Get ready to step behind the scenes of cinema like never before! Red Lorry Film Festival, the country’s premiere international film festival curated by BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment destination is back, and this time, it’s bringing the magic of storytelling to life with an electrifying line-up of masterclasses and fireside chats featuring some of the biggest names in the industry. From decoding the art of screenwriting to navigating the ever-evolving world of filmmaking, these sessions promise a front-row seat to the minds shaping modern cinema.
The second edition of Red Lorry Film Festival is brought to you by BookAChange, by BookMyShow Foundation, empowering emerging artists through the transformative power of cinema.
This year’s festival stands out with its exciting new additions complementing its plethora of curated titles of over 120 stories, each better than the other. With exclusive masterclasses and intimate fireside chats featuring esteemed members of the film industry, attendees will gain invaluable insights from luminaries such as Guneet Monga, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Alok Tandon, Akarsh Khurana, Sooni Taraporevala, Anjum Rajabali Kausar Munir among others.
From Indie to Impact: Cracking the Festival Circuit
Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga will host an unmissable interactive masterclass on taking independent films to the global stage, sharing her journey of navigating the festival circuit, from strategising releases to building global audiences. This session will showcase the ways in which filmmakers can position indie films for maximum impact, secure international recognition and use festivals as a launchpad for success. Her session at RLFF is a must-attend for filmmakers eager to turn passion projects into global phenomena.
Transition Tales: Navigating Industry Shifts, Challenges and Opportunities
Featuring industry veterans, director Siddharth Roy Kapur and Chief Strategic Advisor, PVR INOX Ltd, Alok Tandon will set in motion, a candid dialogue about the evolving cinema and entertainment landscape The conversation will explore shifting audience preferences, changing theatrical dynamics and the rise of streaming platforms, offering insights on emerging opportunities, reviving mid-segment films and the business of storytelling. This session is essential for anyone seeking to understand the future of the film industry in a constantly changing environment.
Screen Wars: The Director Strikes Back – Balancing the Force of Cinema and OTT
The session, bringing brilliant directors Akarsh Khurana and Sooni Taraporevala for an insightful discussion on the evolving storytelling landscape, will navigate both theatrical and streaming platforms, they explore topics that revolve around adapting creative visions, shifting audience habits and preserving the magic of cinema. Akarsh Khurana, famed for directing gems like ‘Karwaan’ and the famous series ‘Mismatched’ along with Sooni Taraporevala who brought to the screen ‘Salaam Bombay!’, ‘Little Zizou’, ‘Mississippi Masala’ amongst others, will discuss the industry’s creative, commercial and technological shifts, offering insights on crafting stories that continue to resonate in an ever-expanding content universe.
Scripted to Slay: Writing Stories That Shine
The dynamic masterclass will be led by legendary screenwriter Anjum Rajabali. With decades of experience shaping iconic narratives in Indian cinema like ‘Rajneeti’, ‘Ghulam’, ‘The Legend Of Bhagat Singh’ and ‘Naina’, Anjum’s session will throw light on the nuances of compelling storytelling, right from creating unforgettable characters to mastering conflict and structure. Whether an aspiring writer or seasoned storyteller, this session will equip those in the room with the tools to write scripts that captivate and linger.
Why Hollywood Matters: India’s 2025 Story
The compelling session will explore Hollywood’s remarkable evolution from niche entertainment to a global box office powerhouse, highlighting how franchises like ‘Marvel’, ‘Avatar’ and ‘Mission Impossible’ have fundamentally reshaped the cinematic landscape through cutting-edge technology and strategic dubbing in regional languages. The discussion will delve into the industry’s innovative approaches to reaching diverse audiences worldwide, particularly in emerging markets. Industry veterans Sanjay Pisharody from NBCUniversal, S. George John from Warner Bros. Discovery, along with Sony Pictures’ Shony Panjikaran and Cinepolis India’s Devang Sampat, will offer valuable insights into how major studios are successfully bridging cultural and linguistic gaps while maintaining Hollywood’s signature storytelling appeal and production values.
