Sivaranjani and Two Other Women (Tamil title: Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum ) directed by filmmaker Vasanth S Sadi has won the Best Film Award at the 28th Fukuoka International Film Festival in Japan. It was the only Indian feature film chosen for the showcase.
The movie, which is an anthology traces the daily lives of three women dealing with various societal issues, and stars actors Parvathy Thiruvothu, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli, and Kalieswari Sreenivasan. The synopsis describes the film as, “ Sivaranjani and Two Other Women is a sensitive capturing of the micro awakenings of identity, space and self-worth when family dynamics, early marriage and pregnancy threaten to usurp the individuality of three different women. The story happens across three different time-periods. The film is a tribute to their inner strength and courage against casual sexism and patriarchy.”
“I am very humbled and happy that Sivaranjani and Two Other Women has won the Best Film Award at the Fukuoka International Film Festival. I thank the festival team and I’d like to place on record my writers — the heroes — the late Ashokamitran, the late Aadhavan and the living legend Jeya Mohan. They are the backbone of this film and I would like to thank them in a big way at this happy time,” said Vasanth after receiving the award.
Vasanth is a former journalist and assistant to the late K Balachander, and made his debut with Keladi Kanmani in 1990 for which he won the State Award for Best Director. Since then, he’s made film such as Aasai, Rhythm, Satham Podathey and more. He also won a National Award for his documentary Sanath in 2016. His next film is titled Thanneer.
Sivaranjani and Two Other Women first premiered at the MAMI film festival in Mumbai, and won the ‘Gender Equality’ award. Edited by Sreekar Prasad, the film awaits a theatrical release soon.
