Mani Ratnam, Luca Guadagnino to receive Excellence in Cinema Award at Mumbai Film Fest

Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam, known for his works like 'Roja', 'Bombay', and Italian director Luca Guadagnino, who is known for 'A Bigger Splash', 'Call Me By Your Name', etc will be honoured with the 'Excellence in Cinema' award, here, at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

Both the directors will attend the festival to receive this prestigious accolade, and will conduct masterclasses at the festival. It will be held at the Opening Night ceremony on October 27.

The award honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema. Previous recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, and Chen Kaige.

The festival will also screen Mani Ratnam’s most recent historical dramas -- 'Ponniyin Selvan: Part one and two', and Guadagnino's Golden Globe-nominated film 'I Am Love'.

With a career spanning four decades, Mani Ratnam is one of the most celebrated directors from South Asia. Over the decades, his cinema has explored different themes, from the classic love story to political drama to human drama.

His films have layered characters and complex themes that are deeply rooted in a cultural and social context. His most notable movies include 'Mouna Ragam', 'Nayakan','Iruvar', 'Alaipayuthey', 'Guru' etc.

Luca Guadagnino is the auteur filmmaker behind some of the most visceral and visually stunning films of the last two decades, including the Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe-nominated films 'I Am Love', 'Suspiria', and the feature documentary 'Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams'.

Guadagnino made his TV debut with the HBO drama series 'We Are Who We Are', which he created, directed, wrote, and produced. He is currently in post-production for his next feature based on William S Burroughs’ novel 'Queer'.

Anupama Chopra, festival director said: "It's a privilege to award these formidable artists. They have redefined and expanded our ideas of what cinema can be."