Filmgoers in Mumbai will unite with audiences in over 250 cities spanning six continents to view and judge the work of the next generation of filmmakers from around the world when the 18th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival screens for the 6th consecutive year in India at Matterden CFC, Lower Parel.

This year, Manhattan Short received 672 short film entries from 52 countries. The 10 Finalists hail from eight countries, with short films from Turkey and Kosovo representing their respective countries for the first time. These short films will not only entertain a global audience but will be judged by them as well. Cinema-goers will become instant film critics as they are handed a ballot upon entry that allows them to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor. Manhattan Short is the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors behind the camera and actors in front of it. Votes will be sent through to Manhattan Short HQ with the winner announced at ManhattanShort.com on Monday Oct 5, at 10 AM (EST).

Bear Story

Bear Story

This year’s festival highlights the continued importance of women in film. Half of this year’s selections feature actresses ranging in age from children to senior citizens.Other short films like Bear Story and Patch are sophisticated animations. And the ones set in a wide range of locales, from Turkish beaches and mountains on the Balkans, to the streets of Berlin and the backroads of America’s West Coast.

The second edition of the exciting competition ‘Vote for India’ was conducted. This initiative saw filmmakers from across India send in their short film entries to compete for a spot in the global finalist list. The films were hosted on the India chapter’s website – http://www.manhattanshortindia.com/ where Indian audiences voted for the films they believed should enter the global finalist list and win the India chapter of the festival.

El'ayichi

El’ayichi

While no Indian film made the cut for the global finalist list, the films that won the India Chapter from among the numerous entries include ‘Aavrati’ that presents a teenage girl’s encounter with a good-hearted cop; ‘El’ayichi’ starring Nimrat Kaur, Divyendu Sharma and Vibha Chibber; Karan Tejpal’s ‘No Anaesthesia’; a first-hand and unique account of the Bhopal tragedy in ‘Bhopal Diaries 2012’; Ganesh Matkari’s take on sexuality in the glamour world ‘Shot’.
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Championing the voice of the Short Film genre along with Manhattan Short is Vivanta by Taj which has been associated with the festival in India for the last two years. India’s alternate content pioneer and aggregator Pocket Films has also joined hands to power the 2015 edition of the festival.

Date: 30th September 2015
Time: 7.00 pm onwards
Venue: Matterden Cinema, 38 N M Joshi Marg, The Deepak, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013
Entry Through Registration on: http://in.bookmyshow.com/festival/manhattan-short-2015-india-registration/