Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Onir and Rima Das’ anthology film ‘My Melbourne’ to open 2024 IFFM

Inspired by true incidents, the anthology is centered around the city of Melbourne with each short film exploring themes of race, gender, sexuality, and disability

My Melbourne, an anthology featuring shorts by filmmakers Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Onir and Rima Das, will serve as the opening movie at the 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).

The 2024 edition of the film gala, to be held in Melbourne from August 15 to 25, will showcase a diverse range of films that celebrate the rich tapestry of Indian cinema, the organisers said in a statement.

My Melbourne is an Indo-Australian collaboration, supported by the Victorian government’s screen agency Vic Screen and Screen Australia.

Inspired by true incidents, the anthology movie is centered around the city of Melbourne with each short film exploring themes of race, gender, sexuality, and disability.

The shorts include Emma by Das, Jules by Ali, Nandini by Onir and Setara by Khan.

Das, whose film is based around the theme of disability, said she has tried to keep it "authentic and real".

"We worked with a mix of senior actors and relatively new actors, including members of the deaf community. I am happy with the outcome and look forward to seeing how the audience receives the film. I hope it initiates dialogue about how we can be more inclusive in all walks of life, including art and welcome diverse perspectives and narratives especially from those living with disabilities," she added.