Imtiaz Ali’s Film ‘My Melbourne’ Selected As Opening Gala At UK Asian Film Festival
Anthology film featuring Indian-Australian stories marks its European premiere at prestigious event.
Jehangir Irroni is a filmmaker and creative director with over 18 years of experience in directing ad films, corporate videos, web series, and television shows. As assistant vice president - Videos at IncNut Digital, Jehangir is involved in producing and directing videos and infomercials.
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Acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali’s anthology film ‘My Melbourne’ has been selected as the opening gala film at the UK Asian Film Festival. This prestigious selection also marks the European premiere of the film, which explores stories connecting India and Australia.
The post on the movie’s official Instagram page, where Imtiaz Ali was tagged too, shows a colorful graphic representation of ‘My Melbourne’ with text highlighting it as an anthology film and collaboration between India and Australia.
About ‘My Melbourne’
‘My Melbourne’ is a unique anthology project featuring the work of four prominent Indian filmmakers: Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan, Rima Das, and Onir. Each director contributes their own segment to the anthology, creating a diverse collection of stories centered around Melbourne, Australia.
According to earlier promotions, the anthology presents four diverse stories about identity and belonging based on true incidents. The project represents a significant collaboration between the Indian and Australian film industries, with support from various Australian organizations including Screen Australia, Visit Melbourne, Visit Victoria, and the City of Melbourne.
The film was previously showcased at the I View World Film Festival in March 2025 in New Delhi, as indicated by a prior Instagram post from the festival organizers who described it as being “made with love, empathy and care.”
Uk Asian Film Festival Selection
The selection as the opening gala film for the UK Asian Film Festivalm, which will be held from May 1 to 14, represents a significant achievement for the project.
The UK Asian Film Festival is one of Europe’s longest-running South Asian film festivals and provides an important platform for diaspora cinema and filmmakers from the subcontinent.
India-Australia Cultural Collaboration
‘My Melbourne’ is positioned as an important cultural exchange between India and Australia. The Instagram post tags numerous official Australian organizations including Visit Melbourne, Visit Victoria, the City of Melbourne, and Screen Australia.
The Australian High Commission in India and the Consulate General of India in Melbourne have also been tagged, highlighting the diplomatic significance of the cultural collaboration between the two countries.
Imtiaz Ali’s Filmmaking Journey
Imtiaz Ali has established himself as one of India’s most distinctive directorial voices, particularly known for his exploration of love, relationships, and self-discovery. Born in Jamshedpur, India, Ali began his career directing television shows before making his feature film debut with ‘Socha Na Tha’ in 2005.
He achieved mainstream success with ‘Jab We Met’ (2007), starring Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor, which became a defining romantic comedy of its era. His filmography includes critically acclaimed works like ‘Rockstar’ (2011), ‘Highway’ (2014), and ‘Tamasha’ (2015), which have earned him a reputation for thoughtful storytelling and complex character studies.
In recent interviews, Ali has spoken about the evolution of cinema and changing audience preferences, as well as his perspectives on how the portrayal of love in films has transformed over time—from what was once seen as pure to what he suggests is sometimes mistaken for lust in modern depictions.
With ‘My Melbourne,’ Ali continues his exploration of human connections while expanding into international collaborations that bridge cultural divides through the universal language of cinema.
What’s Next
‘My Melbourne’ represents an important milestone in cross-cultural filmmaking between India and Australia. Fans of the four directors involved will be eager to see how each filmmaker interprets stories of the Australian city through their distinctive creative lenses.
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