Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia won the Grand Prix Award at Cannes 2024 for โAll We Imagine As Lightโ, marking a historic moment for Indian cinema.
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Payal Kapadia
Cannes Film Festival 2024: Exciting news from the world of cinema! Indian filmmakerย Payal Kapadiaย has made history by winning theย Grand Prix Awardย for her filmย โAll We Imagine As Lightโย at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.ย
Thisย is a monumental achievement, as it marks the first time an Indian filmmaker has received this prestigious award.
Theย Cannes Grand Prixย is the second-highest honour at the festival, just below theย Palme dโOr, whichย was awardedย to American directorย Sean Bakerย for his filmย โAnoraโ.
According to a PTI report, Kapadia is the first female director from India and the first Indian film in 30 years to compete in the festivalโs main competition.ย
The last time an Indian film competed was in 1994 withย Shaji N Karunโs โSwahamโ.
A Heartwarming Reception
After its screening at the Cannes Film Festival,ย โAll We Imagine As Lightโย received anย eight-minute standing ovation! International critics praised the film, calling it a potential winner.
Who is Payal Kapadia?
Meetย Payal Kapadia, the 38-year-old filmmaker no stranger to the international stage.ย
Whileย โAll We Imagine As Lightโย is her feature directorial debut, she has previously received acclaim for her work.ย
In 2021, her documentaryย โA Night of Knowing Nothingโย premiered at Cannes and won theย Oeil dโOr (Golden Eye)ย award.ย
Her short filmย โAfternoon Cloudsโย was also showcased in theย Cinefondationย category, which supports emerging filmmakers.
Kapadia shared her excitement and gratitude in an interview with the media on April 17.ย
โBeing selected for the Cannes Competition is truly thrilling and humbling, especially considering how much I admire many directors selected in this section, both in the past and present. It is an immense honour to be showingย myย film among them,โ
Payal Kapadia
From Protests to Prestigious Awards
Kapadia is an alumna of theย Film & Television Institute of India (FTII).ย
She is also known for leading a significant protest against then-FTII Chairmanย Gajendra Chauhanย in 2015.ย
She stood firm in her beliefs despite facing disciplinary action, including a cut to her FTII grant.
An Emotional Acceptance Speech
In a heartfelt moment, Kapadia accepted the award from American actorย Viola Davis.ย
She thanked her leading ladies,ย Chhaya Kadam,ย Divya Prabha, andย Kani Kusruti, and highlighted the importance of friendship and solidarity among women.ย
โThank you to the Cannes Film Festival for having our film here. Please do not wait 30 years to have another Indian film. This film is about friendship, about three very different women. Often, womenย are pittedย against each other.ย Thisย is how our societyย is designed, which is unfortunate. However, forย me, friendship is a significant relationship because it can lead to greater solidarity, inclusivity, and empathy,โ
Payal Kapadia
About the Film
โAll We Imagine As Lightโย tells the story ofย Prabha, a nurse whose lifeย is disruptedย by an unexpected gift from her long-estranged husband.ย
Her roommate,ย Anu, searches for a private spot in the city where she can be alone with her boyfriend.ย
The two embark on a road trip to a beach town, where the mystical forest becomes a space for their dreams to manifest.
Kapadia explained in an interview with AFP on May 24 that many Indian filmmakers do not submit their work to international festivals.
ย โThe Indian industry is quite self-contained, so many filmmakers do not even feel the need to send their work to festivals.ย Butย it is difficult to find funds ifย youย want to make a smaller film thatโs not narrative-focused or does not work with the industry set-up, so the French system helpedย meย a lot,โ she said.
โAll We Imagine As Lightโย is an Indo-French co-production betweenย petit chaos (France)ย andย Chalk and Cheese Films (India).
Conclusion
Payal Kapadiaโs historic win at Cannes is a proud moment for Indian cinema.ย
Her dedication, talent, and perseverance have brought her success and shone a spotlight on the potential of Indian filmmakers on the global stage.ย
We cannot wait to see what she creates next!