much-awaited release of the film next month in it’s native land. The film, which comes almost four years after Farhan Akhtar's 'Dil Chahta Hai', has been chosen as the opening film at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. Great news, isn’t it? Besides, producer Bobby Bedi’s ‘The Rising’ is going to be the first Indian film to open the Locarno Film Festival. Mangal Pandey is officially going to open the 58th Locarno Film Festival, to be held from August 3 to 13 in Switzerland. 

Locarno is the picturesque site for the first of the major August European festivals. It’s really awesome to know that the 58th Locarno International Film Festival will open with Director Ketan Mehta's story of India's first rebellion against foreign rule in the mid-19th century "The Rising". And the Rising star Aamir Khan ("Lagaan") along with Rani Mukherjee, Ketan Mehta and producer Bobby Bedi will attend the screening.

It is said that 18 films will take part in the festival's International Competition, including Canadian director Louise Archambault's story of family conflict, "Familia," and Belgian/French/Italian production "Vendredi ou un autre jour" by Yvan le Moine. Also in the line is British/American film "Mirrormask" by Dave McKean, a fantasy of two kingdoms in which a 15 year-old girl must find the Mirrormask in order to get home. The Quay Brothers' "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes," meanwhile, is a fantasy about an evil doctor who kidnaps a beautiful opera singer in order to turn her into a mechanical nightingale. American director Rodrigo García's "Nine Lives" focuses on nine women who face the torments and challenges of life. And ‘The Rising’ will also be a part of the competition section.

'Mangal Pandey-The Rising' is Aamir Khan’s second film to be screened at Locarno. Earlier, in 2001, "Lagaan" had been screened in the Piazza Granade section at the festival to an excellent response and went on to bag the popular 'Prix Du Public' prize at the festival. Trade sources said that the producer Bobby Bedi of Kaleidoscope Entertainment, plans to enter it in other festivals like that at Toronto and Sundance after its release in the theatres on August 12. Great going, indeed. 

Subsequent to this at Locarno fest, featured a screening of a bouquet of Indian cinema classics including Ramesh Sippy's 'Sholay', Satyajit Ray's 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi', Shyam Benegal's 'Junoon', Muzzafar Ali's 'Umrao Jaan', Govind Nihalani's 'Ardh Satya', Ketan Mehta's 'Mirch Masala', Shekhar Kapur's 'Mr India', Shaji N Karun's 'Piravi', Saeed Mirza's 'Naseem', Mani Ratnam's 'Iruvar', Santosh Sivan's 'The Terrorist', Amol Palekar's 'Kairee' and Rajiv Menon's 'Kandukondain Kandukondain'. All the best Ketan, Bobby and Amir! 

Author : Manohar Chimmani - Tollywood Director

Visit web site : http://www.manutime.com

Rights Reserved : Do NOT re-print / re-publish / re-distribute this article in any form without getting written permission from Cinechance.com

Author's other articles : 

'The Rising' at Locarno Film Festival

It can happen...

Shankar's Aparichitudu

The All-‘TIME’ 100 Best Films

‘Super’ Nagarjuna Enters 20’s

If you wish to become an Official writer of Cinechance.com  

Click Here to reach public visitors / Film Makers / Directors / Producers etc

Disclaimer: The information presented and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Cinechance.com and/or its partners. The opinions expressed by contributing authors to Cinechance.com are their own. Cinechance.com bears no responsibility for contributing authors' opinions & Ideas.