After creating a buzz in Ahmedabad, Cinema Sunday, a community-led initiative to bridge budding and professional filmmakers, held its first Mumbai edition on Sunday, 24th August.
The event featured screenings of five short films: ‘Gathbandhan’ by Rishi Raaj Shukla, ‘Emotion’ by Shreeram Upadhyay, ‘The Last Bloom’ by Indranil Hirave, ‘The First Rain’ by Mohit Kharbanda, and ‘Siberian Crane’ by Avinash Chaubey.
After the screenings, filmmakers received feedback and they also shared the inspirations and challenges behind their films, as audiences engaged them with questions. For many, it became an opportunity to understand where their projects could improve, while also learning from the strengths of others.
Rishi Raaj Shukla, director of the short film ‘Gathbandhan’, said, “Today I came to Cinema Sunday where we watched six short films and met different filmmakers. It was insightful to understand their thought processes, and the challenges or convictions with which they executed their films. We witnessed some brilliant performances and very good cinematography. If you have a film and wish to bring it to audiences, you should definitely come to Cinema Sunday. And if you are an audience member who loves good films, this is the place to be.”
“It’s a brilliant initiative,” said acclaimed writer Jainesh Ijardar. “I thoroughly enjoyed watching short films and discovering the immense talent within our industry. Programs like these must continue, and I hope such events are organized more regularly in Mumbai and other parts of the country.”
“There was a very basic idea behind Cinema Sunday. Independent filmmakers, artists and crew often look for spaces where they can share experiences, learn from each other, and grow together. So why not bring them together under one roof like a group gathering? The motive was simple. By screening a few selected short films, the attendees also get an opportunity to connect and interact with everyone,” said Kalpesh Mistry from Shashvat Katha Motion Pictures, the organizers of Cinema Sunday.
He explained that the event serves as a platform for aspiring filmmakers to meet with each other and those who are already recognised by audiences and film festivals. “So it’s a good opportunity to interact with each other,” he added. “To be clear, it is not a film festival. I would rather call it a filmmakers' community gathering, which is free for everyone to join. We plan to make more such screenings in Mumbai and also host in different cities in the future.”
Cinema Sunday has already been held four times in Ahmedabad before its Mumbai debut. With its warm reception in the city, the team now aims to take the initiative to more places and continue building a space for filmmakers to meet and collaborate.
