GECs
Jury of 15th Mumbai Film Festival announced
MUMBAI: As the buzz builds up to the 15th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival, the just-announced list of jury members has raised expectations even further. Featuring a heady mix of some of the finest film makers, actors and connoisseurs, the fest is set to be bigger come October.
Heading the International Competition jury as the president will be director Bruce Beresford, whose 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy won the Academy Award for the Best Film. He was also nominated for Best Director in 1984 for Tender Mercies. This jury also boasts of more world class talents in the French actress Nathalie Baye, multi-faceted artist who has worked with the likes of Godard and Truffaut. There is Masato Harada too, renowned Japanese actor – director of The Last Samurai fame and India’s own Konkana Sen Sharma, who’s given memorable performances in films such as Mr and Mrs Iyer and Omkara.
The India Gold 2013 Competition section jury is equally eminent, with the Academy Award winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi heading the Jury panel as president. By his side will be the man behind the acclaimed film Osama (2004) which won him an Academy award nomination, Siddiq Barmark. More names on this list include acclaimed British actor/director Waris Hussein of Doctor Who and Passage to India fame, Jill Bilcock (Australian Film Editor and Academy Award nominee for Moulin Rouge) and Roger Garcia, the executive director of the prestigious Hong Kong International Film Festival, film critic and an authority on Asian Cinema.
Announcing this impressive jury list, Mumbai Film Festival director Srinivasan Narayan said, “The jury is the core of every film fest and we have a proud legacy of having eminent personalities on our jury every year. This year too we’re welcoming some very accomplished names, all masters in their fields. I can’t wait for October!”
The 15th Mumbai Film Festival will take place from the 17-24 October 2013. This year’s edition will be held at Metro Cinema and Liberty Cinemas as the main festival venues and Cinemax, Andheri (West) as the satellite venue.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
