MAM
Jackie Shroff is brand ambassador of Mumbai International Film Festival
New Delhi, 25 November: Renowned actor Jackie Shroff is the brand ambassador for the 14th edition of the Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films in January next.
A record 831 entries have been received for the competition and selection process for the short listing films to international, National, Technical, New Media and Animation competitions has been initiated by the Festival Directorate.
The Jury for International and Nationals competition for the festival being held from 28 January to 3 February will comprise celebrated film makers and personalities from India and abroad.
In another major shift, the screenings of the films in the Festival will be held at the Films Division theatres, Russian Culture Centre and Sophia College theatres at Pedder Road, Mumbai. Until now, the Festival has been held at the Tata Centre at Nariman Point.
The inauguration and closing functions will be held at the Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi at 5.00 pm on 28 January and 3 February respectively.
This Festival which is held every alternate year is organized by the Films Division and is supported by the Maharashtra Government.
Films Division Director General and MIFF Director Mukesh Sharma said at a press meet at the 46thInternational Film Festival of India in Panaji, Goa, that it is for the first time in the history of MIFF which began in 1990 that a mainstream artiste will be the brand ambassador of the documentary festival.
A National Award winning actor, Shroff who was present said he will promote MIFF extensively thanks to his love for the short films.
Sharma said Shroff accepted the invitation when he was told about the festival and the role it plays in promoting the documentary movement in India. He said Shroff regards documentaries as catalysts for social change and is planning to make short films to spread awareness about dreaded diseases and on social issues. Shroff was also present.
Buoyed by the warm reception to the MIFF zone screening of competition films in National category in cities other than Mumbai during the 13th MIFF, screenings will be held simultaneously in New Delhi, Chennail, Bangalore, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Lucknow, Nagpur and Thrissur. MIFF zone is aimed at taking the competition films to film lovers who are unable to travel to Mumbai for the MIFF. Screenings will also be held at the University auditorium Kalina, Mumbai.
The oldest and largest festival for non-feature films in South Asia, MIFF attracts filmmakers and cineastes from all over the world, thanks to the quality of films in the competition and other sections.
Cash prize worth Rs 5.5 million, Golden Conches, Trophies and Certificates await winners in competitions including technical categories.
The festival will also honour a veteran personality from the Indian documentary fraternity with the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award that carries a cash component of Rs. 500,000, trophy and citation, Sharma added.
The festival will have, apart from International and National competition, screening of films in MIFF Prism, Jury retrospectives, Animation and other packages from different countries and festivals, children’s documentary films, North East DD package, FD and PSBT films, homages etc, making it a wholesome viewing experience for the delegates of MIFF-2016. The festival will also have master classes by master film makers, workshops, seminar and Open Forum by IDPA.
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
