Amid unexpected showers, the golden jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India came to a close with Blaise Harrison’s Particles winning the Golden Peacock.
Described by the International Competition jury as “an ambitious yet modest film about the mysteries of being a teenager”, the film won a cash prize of ₹40 lakh, to be shared equally by Harrison and producer Estelle Fialon.
Accepting the award over a video message from Paris, Mr. Harrison introduced the audience to his three-week-old baby and said, “I wish I could be there since this is my first feature film, and this award gives me strength and confidence to make what I believe in.”
Lijo Jose Pellissery bagged the Best Director Award for the Malayalam film Jallikattu . The jury honoured the “intricate and complex choreography of this very original and anarchic film”. In an interview with The Hindu , filmmaker Robin Campillo, who was on the International Competition jury, said he was very impressed by the film and Pellissery’s strong hold over his craft.
The Centenary Award for Best Debut Feature Film of a Director was shared between Marius Olteanu for Monstri. and Amin Sidi Boumediene for Abou Leila . “I dare to hope, judging by the reaction of the audience and in light of this accolade, that the film will find distribution in India,” Mr. Olteanu told The Hindu . Pema Tseden’s Balloon won the Special Jury Award for the “beauty of the film language and the authenticity of the actors”.
The Best Actor (Male) award was given to Seu Jorge for his portrayal of Carlos Marighella in the Brazilian film Marighella . The jury described his performance as “a powerful and charismatic portrayal of a revolutionary, very relevant in our increasingly authoritarian times”. For her “understated and powerful performance of a mother defending her child’s honour against the injustice of a corrupt system”, in Marathi film Mai Ghatt: Crime No. 103/2005 , Usha Jadhav received the Best Actor (Female) award.
National Award-winning Gujarati film Hellaro directed by Abhishek Shah earned special mention from the jury for the “incredible music, it’s colour and graceful choreography”. Italian film Rwanda directed by Riccardo Salvetti won The ICF–UNESCO Gandhi Medal instituted by the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication, Paris and UNESCO. The festival closed with Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s Marghe and her Mother , which is the renowned Iranian filmmaker’s first movie set in Italy.
