THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday congratulated director Payal Kapadia and her crew for winning the Grand Prix award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for her film titled "All We Imagine as Light."
In a post on 'X', Vijayan also said it was a proud moment for the people of Kerala as its lead roles were played by two actors from the state--Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha.
"Congratulations to the crew of All We Imagine as Light for winning the Grand Prix at @Festival_Cannes! This triumph by director Payal Kapadia elevates Indian cinema's prestige on the global stage," he said.
"It's a source of pride for every Keralite that @kani_kusruti and @DivyaPrabhaa played major roles in the film. Wishing you continued success and more cinematic brilliance!," Vijayan added.
"All We Imagine As Light", which marks Kapadia's feature directorial debut, won the Grand Prix, the second-most prestigious prize of the festival after the Palme d'Or at the closing ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday night.
Kapadia's movie is the first Indian film in 30 years and first ever by an Indian female director to be showcased in the main competition segment.
The last Indian movie to be selected in the category was Shaji N Karun's 1994 film "Swaham."
A Malayalam-Hindi feature, "All We Imagine as Light" is an Indian-French co-production and stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam.