‘My Melbourne’ Film Chat
Part of Cultural Diversity Week
- What
- TALK
- When
- General information
- Theatrette
- Tickets
My Melbourne is an anthology of four stories, inspired by true incidents, made by some of India’s most celebrated filmmakers - Onir, Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali and Kabir Khan.
'Nandini' is the story of a young Indian man finding his sense of belonging through his father’s acceptance of his sexuality, while 'Emma' explores a young deaf dancer’s struggle and search to find acceptance in her world, while 'Jules' portrays a newly married, tormented girl standing up for herself, while 'Setera' celebrates a 15-year-old displaced Afghan cricket player finding her sense of belonging through cricket. Each story is a beautiful journey of self-discovery and belonging.
Panellists
Mitu Bhowmick
Mitu Bhowmick Lange AM is an Australian Indian film producer, director, distributor, and festival director. She founded Mind Blowing Films (MBF), the top distributor of Indian films in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea, and is the festival director of the Indian Film Festivals of Melbourne and Sydney. Mitu is known for integrating Indian cinema with mainstream exhibitors in Australia, boosting its visibility. She has won the "Highest Grossing Foreign Film Award" four times and leads Mind Blowing World, distributing Australian content in the region. Mitu produced ‘My Melbourne’ (2024), an anthology celebrating diversity, and is developing ‘The Missing Guru’ and ‘Tram Man’. Mitu is one of two female distributors in Australia and the only Indian on any Australian Film Board. She holds positions with VicScreen, WIFT, and CAIR and has been on the Premier’s Business Council since 2024.
Shivangi Bhowmick
Shivangi Bhowmick is a Melbourne (Naarm)-based Indian Australian writer known for her work on the anthology film ‘My Melbourne’ (2024). She discovered her passion for storytelling during the pandemic and has since been involved in various writing projects that explore migrant perspectives and young adult themes. Her work aims to enhance South-Asian representation in entertainment.
Puneet Gulati
Puneet Gulati is an actor, filmmaker (writer/producer/director), host, and poet based in Melbourne. His debut short film ‘Café Choice’ (2019) earned accolades from prestigious film festivals worldwide. In 2021, Puneet contributed to developing the highly anticipated youth show UNVIRGIN for Mind Blowing Films. He is also part of the faculty of Melbourne Actor Lab in St Kilda. Puneet captivated audiences on Channel 10’s Hunted (Season 1, 2022) and most recently, he co-directed the film ‘Setara’ with acclaimed filmmaker Kabir Khan, featured in My Melbourne and produced by Mind Blowing Films.
Monique Nair
Monique Nair is a Melbourne-based writer of Indian-Italian-Polish heritage working across film, creative-nonfiction, and criticism. She co-wrote three of the four stories—Setara, Jules and Emma—for the anthology feature film ‘My Melbourne’ (2024). She is the co-editor of Mascara Literary Review’s debut anthology, Resilience (2022), published with Ultimo Press. Her creative nonfiction and reviews have been published in Kill Your Darlings, ArtsHub, Mascara Literary Review, Voiceworks, and Peril. She is an alumnus of the West Writers program with Footscray Community Arts, and she has performed poetry and presented at Emerging Writers’ Festival, National Young Writers’ Festival and other events.
Presented in partnership with the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM)
Accessibility
Please view our accessibility page for general information. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how we can support your visit.
