The Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), the organisation behind the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, has announced the third edition of its acclaimed initiative, ‘MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone’, continuing its focus on nurturing emerging filmmaking talent through technology-driven storytelling.

According to a PTI report, the new edition will feature an accomplished panel of mentors, including filmmakers Sriram Raghavan and Dibakar Banerjee, along with award-winning directors Geetu Mohandas and Chaitanya Tamhane. The programme is designed to support aspiring filmmakers by equipping them with creative guidance, technical resources and a platform to showcase their work.

From pre-production to post-production, the mentors will closely guide selected participants as they develop short films using the iPhone, encouraging them to push creative boundaries while exploring new forms of visual storytelling. Applications for the programme are open until January 4.

The completed short films will be premiered at a special screening event and subsequently released on the MAMI YouTube channel, ensuring wide accessibility and audience reach. The initiative has steadily built a reputation for spotlighting strong independent voices and regional stories.

“After a very successful edition of MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone this year, I am delighted to announce the third edition of this programme, through which MAMI supports emerging independent filmmakers with technological support, a fantastic cohort of mentors and a platform to showcase their work,” festival director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said in a release.

“This year, we are fortunate to have four superb mentors on board – Sriram Raghavan, Dibakar Banerjee, Geetu Mohandas and Chaitanya Tamhane. Once again, we are looking for regional short films in Hindi, Marathi and Malayalam, and for the first time, in Bengali,” he added.

Raghavan, who is awaiting the release of ‘Ikkis’, said, “A short film can go a long way. I really look forward to the MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone programme. It’s a terrific opportunity for budding filmmakers. I hope to learn a few things too.”