CINEMA, CULTURE & CURIOSITY - CARLO CHATRIAN

The artistic director of Berlinale dropped in at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, revealing his favourite Bollywood movie, discussing films, friendships and more!

Carlo, welcome to India! What brings you to Jio MAMI in Mumbai?

It's my first time in India. After three years of the pandemic where travel was restricted, when Deepti DCunha [artistic director of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival] invited me, I said yes. We have Meenakshi Shedde here as well, who is [a Berlin Film Festival] delegate in India. In our last edition we showcased over 20 Indian films, including Bollywood movies! I also came out of a personal interest to meet filmmakers, and producers and understand the culture here.

You've been the artistic director of the Berlin International Film Festival since 2019. What inspired you to pursue a career in film?

I studied films back in Italy in the '90s, though at the time, it was a part of literature. I graduated from the University of Torino which is in north-west Italy - with a thesis on the films of the French filmmaker Jacques Rivette. My passion for cinema began by attending festivals at this time.

I started writing reviews for magazines and that was the beginning of the process that brought out my desire to share the films that I watched with others.

Recently, you announced that you would be stepping down from your role at Berlinale. How does it feel to have received the support of over 400 prominent global filmmakers, including luminaries such as Martin Scorsese and M. Night Shyamalan, requesting your continued leadership?

The letter in support of me was overwhelming. I had a mandate for five years, it is over and it was a political decision to have a different governance. Regardless, I'm quite confident that the festival will maintain its international dimension.

What can we expect from your last edition?