Writer, director, and actor Konkona Sen Sharma emphasizes the importance of courage for filmmakers. “With iPhone, there’s so much power contained in such a compact package that you can bypass the conventions of mainstream filmmaking,” Sen Sharma, an award-winning filmmaker, stated. Collaborating with fellow industry icons Vikramaditya Motwane, Lijo Jose Pellissery, and Vetri Maaran, Sen Sharma mentors four filmmakers selected by the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) to create short films for the 2025 MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone program.
Now in its second year, this initiative pushes MAMI alumni to harness technology and innovation, using the iPhone 16 Pro Max and MacBook Pro with M4 Max for their projects. Two films from last year’s program received 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards India for Best Short Film, Best Director (Short Film), and Best Writing (Short Film).
“Shooting on iPhone allows for complete personal expression,” said Maaran, a Tamil film writer-director. He noted the dual nature of the mentorship process: “We’re living in the age of democracy in filmmaking.” The emerging filmmakers — Amrita Bagchi, Rohin Raveendran Nair, Chanakya Vyas, and Shalini Vijayakumar — explore new cinematic realms with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Festival director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur observed the diverse voices of these filmmakers. “The unique voices of these filmmakers are beautifully contextualized through the four languages and regions of India in which they are rooted.” Pellissery, creator of Malayalam films like Ee.Ma.Yau. and Jallikattu, commented on the filmmakers’ drive, saying: “These are very passionate people with important stories to tell.”
Each creator leveraged the capabilities of the MacBook Pro with the M4 Max chip. “Shooting and editing within the Apple family of products gives you a stellar advantage: speed,” Motwane noted, highlighting the advantages of Apple’s technology for creative control.
Bagchi explored themes of childhood and legacy, recently launching her film Tinctoria in Mumbai. Bagchi’s storytelling is influenced by her Kolkata roots and history. Her film explores the legacy of indigo farmers in Bengal and uses the iPhone’s Cinematic mode for visual storytelling. Her tools enabled her to produce reconstructions typical of high-budget cameras. “It was a very ambitious production, but with iPhone 16 Pro Max, I can constantly create and improvise,” she explained.
Nair, raised with Kerala’s bold cinematic culture, placed his narrative in Alleppey, bringing a love story to life through magical realism. “Using iPhone’s small form factor, I could place the camera inside the typewriter and capture its POV,” he said. His creative process capitalized on iPhone 16 Pro Max’s ability to frame dynamic landscapes.
Vyas found literature beneficial in shaping his film Mangya. Loss resonates throughout the narrative, sparked by personal loss and current events. “What started out as a story about a lonely boy, eventually became one about letting go,” Vyas reflected. The technical features of the iPhone allowed for dynamic movement and heightened sound clarity throughout his film.
Vijayakumar’s comedic horror film Seeing Red takes inspiration from her Tamil heritage. Depicting emotional transitions, she inverts typical masculine visuals using the iPhone 16 Pro Max. “I’m doing that for the women in 4K120 fps, and it looks fabulous,” she said. Her storytelling combines illustrative composition and technical elements to contextualize her themes.
Motwane praised the film creators’ potential: “These filmmakers can be the pioneers who take the camera to places we’ve never seen before.” Audiences can view these creative efforts on the MAMI YouTube channel.
