Mani Ratnam, Luca Guadagnino to receive Excellence in Cinema Award

Mumbai: Renowned filmmakers Mani Ratnam and Luca Guadagnino will be honoured with the Excellence in Cinema Award at the 2023 Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, the organisers announced on Wednesday.

The award, which honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema, will be bestowed on them on the festival's opening day on Friday.

"It's a privilege to award these formidable artists. They have redefined and expanded our ideas of what cinema can be. We look forward to having them at Jio MAMI," said Anupama Chopra, festival director, Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, in a statement.

Ratnam and Guadagnino will attend the festival to receive the honour and also conduct masterclasses during the film gala.

The festival will also screen Ratnam's two-part epic "Ponniyin Selvan" and Guadagnino's 2009 Golden Globe-nominated film "I Am Love".

Ratnam is one of the most respectable and renowned voices of Indian cinema. The filmmaker has made a mark with films such as "Nayakan", "Roja", "Bombay", "Iruvar", "Dil Se...", "Alaipayuthey" and "Guru".

Guadagnino is the auteur filmmaker behind some of the most critically acclaimed films of the past two decades - "A Bigger Splash", "Call Me By Your Name", "Suspiria" and "Challengers".

Previous recipients of the Excellence in Cinema Award include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles and Chen Kaige.

The 2023 edition of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival will run till November 5.