Taiwanese film 'The Wall' won the Golden Peacock for the best film, and a cash award of a million rupees, at the 38th International Film Festival of India, which ended here late Monday.
This is a finely-crafted films about the dreams, hope, betrayal and love of ordinary people living in politically-challenging times.
It is highly cinematic, and making the political personal.The filmmaker creates a entire world within the four walls of a simple house.
Thai debut director Ms Pongpat Wachirabunjon bagged the 'most promising director' award for her film Khaw Hai Rakh Johg Jaroen (Me Myself), with the Silver Peacock and a cash prize of half a million rupees going to her.
The Thai film is about whether we have the freedom to chart out our own life. It is a story of hope for a world without discrimination while recognising the difficulties of being different.
The Special Jury Award was shared by Bangladeshi script-writer Golam Rabanny Biplab for the film Swopnodanay (On Wings Of Dreams) and the Mexican child-artist Miss Julia Urbini for her role in 'Mas Que A Nada En El Mundo' (More Than Anything In The World).
Each got a quarter million rupees.
Swopnodanay is a simple story of a poor man who has the chance to dream of another life, but discovers the things he already has are more important than the dreams. This classic story is told simply with few overt Western influences, and resonates the truth that applies for millions around the world.
Mas Que A Nada En El Mundo, said the jury, depicts the story of a child craving for her mother's love. The performance of the child actor is central to the film's success. Playing the child character, Julia Urbini was found to give an "enchanting, nuanced performance that helps make the film special".
The five-member jury was headed by eminent Hungarian filmmaker Ms Marta Mazaros, who directed over 60 films and won awards worldwide.
Other jury members were leading Turkish Ms Meltem Cumbul, cinematographer Shaji N Karun, noted Argentinian film-director Pablo Cesar and young New Zealand filmmaker Robert Sarkies.
Chief guest at the closing ceremony, which ended with fireworks here, Budhadeb Dasgupta said this year's IFFI festival had many innovations and good quality films.
Dasgupta said more film-makers and directors from international cinema should be invited, and this would raise the level of the festival, providing a chance for their Indian counterparts to learn from them.
Jury chairperson Marta Mazaros said the IFFI gave a chance to see films with huge diversity in terms of culture, film-making styles and varied perspectives.
India Directorate of Film Festivals head Ms Neelam Kapur said the IFFI in 2008 would be held in the third week of November next year.
During the 11 day event, which began here on November 23, some 176 films from 46 countries were screened. Of these, 64 were in the Cinema of the World category, 39 under the retrospective and homage category and 59 in various categories of Indian cinema.
Hungary was the country in focus. Tributes were also paid to some greats from Indian cinema. Over 3000 delegates from India and abroad took part, officials said.
Frederick Noronha
fred@bytesforall.org +91 9970 157402
04.12.2007 | Editor's blog
Cat. : Cinema of India Culture of Goa Entertainment Entertainment Films Golam Rabanny Biplab Hai Rakh Johg Human Interest Human Interest India International Film Festival of India Julia Urbini Jury Marta Mazaros Mas Que A Nada En El Mundo Me ... Myself Meltem Cumbul Meltem Cumbul Neelam Kapur New Zealand Pablo Cesar Pongpat Wachirabunjon Robert Sarkies Shaji N Karun the 38th International Film Festival of India the Special Jury award The Wall The Wall' gets top award