The Poetry of Cinema: Weaving Lyrics, Scripts and Stories
Led by renowned lyricist Kausar Munir, the session explores the lyrical essence of filmmaking. From powerful dialogues to soul-stirring lyrics for timeless music, these storytellers shape cinema’s emotional core. Munir’s session will delve into the intersection of poetry and screenplay, the influence of words on narratives and how women are reshaping Bollywood storytelling. A must-attend for those passionate about language and cinema.
Global Faces: Casting Across Borders
Renowned casting virtuoso Tess Joseph will pull back the curtain on the intricate art of finding faces that captivate audiences across continents. Drawing from her rich experience of discovering breakthrough talent, she’ll delve into the delicate balance of transcending cultural boundaries while maintaining authentic representation in international productions. This fascinating session promises to reveal the behind-the-scenes magic of global casting – from nurturing fresh talent to collaborating with established stars – offering invaluable insights for industry professionals, emerging actors, and filmmakers eager to tell stories that resonate worldwide.
No Pushovers: Dev Anand & Goldie’s Glorious Women Characters
Author of ‘Hum Dono’, Tanuja Chaturvedi will champion the strong, self-realised and flawed female characters in the films of Dev Anand and Goldie Anand during her session, co-presented by Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri, Editor in Chief, Om Books International. Unlike typical portrayals of women of their time, characters such as Kalpana Kartik in ‘Nau Do Gyarah’, Waheeda Rehman in ‘Kala Bazaar’, Nutan in ‘Tere Ghar ke Saamne’ and Rosie in ‘Guide’ are assertive, opinionated and empowered. Dev and Goldie Anand’s enlightened vision gifted Hindi cinema, iconic women like Zeenat Aman and Tina Munim, redefining the role of heroines in Indian films.
Dialogue Baazi: The Art of Written and Spoken Word in Indian Films
At its heart, the fireside chat by Humans of Cinema, with a surprise guest, is a journey through India’s cinematic soul, told through its most quotable moments. From the theatrical grandeur of the Urdu verses of ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ to the raw street poetry of ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, the evolution of film dialogue mirrors our changing society. This deep dive will unravel how dialogues transformed from being merely spoken words to becoming cultural touchstones – from Gabbar Singh’s chilling “Kitne aadmi the?” to the colloquial charm of Gully Boy’s street rap. It’s a conversation about how Indian cinema found its voice, lost it and reinvented it multiple times, creating a language that’s neither pure Hindi nor English, but purely filmi.
The Long Take: Building a Magnetic Movie Community
Breaking down the science of viral movie content, Humans of Cinema founder Harshit Bansal brings his expertise from building one of India’s most engaged film communities to this unmissable masterclass. Having mastered the art of creating content that resonates with both cinephiles and casual viewers, Bansal will share his proven strategies for crafting scroll-stopping visual analyses and addictive movie-themed series that consistently reach millions. Participants will gain insider knowledge on the psychology of content timing, techniques to simplify complex film concepts for today’s attention economy, and practical frameworks for transforming cinema knowledge into engaging social media gold.
Ashish Saksena, COO – Cinemas, BookMyShow and Festival Director of Red Lorry Film Festival said, “At Red Lorry Film Festival, we celebrate cinema’s universal power to unite audiences. The phenomenal response to our debut edition highlighted India’s growing appreciation for global films, and this year, we’re taking the experience to the next level. Expanding to Hyderabad and returning to Mumbai, we’re curating a truly immersive experience, not just with exceptional screenings but also with exclusive masterclasses and fireside chats that offer deeper insights into the art of filmmaking. Red Lorry Film Festival is more than just a film festival; it’s a gateway to global cinema that aims to offer movie connoisseurs an experience to connect with films and the faces behind these narratives in a meaningful way.”
This year’s festival line-up promises a breathtaking exploration of world cinema, with Red Lorry Film Festival: Take 2 in Mumbai and an exciting debut chapter, Red Lorry Film Festival: Parallel Verse, in one of India’s most movie-loving cities, Hyderabad.