MUMBAI: With India’s high profile entry in Cannes Film Festival Masaan directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chaddha and Shweta Tiwary, the sixth edition of Jagran Film Festival is ready to take off starting 1 July.

Winner of two prestigious awards the FIPRESCI, International Jury of Film Critics prize and Promising Future prize in the Un Certain Regard section, Masaan has received wide critical acclaim globally.

While Variety’s Jay Weissberg writes, “A 'Promising Future' prize in Cannes should help this narratively challenged drama of two families trapped in the strictures of India’s rigid caste system.”

Hollywood Reporter’s Deborsh Young describes it as “India’s modern and traditional sides face off in two interlocking love stories.”

A collaborative effort of Phantom Films, Drishyam, Macassar Productions, Pathe, Sikhya Entertainment and Arte Cinema, France,  Masaan will be presented on 1 July, 2015 evening by Ghaywan and the star cast of the film to the festival delegates personally. 

Cannes Film Festival’s strategic consultant Manoj Srivastava said, “It’s a matter of pride to open the festival with such a prestigious and worthy film. Masaan is just the beginning; the festival has a lot in store for film delegates this year which would be revealed over the next few days.”

The Film Festival begins in New Delhi’s Siri Fort Auditoria and will present a wide ranging Indian and foreign cinema with specially curated sections on thematic lines. Masaan an official entry in the Festival will compete for the Indian Showcase Awards.