MAMI Mumbai Film Festival has announced the launch of MAMI Independent, a new year-round initiative dedicated to showcasing contemporary independent cinema, alongside the unveiling of a new logo and brand identity.
The refreshed visual identity marks a renewed chapter for the festival, which has been a key platform for Indian and international cinema since its founding in 1997. Rooted in the belief that cinema is an art form of the people and for the people, the rebrand reflects MAMI’s evolution into a community-shaped festival driven by diverse voices and the idea that stories connect humanity. While remaining firmly anchored in Mumbai, the organisation continues to engage with cinema from across India and the world.
Announced in tandem with the rebrand, MAMI Independent is designed to strengthen the ecosystem for independent cinema by offering filmmakers sustained access to the big screen. The programme will feature weekly screenings of independent feature films, documentaries, shorts and experimental works, providing visibility to films that often struggle to find space within mainstream exhibition circuits.
The initiative aims to foster dialogue between filmmakers, audiences, industry professionals and emerging talent, while expanding audiences for independent films and creating opportunities for discovery, conversation and potential distribution. By spotlighting films that challenge conventions and emerge from the margins—often made with limited resources but driven by strong creative intent—MAMI Independent seeks to bring such work into wider public view.
Weekly screenings will begin on 25 February 2026, taking place every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at PVR Lido, Santacruz, with a curated selection of Indian independent cinema. Details of the screening slate and monthly calendar will be announced through MAMI’s official channels.
Commenting on the announcement, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Festival Director, MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, said, “I am excited to launch the new face of MAMI with a new logo and brand identity for the Mumbai Film Festival that reflects our belief that cinema is about people, about ideas and sparking conversations, and that the festival is about the storytellers and the public, that come together as a community to make the Mumbai Film Festival a celebration of film.”
Through the launch of MAMI Independent and its new brand identity, MAMI reiterated its commitment to creative freedom, the discovery of new voices and the continued positioning of Mumbai as a vital meeting ground for Indian and global cinema.
