– Ronita Torcato 

For five days in June, Mumbai will carve an exciting space for a new generation of storytellers when the 18th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) —the biennial celebration of documentary and short filmmaking organised by the NFDC under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting — raises the curtain on the magic of cinema with a series of workshops.

From June 16 to 20, MIFF will host an exclusive series of filmmaking workshops for film students and devout cinephiles to sit across from the industry’s brightest minds and unpack the craft, frame by frame.

The programme begins on June 16 with a masterclass by screen writer Biplab Goswami.Fresh from the success of Laapataa Ladies, Goswami will take the stage to dissect the anatomy of a blockbuster script. For anyone who has ever struggled with screenwriting, Goswami’s session promises to demystify the process of building memorable characters and gripping screenplays.

MIFF will next turn the spotlight onto two women who have carved out spaces in traditionally male-dominated arenas:

On June 17 Modhura Palit, the Cannes-winning cinematographer will guide attendees through the language of lenses, teaching them how to paint emotion through light, shadow, and visual storytelling.

On June 18, veteran editor Deepa Bhatia will reveal the art of the edit suite, showing how raw footage is chiseled into a cohesive, breathing cinematic experience.

Men get their turn too on the podium.

On June 19, filmmaker Sanjeev Sivan, a veteran with more than 75 documentary films to his credit, will share the wisdom of a lifetime spent on the front lines of non-fiction storytelling.

Finally, on June 20, Anand Pandey, the creative mind behind projects like Shaktimaan and Krishna Aur Kans, will close the series by tackling the industry’s most talked-about frontier: Artificial Intelligence. Pandey will explore how AI is actively reshaping animation, disrupting traditional storytelling, and redefining the boundaries of content creation.

Prakash Magdum, managing director of the NFDC and author , envisions these workshops as a bridge between industry giants and raw talent.

“This workshop series at MIFF is designed to give aspiring filmmakers and creators an opportunity to learn directly from experts who have shaped storytelling in our country,” said Magdum, who was earlier with FTII and NFAI. “We want these sessions to feel open, inclusive, and practical for anyone interested in the art of cinema. ”

Also read: MET IMM students secure Cannes Lions internships and IIFF recognition