The Chinese film 11 Flowers , a period film set in the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution, won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award at the 18 Kolkata International Film Festival here on Saturday, the concluding day of the week-long festival.
It won the best film award in the Asian Select category, the only competitive segment at the festival. Twelve other films were screened in the slot during the festival, including two by Indians.
Announcing the award, filmmaker Goutam Ghose said: “Telling an intense human story in the highest cinematic level, the film makes us witnesses of a historical change at the time of the Cultural Revolution in China and reminds us of empathy and human dignity.” Since none from the cast or crew was present to receive the award, it was handed to festival director Jadav Mandal. Directed by Wang Xiaoshuai, 11 Flowers is set in the Ghizhou province in China in the last days of the Cultural Revolution. The narrative unfolds from the perspective of an 11-year-old child.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared the festival to be a huge success.
She reiterated her vision of Kolkata acting as “a bridge between Hollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood” and Bengal being recognised as a place that has a “potential” for filmmakers in Bollywood.
