
2024 has been the year of many things in Indian cinema. The blockbuster run of Telugu films like Pushpa 2: The Rule and Kalki 2898 AD. The conversations surrounding the rise of Malayalam cinema, the sharp decline in Hindi cinema, the blow-hot-blow-cold of Tamil cinema, and a lot more.
But if there is one name that rises above it all to make a stellar mark on the global level, it is filmmaker Payal Kapadia, and her Malayalam film, All We Imagine As Light. However, it was disappointing that the film didn’t receive an Oscar nomination despite its overwhelming success in the awards circuit.
After missing out on being India’s official Oscar entry, All We Imagine As Light launched an independent campaign, vying for recognition in multiple categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. The Film Federation of India had chose Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies as India’s official Oscar entry. But Rao’s satirical film on patriarchy in rural India failed to make it to the Oscar shortlist unveiled earlier in December, 2024.
All We Imagine As Light was considered India’s strongest Oscar contender, given its international acclaim and backing from production houses across France, India, Italy, and the Netherlands. Despite missing out on an Oscar nod, the film earned accolades at prestigious events, including the Cannes Film Festival, where it became the first Indian film to win the Grand Prix, as well as the Chicago International Film Festival, Gotham Awards, New York Film Critics Circle, and San Diego Film Critics Circle.
Meanwhile, All We Imagine As Light, has already garnered significant international acclaim , securing nominations at prestigious events such as the Golden Globes and the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).
At the Golden Globes, the film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, and Kapadia herself was nominated for Best Director—Motion Picture. However, the film lost to Emilia Pérez, and Kapadia lost to The Brutalist director Brady Corbet, both top contenders in the 2025 oscars.
Kapadia's prominence in the international film community was further highlighted by her participation in The Hollywood Reporter's Writers Roundtable, where she engaged in discussions alongside notable filmmakers such as Halina Reijn, James Mangold, Jason Reitman, Jesse Eisenberg, and Justin Kuritzkes.
Starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon, and Anand Sami, All We Imagine As Light is written and directed by Payal Kapadia. Produced by Thomas Hakim and Julien Graff, the film features cinematography by Ranabir Das and editing by Clement Pinteaux. In India, it was distributed by Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media.