange, the project received support from VicScreen, Screen Australia, and the Victorian Government.[6] My Melbourne had its world premiere on August 15, 2024, at the 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.[7]

Plot summaries

[edit]

My Melbourne comprises four segments, each directed by different filmmakers, addressing themes related to the LGBTQIA+, disability, gender and race.[8][4] The fil has four stories titled, Emma, Nandini, Jules, and Setara.

Emma

[edit]

Directed by Rima Das and co-directed by Samira Cox, Emma tells the story of a talented dancer in her early twenties living with Usher's Syndrome, which is gradually affecting her hearing. Despite her passion for dancing, Emma (Ryanna Skye Lawson) struggles with discrimination in the dance industry and doubts about her future. Supported by her mother, Susan (Mikhaela Ebony), and friends like Jai (Jordan Shome), she meets Nathan (Nathan Borg), a successful deaf dancer whose self-acceptance inspires her to continue pursuing her dreams.[7][1]

Nandini

[edit]

Directed by Onir[9] and co-directed by William Duan, Nandini follows the emotional reunion of Indraneel (Arka Das), a queer Indian man, and his estranged father, Mihir (Mouli Ganguly). After years of separation, the two come together in Melbourne to perform the Asthi Visarjan (ash-scattering) ceremony for Indraneel's late mother. The story revolves around themes of grief, forgiveness, and the complexities of familial relationships.[7][1]

Jules

[edit]

Directed by Arif Ali, with Imtiaz Ali as the creative director and Tammy Yang as the co-director, Jules centers on the unlikely friendship between Sakshi (Arushi Sharma), a newlywed food blogger, and Jules (Kat Stewart), a homeless woman in Melbourne. Despite their contrasting lives, the two women, both dealing with feelings of displacement, form a bond as they navigate their individual struggles with societal expectations and personal challenges.[7][1]

Setara

[edit]

Directed by Kabir Khan and co-directed by Puneet Gulati, Setara tells the story of Setara (Setara Amiri), a 15-year-old Afghan refugee who relocates to Melbourne with her mother and sister after fleeing the Taliban. As the family copes with the trauma of their past, Setara discovers a sense of belonging through cricket, which helps her rebuild her life in a new country. The film is based on Setera's own journey from Afghanistan to Melbourne as she plays herself in this film.[7][1][10]

Cast

[edit]
  • Ryanna Skye Lawson as Emma
  • Kat Stewart as Jules
  • Jake Ryan as Chef Leon
  • Arushi Sharma as Sakshi
  • Jackson Gallagher as Chris
  • Arka Das as Indraneel
  • Nikolai Egel as Officer Brad
  • Nathan Borg as Nathan
  • Ximena Diaz as Teacher
  • Caitlyn Dickson as Natalie
  • Daniel McBurnie as Cricket Umpire
  • Setara Amiri as Setara
  • Siem Putland as Trendy Teenager
  • Jordan Shome as Jai
  • Mikhaela Ebony as Emma's Mum - Susan
  • Brad Hodge as Coach
  • Sepideh Falleh as Latifa
  • Ella Wilson as Asia
  • Mouli Ganguly as Mihir
  • Daisy Calnin as Holly

Production

[edit]

The film was produced by Mitu Bhowmick Lange, who also serves as the director of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.[3] It is an Indo-Australian collaboration, produced by Mind Blowing Films in association with VicScreen and Screen Australia.[7] It features dialogue in English, Bengali, Hindi, Dari, and Auslan.[11][3]

The film was shot entirely on location in Melbourne, Australia.[1][2] Afghan singer Aryana Sayeed was brought on board to sing the title track of Setera for the film.[12]

Minister for Creative Industries, Colin William Brooks, stated, "My Melbourne is a celebration of our city, our screen industry, and the many cultures and diverse communities that call our state home."[7]

Release

[edit]

My Melbourne premiered on August 15, 2024, at the 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).[13] The film's trailer was released on August 1, 2024.[14] The film had its international premiere on October 22, 2024, at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.[15][16]

The film had a special screening at the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival in December 2024, held at the Nandan Film and Cultural Centre.[17][18] My Melbourne was selected and screened at the 22nd Chennai International Film Festival on December 14, 2024.[19] It is scheduled for a theatrical release in Australia in February 2025.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f "Trailer revealed: World Premiere of My Melbourne comes to Indian Film Festival of Melbourne". FilmInk. August 5, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Ganapathy, Lakshmi (August 16, 2024). "'My Melbourne' premiere sets the tone for an inclusive 15th IFFM". Indian Link.
  3. ^ a b c d Ramachandran, Naman (2024). "Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Rima Das and Onir's IFFM Opener 'My Melbourne' Unveils Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  4. ^ a b Thomas, Shibu (August 16, 2024). "'My Melbourne' Explores The Lives of Marginalised Groups In Migrant Communities". Star Observer.
  5. ^ "Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan, Onir And Rima Das' Film 'My Melbourne' To Open The Indian Film Festival Of Melbourne 2024". Outlook India. July 31, 2024.
  6. ^ "My Melbourne (2024) - The Screen Guide". Screen Australia. 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "World Premiere of My Melbourne comes to Indian Film Festival of Melbourne". Australian Arts Review. August 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Suri, Rishabh (August 10, 2024). "Ahead of My Melbourne IFFM premiere, Onir says 'films like ours are not valued enough in India'". Hindustan Times.
  9. ^ Sharma, Riya (August 13, 2024). "Onir shares inspiration behind his short film Nandini in My Melbourne ahead of its premiere at IFFM (Exclusive)". DNA India.
  10. ^ "Onir on 'My Melbourne' anthology at IFFM: One of my characters will feature in Imtiaz Ali's film". The Times of India. August 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "(IFFM) Opening Night - My Melbourne". Hoyts. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Afghan Singer and Activist Aryana Sayeed to Attend IFFM 2024 Awards Night". South Asia Times. July 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Vann-Wall, Silvi (July 30, 2024). "Indian Film Festival of Melbourne: ten must-see Indian films this August". Screenhub.
  14. ^ "My Melbourne Trailer: Kabir Khan, Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali, Onir, and more explore diverse immigrant experiences in Melbourne". Cinema Express. August 2, 2024.
  15. ^ "My Melbourne". MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. October 22, 2024.
  16. ^ "My Melbourne provided us backdrop to explore emotional complexities: Kabir Khan". The Times of India. November 12, 2024.
  17. ^ Jawed, Sundas (December 9, 2024). "Imtiaz Ali, Onir, Rima Das and Kabir Khan celebrate Kolkata's legacy with a tram ride". The Times of India.
  18. ^ "My Melbourne at the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF)". Indusage. December 12, 2024.
  19. ^ "Chennai International Film Festival to commence on December 12; here are some of the films to look forward to". The Hindu. December 9, 2024.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Melbourne&oldid=1264263753"