Director Payal Kapadia awarded with Spirit of Cinema award at Kerala Film Festival

During Friday’s 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia was presented with the Spirit of Cinema award. The prize was given in honour of her picture “All We Imagine as Light,” which won the historic Grand Prix at the Cannes picture Festival.

Her accomplishment made her the first Indian director to appear in the main competition part of Cannes in thirty years. The movie has been nominated for two Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards 2025 in addition to its Grand Prix victory.

Kapadia received the honour from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Speaking at the ceremony, Vijayan commended the festival for its emphasis on feminist politics and inclusivity. “A breathtaking visual experience was provided by the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). With more than 40 female-directed films on display, the festival firmly supported feminist ideas. The festival’s hallmark film was a tribute to PK Rosy.”

Image Credit: ANI

“This occasion turned into a forum for harmony and solidarity. The celebration demonstrated support for the rights of those who are oppressed and suffering. Each movie was shown to a full house, demonstrating the tremendous interest and support for the occasion.”

The festival will end on December 20 after starting with a lavish ceremony at Thiruvananthapuram’s Nishagandhi Auditorium on December 13. Speaking of the movie, ‘All We Imagine As Light’ tells the tale of Prabha, a distressed nurse who gets a surprise present from her split husband, and Anu, her young flatmate who wants to have sex with her boyfriend.

They are forced to face their feelings and wants as a result of their voyage to a coastal town. The main actors in the movie are Chhaya Kadam, Divya Prabha, and Kani Kusruti. The movie is an official Indo-French co-production by Chalk & Cheese and Another Birth (India) and Petit Chaos (France).

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