The 22nd River River to River, 34 screenings for the Florence Indian Film Festival

And the twenty-second edition for the River River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, the only festival in Italy to tell the face of contemporary India, directed by Selvaggia Velo, scheduled from 6 to 11 December at the cinema La Compagnia in Florence (via Cavour 50/R) and online on the Più Compagnia platform in collaboration with MYmovies.

The festival will see the participation of the award-winning director Anurag Kashyap, considered the most influential contemporary author of the Subcontinent, known to Western audiences for the Netflix series “Sacred Games”; the homage to the giant of the golden age of Hindi cinema Bimal Roy, master of realism, with the return of his masterpieces to the big screen; the celebrations for the twentieth anniversary of the superkolossal “Devdas” by Sanjay Leela Bhansal, epic love story and cornerstone of Bollywood cinema.

There are 34 screenings proposed, including feature films, docs, shorts, series and artists’ films in Italian and European premieres. Relationships, identity, love, battles and transitions are the themes that connect the selected works. Of note is the story of cricket champion Mitali Raj, played by superstar Taapsee Pannu, in “Shabaash Mithu” by Srijit Mukheriji (9/12 at 20.30); the slum of Dharavi – the largest in all of Asia – and the iconic ghats of Calcutta – the stairways that slope down into the waters of the river – told in the documentaries, “Let’s Talk about Dharavi” by Sanjay Ranade (8/12 at 19.00) and “The Dying Ghats of Calcutta” by Poulomee Auddy and Atreyee Basak (9/12 at 18.30). And then the section dedicated to video art in collaboration with the Kochi-Muzuris Biennial (9/12 at 19.00) and, in the canniversary of Pasolini’s birtha performance to celebrate his relationship with India (11/12 at 11.00).

A full program of events is also planned collateral initiatives including talks, exhibitions, gastronomic explorations, fashion shows and fashion projects for a 360° “India experience”. Don’t miss it personal photographic “Mannequin”, signed by the artist and curator of Calcutta Arko Datto, contributor for TIME, National Geographic and New Yorker, and the fashion show born from the encounter between the I was a Sari brand, Oxfam Italia and the Accademia Italiana.

“It’s nice to come back here to celebrate a strong bond that goes from the Ganges to the Arno – comments the deputy mayor and councilor for culture Alessia Bettini – a meeting of cinematographic cultures and more that for 22 years have confirmed a creative ferment ‘river to river’. An event that cannot be missed in the December Florentine calendar, which is renewed every year in terms of themes and artistic presences, always keeping its identity intact while going through the transformations and evolution of cinema in recent years. So welcome back to Florence to the protagonists of the Festival and to the many enthusiasts who will meet in the city for this event”.

“Area cinema of the Fondazione Sistema Toscana hosts the film festival with pleasure – adds Iacopo DI Passio, president of the Foundation, and continues – it is not only a physical hospitality, but a cultural contamination that is renewed every year as well as an opportunity to get to know a very interesting cinema. It is an experience that was born for the cinema, those that will be screened are films born mainly to be enjoyed on the big screen”.

“We are happy to be able to return to the hall with the guests who will meet the public live”, says Selvaggia Velo. And she continues: “This year’s program is varied with intense and profound themes and stories, which touch different chords. The family, love, women: all essential elements for the existence of each of us, thus demonstrating that we are eager to penetrate the heart of things”.

The River to River Florence Indian Film Festival takes place with the patronage of the Embassy of India, under the aegis of the Fondazione Sistema Toscana, and is realized with the contribution of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities – Cinema and Audiovisual Department, Tuscany Region, Municipality of Florence and CR Firenze Foundation. The festival relies on the support of the sponsors Salvatore Ferragamo, Galleria di Lux and Saaz Restobar, the technical partners Hotel Roma, fsm – Fondazione Studio Marangoni, Accademia Italiana, I was a Sari, Oxfam, Amblè, Libreria Brac, Cescot Firenze, Kochi- Muziris Biennale, Pocket Films, La città dei Lettori and the media sponsors Firenze Spettacolo and RDF.

The inauguration of the event is entrusted to “Godavari”, choral film set on the banks of the river of the same name signed by director Nikhil Mahajan, who will meet the audience together with the actor Jitendra Joshi. In the city of Nashik, one of the oldest in India, a family tries to cope with two deaths: one they know about and one they are not prepared for. It deals with the relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, and the concept of tradition in the Indian family system, on the thread of the combination of old and new, life and death, religion and spirituality (6/12 at 20.30). The festival will greet the audience with the European premiere of “Almost Pyaar”, the latest work by Anurag Kashyap in the presence of director and actor Karan Mehta: a love story between India and London with an amazing soundtrack (11/12 at 8.30pm).

For information and program visit the site