The Fable, directed by Raam Reddy and starring Manoj Bajpayee, has been selected as the only Indian film to compete at the prestigious SEMINCI Film Festival in Valladolid, Spain. The film will make its Spanish premiere at the festival’s upcoming edition, running from October 18-26, 2024. This follows its highly successful world premiere at the 74th Berlin Film Festival, where it became only the second Indian film in three decades to compete in one of the major Berlinale sections, receiving widespread acclaim.
At SEMINCI, The Fable will participate in the revered Meeting Point Official Selection Competition, vying for top honors such as the Meeting Point Best Feature Award, the Meeting Point Special Jury Award, and the ‘Pilar Miró’ Award for Best New Director. The film will face tough competition from globally recognized festival winners, including Constance Tsang’s Blue Sun Palace (Cannes Critics’ Week winner), Sarah Friedland’s Familiar Touch (Venice winner), and Saulė Bliuvaitė’s Toxic (Locarno’s Golden Leopard winner), among others.
The Meeting Point section is noted for spotlighting breakthrough fictions that often become major revelations of the cinematic season. This selection reaffirms the rising international recognition of The Fable, following its success in Berlin.
Raam Reddy expressed his excitement about the film’s inclusion in such a prestigious competition, “It’s an incredible honour to be selected in competition at SEMINCI, as we will be competing with many of the winners from the top festivals around the world. The selection includes films by masters whose work has inspired me to become a filmmaker, so being in the same selection is incredibly exciting.”
Manoj Bajpayee, reflecting on the challenging journey of making The Fable, shared, “Shooting for The Fable has been a miraculous and magical journey. We not only survived COVID but also faced immense challenges along the way. After a year-long hiatus due to the pandemic, we returned to the location only to be hit by the Delta wave. Despite the difficulties, we continued filming under strict isolation protocols set by the local administration. It was a long, arduous journey, four months initially in the mountains, followed by another four months after returning.
It feels miraculous because we persevered and survived, giving it our all despite external pressures to cancel. The circumstances were far from ideal, but our belief in the script and the vision of director Raam Reddy kept us going. We supported each other, stayed hopeful, and pushed forward together.
I’m thrilled that The Fable was already selected for the competition section at the Berlin Film Festival, and now, SEMINCI is another feather in its cap. I’m eagerly anticipating the audience’s response at SEMINCI in Spain. My best wishes to our director and the entire team attending the festival. I’m really excited to see how the film will be received.”
Bajpayee’s character, Dev, is central to the film’s intense and mystical narrative. Set in the Indian Himalayas, Dev is drawn into a haunting mystery as he encounters unexplained fires in his fruit orchards, forcing him to confront dark truths about his family and himself.
The US-Indian co-production boasts an impressive ensemble cast, featuring Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose, Tillotama Shome, debutant Hiral Sidhu, and child actor Awan Pookot. As The Fable competes at SEMINCI, it continues to solidify its place as one of India’s most notable international cinematic entries this year.
As SEMINCI celebrates its 69th edition, the festival continues to be a major platform for both established masters and emerging talents.
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