Konkani film set on Goa-K'taka border under spotlight at Toronto film fest

 
Internationally acclaimed photo journalist Dilip Mehta, whose sister Deepa Mehta has been a regular name at the TIFF, will see the world premiere of his debut fiction film Cooking With Stella, which stars Seema Biswas in the title role.

Two Bollywood productions, Oscar-nominated director Ashutosh Gowarikar’s What’s Your Rashee and Anurag Singh-directed Dil Bole Hadippa from Yash Raj Films, will also have their world premieres at the festival.

“The Man Beyond the Bridge (Paltadacho Munis), produced by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) and directed by Laxmikant Shetgaonkar, will have five screenings at the prestigious festival which is considered only second to Cannes in terms of size.

This is the first fiction film by Shetgaonkar, who received the National Award for Best Debut Non-feature Film at the 52nd National Film Awards and also the Golden Conch at Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) in 2004 for his documentary A Seaside Story.

The film is described as a gentle romance that also highlights environmental issues and a nuanced view of village dynamics in the region.

Incidentally, the film was part of the Script Lab organised by the NFDC at the Film Bazaar 2007 during the IFFI in Goa two years ago. Shetgaonkar also had got a grant by the British Council, India, for the screenplay.

Mehta’s film, which will have a gala presentation on September 16, was shot completely in Delhi and is a lighthearted tale of a diplomat couple’s interactions with a wily cook from Kerala.