BookMyShow‘s Red Lorry Film Festival crowned Venice winner “Paul and Paulette Take a Bath” and Cannes-winning “Souleymane’s Story” as winners of its competition segment over the weekend, as the sophomore edition of the Indian international film festival wrapped after three days of packed screenings across Mumbai.
“I’m Nevanka” claimed the Critics’ Pick award at the festival, which expanded to Hyderabad this year with its “Parallel Verse” program.
BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment ticketing platform, launched the festival last year as part of its expansion beyond online movie ticketing into curated live experiences.
The competition winners were selected by a jury including filmmakers Vikramaditya Motwane, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Atul Sabharwal, PVR executive Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, critic Kaveree Bamzai and actor Prachee Shah Paandya, alongside honorary juror Ashish Hemrajani, co-founder of BookMyShow.
“What a joy to receive this award,” said Jethro Massey, director of “Paul and Paulette Take a Bath,” which won in the “Fresh Frames” category. “I cannot wait to share the misadventures of Paul and Paulette with audiences in India and very much hope this recognition will encourage people to come and see the film.”
The director and producer of “Souleymane’s Story,” Boris Lojkine and Bruno Nahon, said: “We are very honoured by this distinction, coming from a major festival in Asia. Knowing that Souleymane’s life resonated with the audience and the jury gives us a lot of energy to continue telling stories that are full of meaning and emotion.”
Featuring over 120 films from around the globe, the festival drew thousands of cinephiles to Mumbai’s Maison Inox at Jio World Plaza and Maison PVR at Jio World Drive. The event opened with Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5,” and closed with Kevin Macdonald and Sam Rice-Edwards’ “One To One: John & Yoko.”
Bollywood royalty turned out in force for the event, with appearances by Aamir Khan, Subhash Ghai, Neetu Kapoor, Tina Ambani, and Simi Garewal. Special screenings included the 45th anniversary celebration of “Karz” and a tribute to actor Smita Patil on her 70th birth anniversary with “Mirch Masala,” attended by her son Prateik Smita Patil.
The festival also featured industry masterclasses with Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga, producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, and acclaimed screenwriter Anjum Rajabali.
“After a successful first edition, with this edition of the Red Lorry Film Festival, we are pushing the boundaries of cinematic experiences in India to new heights,” said Ashish Saksena, festival director and COO – Cinemas at BookMyShow. “The incredible response, houseful screenings and vibrant engagement reaffirm our conviction in the transformative power of storytelling to bridge audiences across genres, languages and cultures.”
The festival was presented by BookAChange, a BookMyShow Foundation initiative dedicated to empowering emerging artists through cinema.
