'Tumbbad' to open Venice Film Festival's Critics' Week

Horror-fantasy "Tumbbad" has become the first Indian film to open the prestigious Venice Film Festival's Critics' Week on August 9.

The segment, which will run parallel to the 75th edition of the main festival, features nine films by first-time directors from across the globe.

The section's artistic director, Giona Nazzaro, called the 19th-century-set film, co-directed by Rai Anil Barve and Adesh Prasad, "a thrilling rollercoster ride".

"'Tumbbad', the first Indian film ever to open the Venice International Film Critics' Week, is a thrilling rollercoaster ride that questions the roots of human greed while providing entertainment of the purest kind.

"Fantasy, action, frights, and scares: Tumbbad has it all," Nazzaro said in a statement, shared by the film's producers.

Both "Tumbbad" and Tunisian director Abdelhamid Bouchnak's horror film "Dachra", which is the closing film of the section, are out-of-competition screenings.

Sudanese director Hajooj Kuka's "A Kasha", German director Andreas Goldstein's "Adam & Evelyn", Italian director Letizia Lamartire's "We’ll Be Young and Beautiful", Montenegrin Ivan Salatic's "You Have the Night," director duo Alexia Walther and Maxime Matray's "Blonde Animals", documentary "Still Recording" and Finnish director Anna Eriksoon's "M" are the other seven films, competing for USD 100,000 prize money.

The voting in the Critics Week section is done by festival-goers rather than a jury.

"Tumbbad", starring Sohum Shah in the lead role, is set to release in India on October 12 in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu.

"I'm very excited to share with you that Tumbbad" will be the opening film of the prestigious Venice Film Festival's Critics' Week," Sohum tweeted.

"Tumbbad" is an Eros International and Aanand L Rai’s presentation and a Little Town Films production in association with Colour Yellow Productions. It is co-produced by Film i Väst and Filmgate Films.

"Ship of Theseus" director Anand Gandhi has executive produced the film.