Following its successful world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2023, Wendy Bednarz’s directorial debut feature, ‘Yellow Bus’ is set for its Asia premiere on 2nd November at MAMI 2023 in Mumbai.
‘Yellow Bus’ is an emotional rollercoaster, exploring themes of loss, betrayal, and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit through a processing a life-changing loss. The film is a poignant drama starring Tannishtha Chatterjee and Amit Sial, in lead roles. ‘Yellow Bus’ is a collaborative effort between Indian, Jordanian, Emirati, and American production houses, including Screen Project, Metatron Productions, OSN, Creative Venture, Sikhya Entertainment, and Ta Films. The feature film has already garnered widespread acclaim for its heartfelt narrative and stellar performances since its world premiere in Toronto last month.
Set against the backdrop of a sand-swept city in the Middle East, ‘Yellow Bus’ follows the story of Ananda, portrayed by the talented Tannishtha Chatterjee, who embodies a hopeful migrant mother that is completely shattered by a tragic life-turning incident.
It sheds light on the alienation felt by those who are not completely one with the land. In search for the truth behind her daughter’s tragedy, Ananda grapples with pain, and the emotional turmoil faced by migrants who move to foreign lands with aspirations of better living conditions. Ananda’s journey becomes a powerful metaphor for the grief experienced by mothers, showcasing the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
Speaking of the Asia premiere, the director, Wendy Bednarz said, “we are honoured to bring ‘Yellow Bus’ to audiences at MAMI 2023. The story is a heartfelt exploration of the human experience and a mother’s worst nightmare, the tragic loss of a child. It follows the journey of a grieving mother who must fight for justice in a foreign land and ultimately learn to forgive those whom she holds accountable, including herself. I am extremely grateful to my producer’s Nadia Eliewat and Guneet Monga Kapoor for empowering “Yellow Bus” with a platform and Tannishtha’s Chatterjee, whose riveting performance of Ananda, captures the mother’s pain with grace and sensitivity. We are eager to connect with MAMI 2023 audiences, and experience this mother’s powerful journey”.
Adding to her thoughts, actor Tannishtha, said, “We were overwhelmed with the response we got at Toronto International Film Festival 2023. This film was hard, even as an actor to step into shoes of Ananda. Giving voice to this woman’s struggle of being unheard, especially in an environment that doesn’t favour you, was an emotional journey. Women are often left to struggle, cope with unprecedented situations. Losing a child is the ultimate loss for a mother. Embodying Ananda was not easy, but I’m glad that I could be part of this film that showcases a plethora of emotions and the many aspects of grief in such a nuanced way. After the international premiere, I’m excited to bring this film home to the Indian audiences.”
Co-Producer Guneet Monga Kapoor, added, “We are proud to present a first of its kind Indo-Jordanian production. It’s a privilege to work with international storytellers like lead producer Nadia Eliwat and debutant director Wendy Bednarz. In ‘Yellow Bus’ we explore the plight of a mother, away from her homeland, dealing with the most unimaginable loss. At Sikhya, we continue to seek films that bridge the gap between diaspora and non-diaspora audiences. After receiving international acclaim and a World Premiere at Toronto International Film festival, we hope this story will resonate with MAMI 2023 audiences.”
Co-lead Amit Sial concluded by saying, “Pain is a very powerful emotion. And it’s debilitating when it arises out of the loss of life that is extremely precious to you, especially when it’s your own child. ‘Yellow Bus’, unabashedly dives deep into exploring the pain of an Indian migrant family living in an Arabian Gulf country, thrown into throngs of despair after the sudden loss of their child. As an actor, I feel privileged to be a part of this heart-rending story. More so it was a privilege working with my wonderful writer-director, Wendy Bednarz, who so beautifully crafted the emotions in us day by day. A big shout out to the wonderful co-actors Tanishtha Chatterjee, Kinda Alloush, Aarushi and Kshethra. I sincerely hope that after being appreciated at TIFF recently, ‘Yellow Bus’ will be able to satisfy the audiences at MAMI too. Impatiently look forward to it.”
