Payal Kapadia to receive 'Spirit of Cinema' Award at IFFK 2024

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, who won the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, will be honored with the 'Spirit of Cinema' award at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).

The award includes a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a sculpture, and a citation. It will be presented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the festival's closing ceremony on December 20 at the Nishagandhi Auditorium, Thiruvananthapuram.

Instituted during the 26th IFFK, the 'Spirit of Cinema' award recognizes fearless filmmakers who use cinema as a medium to fight social injustices. Previous recipients include Kurdish director Lisa Calan, Iranian filmmaker Mahnaz Mohammadi, and Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu.

Kapadia made history as the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix at Cannes for her debut feature All We Imagine As Light. On Wednesday, the film also won the Best International at the New York Film Critics Circle.

Starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam, the film is an official Indo-French co-production between petit chaos from France and Chalk & Cheese and Another Birth from India.

International Film Festival of Kerala

The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), one of the prominent film festivals of India is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. Over the years, the IFFK has come to be known as Asia’s best-managed and probably the world’s most people-centred film festival. The festival charms the best films, renowned directors, technicians and spectators from across the globe and is acknowledged as one of the leading cultural events in India.