**Executive Summary**
This report covers a session at the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) held on June 20, 2026, featuring filmmakers Dhwani Desai and Raimund Krumme. The discussion focused on the evolution of animation, the creative process, and the necessity of balancing emerging technologies with artistic foundations. Media professionals are invited to contact the MIFF media desk for filmmaker interactions, while audiences are encouraged to engage with the festival via social media.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Artistic Philosophy and Audience Interpretation**
* Filmmakers emphasize a balance between adopting new technology and maintaining traditional artistic foundations.
* Audience interpretation is viewed as subjective and multifaceted; viewers derive different meanings based on their personal experiences.
* Storytelling is built around universally understood emotions and experiences rather than directing viewers toward a single, fixed meaning.
**The Creative Process**
* Creative ideas can originate from unconventional methods, such as painting sketches directly onto walls to facilitate the flow of ideas.
* Movement is a central element of artistic practice, used to capture energy, rhythm, and motion.
* Narratives often focus on the "exhilaration of the journey" and life experiences rather than just moving from one point to another.
**Evolution of the Animation Medium**
* Animation has evolved significantly and is now widely recognized as a serious form of artistic expression.
* The industry is acknowledging the growing role of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies in the creative process.
* Modern animation aims to create meaningful experiences that resonate with audiences long after the viewing ends.
**Impact Analysis**
**Filmmakers and Artists**
**Impact**
They are challenged to integrate emerging technologies like AI without losing their core artistic identity.
**Action Required**
Focus on creating meaningful, emotionally resonant content that allows for diverse audience interpretations.
**Journalists, Bloggers, and Vloggers**
**Impact**
These stakeholders have direct access to filmmakers for interviews and deeper insights into the industry.
**Action Required**
Contact the MIFF media desk at miff.mediadesk@pib.gov.in with the subject line "Take One with PIB" to schedule interactions.
**Audiences and Film Enthusiasts**
**Impact**
Viewers are encouraged to take a more active role in interpreting and sharing their cinematic experiences.
**Action Required**
Share insights and passion for cinema using the hashtag #MIFF2026 and tag @pibmumbai on X.
Key Entities Referenced
19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF): The primary event where animation filmmakers gathered to discuss storytelling, creativity, and the future of the medium.
Dhwani Desai: A prominent filmmaker who shared insights on balancing new technology with artistic foundations during the festival.
Raimund Krumme: An animation filmmaker and speaker who discussed his creative process, sketches, and the role of personal interpretation in cinema.
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC): The organization associated with the festival, functioning under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
‘As artists and filmmakers,
we need to find a balance
between new technology and
our own artistic foundations,’
exclaimed Film maker
Dhwani Desai
Animation Filmmakers share insights on
storytelling, creativity and the future of the
medium at 19th MIFF
Mumbai, 20 June 2026
"You can go to the sea and collect shells, build sandcastles, or someone might even find nirvana
there. It all depends on what you take from the experience." exclaimed filmmaker Dhwani Desai
during an engaging discussion on storytelling, creativity and audience interpretation at the 19th
Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2026. Bringing together animation filmmakers from different
artistic traditions, the session explored how ideas evolve into films and how audiences shape meaning
from them
Drawing from a Zen Buddhist story, Desai reflected on how audiences experience films in different
ways. "You can go to the sea and collect shells, build sandcastles, or someone might even find nirvana
there. It all depends on what you take from the experience," she remarked. The analogy highlighted
how films often mean different things to different viewers.Animation filmmaker Raimund Krumme shared a similar perspective, saying that he enjoys the fact
that audiences are free to interpret his films in their own way. "Every culture has its own way of
understanding a film, and I like that freedom," he said. Rather than directing viewers towards a single
meaning, he prefers to leave space for personal interpretation while building his stories around
emotions and experiences that are universally understood.
Offering a glimpse into his creative process, Raimund revealed that many of his ideas begin with
sketches drawn directly on walls. "I paint on walls to let my ideas flow," he said. These drawings often
become the starting point for both exhibitions and films. He added that movement is central to his
artistic practice, explaining that his sketches are often designed to capture energy, rhythm and
motion.
The discussion also explored how animation has changed over the years. Both speakers agreed that
the medium has evolved significantly and now enjoys greater recognition as a serious form of artistic
expression. At the same time, they acknowledged the growing role of artificial intelligence and other
emerging technologies.
Filmmaker Raimund also reflected on the deeper meaning behind his film featuring a dancing couple.
While the story revolves around travel, he said it is really about the experience of the journey itself.
"Travel is more than going from point A to point B. It should be exhilarating," he remarked, drawing
parallels between physical journeys and life's broader experiences.The session gave audiences an engaging insight into the creative minds of animation filmmakers,
showing how personal experiences, ideas and new technologies influence the stories they tell. It also
highlighted that animation is more than just moving images—it is about creating meaningful
experiences that audiences can connect with and remember long after the film ends.
* * *
PIB Team MIFF | Mahesh Kumar/Edgar Coelho/Darshana Rane
Great films resonate through passionate voices. Share your love
for cinema with #MIFF2026. Tag us @pibmumbai on X, and we'll
help spread your passion! For journalists, bloggers, and vloggers
wanting to connect with filmmakers for interviews/interactions,
reach out to us at miff.mediadesk@pib.gov.in with the subject
line: Take One with PIB.
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