Marathi film Aatmapamphlet, directed by Ashish Bende, will be screened at the 73rd Berlin International Film festival, slated to be held from February 16 to February 26.
The film, produced by filmmaker Aanand L Rai and written by national award winner Paresh Mokashi, has been selected in the ‘Generation 14 Plus’ competition category of the prestigious festival.
Aatmapamphlet revolves around a young boy who falls in love with his classmate. It is a touching story of one-sided love, transcending the dramatic socio-political changes surrounding it.
Our film, #Aatmapamphlet, has officially been selected in the ‘Competition Section’ at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival.
We couldn’t be more thrilled! ✨
Directed by @bendeashish
Produced by @ZeeStudios_, @cypplOfficial , and @TSeries pic.twitter.com/E6XzSIJyYQ— Zee Studios (@ZeeStudios_) January 18, 2023
Om Bendkhale, Pranjali Srikant Bhimrao Mude, and Ketaki Saraf have played key roles. The film is a commentary on spreading love at a time when wars are raging in many parts of the world, said director Bende.
“This is the biggest day of my life. My journey to pursue a passion for filmmaking began in college and culminated in my first foray into directing with my selection at one of the world’s biggest film festivals. The process has been a rollercoaster ride for me. Despite many challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, everyone in my team worked wholeheartedly,” added Bende.
Sharing his delight, Aanand Rai said, “It is great to be at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival. Being a part of Aatmapamphlet was an amazing experience.”
Sharik Patel, CBO of Zee Studios said the selection of Aatmapamphlet at the Berlin festival would present Marathi films globally. “As a leading studio and stakeholder in the Marathi film industry, our belief in the power of local storytelling is reinforced. There is a lot of curiosity about when this special film will be released globally,” he said.