London premieres ‘Beyond the Clouds’

The 61st edition of the BFI London Film Festival has premiered acclaimed Iranian director Majid Majidi's India-set ‘Beyond the Clouds’.

The flick, set in the slums of Mumbai in India, enjoyed its global premiere on October 13 with a follow-up screening the day after.

Majidi’s melodrama is the tale of a wild kid who deals drugs and crisscrosses with his motorbike across the city to make the next drop. He reunites with his estranged sister, Taara, in time to become her lifeline after she is being jailed for attempted murder while defending herself.

“Director Majid Majidi delivers a powerful coming-of-age tale about a brother trying to save his jailed sister,” the fest’s catalogue text read, adding, “Risk-taking Iranian director Majid Majidi, best known for his Oscar-nominated Children of Heaven, moved to Mumbai for this stunning feature.”

Talking about his experience of working with an Indian cast and crew, Majidi said in a statement, "This is the first feature film I have made outside Iran, and it's an experience I have been waiting for years to happen. 'Beyond The Clouds' is an extension of my cinematic beliefs, the roots of which lie in human values, love, friendship and family bonding."

Majidi's first ever Indian film, 'Beyond the Clouds', marks Ishaan Khattar's launch pad in cinema.

Meanwhile, the festival director earlier praised Majidi and his film as “powerful outsider eye” and “stunning”.

“Majidi brings a powerful outsider eye to Mumbai in this compelling, visually stunning film driven by an extraordinary debut performance from Ishaan Khattar... We are very proud to present its World Premiere in Official Competition at the BFI London Film Festival,” Clare Stewart said.

The film stars Indian actors Ishaan Khattar and Malavika Mohanan in the leading roles.

Born in 1959, Majidi is an internationally appreciated film producer, director and screenwriter who starred in some movies such as ‘Justification’, ‘Two Sightless Eyes’ and ‘Boycott’ from 1981 to 1985.

He has directed a bunch of films from 1991 to 2017, winning a Crystal Simorgh from the Fajr International Film Festival, an Academy Award nomination for ‘Children of Heaven’, lots of international awards for ‘The Color of Heaven’ and ‘Baran’ among the other titles.

BFI is an annual event held in collaboration with the British Film Institute. It screens more than 300 films, documentaries and shorts from some 50 countries.

The 61st edition of the BFI has been slated for October 4-16, hosting 242 films with 29 world premieres, 8 international premieres and 34 European premieres.

MG/MF