Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan handed over the Spirit of Cinema Award to Payal Kapadia, the director of ‘All We Imagine as Light’ on the concluding day of the 29th IFFK here on Friday..
“Making a film in Malayalam was a ‘crazy’ idea for me. But I am immensely proud of the support this film has received in Kerala,” Payal said at the festival’s closing ceremony.
“I accept this recognition with immense happiness. The actresses in my film have already won numerous awards. Now, I feel happy to share this joy with them,” she added.
Actors Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha, who starred in ‘All We Imagine as Light’, were also present at the event.
Kapadia, the first Indian filmmaker to win the Cannes Grand Prix award for her debut feature ‘All We Imagine as Light’, which focuses on the marginalised and explores the intersections between cinema and politics.
Her documentary feature A Night of Knowing Nothing, born out of the FTII protests, won the Golden Eye Award for Best Documentary at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and received the Amplify Voices Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Kapadia’s work reflects her unwavering commitment to using cinema as a tool for social change and resistance.
The Spirit of Cinema Award comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a memento. It honours the fearless narratives that challenge the status quo and amplify the voices of the marginalised.
