Smartphone cinema: Filmmakers redefine storytelling at MAMI Select

Anyone interested in smartphones is aware of the cinematic cameras the top-end iPhones come with. And if you’ve followed filmmaking closely in recent years, you’d be aware of the increasing use of iPhones in shooting films. At the MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone 2025 this week in Mumbai, it was a fascinating collision of technological innovation and artistic expression.

The atmosphere was electric—a mix of creative fervour and technological curiosity. Here, the latest technology is empowering a new wave of cinematic storytelling. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, in this context, wasn’t just a gadget; it was a tool for artistic expression, capable of capturing the intricate emotions and vivid visuals that define Indian cinema.

The event, now in its second year, has become a dynamic platform for both established and emerging filmmakers. This year’s talented cohort—Amrita Bagchi, Rohin Raveendran Nair, Chanakya Vyas, and Shalini Vijayakumar—presented their short films, each a testament to the iPhone’s capabilities and their unique creative visions.

A defining moment occurred during a pre-screening Q&A. A respected senior Bollywood actor, her presence commanding attention, posed a question that resonated with the audience’s collective curiosity. “How many iPhones were used to film these pieces?” she asked, her voice filled with genuine interest. The response, delivered with confident ease, was: “Four iPhone 16 Pro Max.”

A wave of impressed murmurs swept through the cinema hall. Four smartphones, responsible for crafting cinematic experiences that rivalled those produced with far more elaborate equipment. It was a powerful demonstration of the democratisation of filmmaking, a concept that Apple’s camera technology is actively realising.

These filmmakers, guided by names such as Konkona Sen Sharma and Vikramaditya Motwane, are redefining the boundaries of mobile filmmaking. Bagchi’s psychological thriller Tinctoria (in Hindi) conjures up a palpable sense of tension with the iPhone’s Cinematic mode. Nair’s Kovarty, a romance touched by magic realism (in Malayalam), captures the serene beauty of Kerala’s backwaters with remarkable clarity, using the iPhone’s ProRes Log capabilities.

Chanakya Vyas, in his moving coming-of-age Mangya (in Marathi) relies on the iPhone's Action mode for exceptionally stable tracking shots. And Shalini Vijayakumar, with her vibrant horror comedy Seeing Red (in Tamil), reimagines cinematic conventions with the iPhone’s 120 mm telephoto lens and slow-motion capabilities.

It is important to note that Apple isn’t the only tech company active in this space. Other manufacturers, including Samsung, have also invested heavily in smartphone filmmaking capabilities, pushing the boundaries of mobile video. This trend reflects a broader industry shift, where smartphone technology is increasingly seen as a viable and powerful tool for professional-level content creation. For instance, this writer shoots videos on an iPhone 16 Pro Max, while clicking images using the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is also a boon for editing and consuming content on the go.

Coming back to the filmmakers, the M4 Max MacBook Pro seamlessly integrated into their workflow, enabling them to edit and refine their work with an efficiency that altered the creative process. It was interesting to see this synergy between Apple’s hardware and software being used by Indian artists at the top of their game.

In the tech world, we often discuss minor sensor upgrades, computational photography enhancements, and AI chip improvements to the iPhone. But having attended this festival for two consecutive years, the difference is striking. This year, the leap in gear quality and output is undeniable. It turns out that what we consider incremental tech tweaks translates to a significant boost in creative potential for filmmakers.