IN PICS | 'All We Imagine as Light' wins Grand Prix award at Cannes 2024

Payal Kapadia scripted history by becoming the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival for her film "All We Imagine as Light".

The film bagged the award, the second-most prestigious prize of the festival after the Palme d'Or, which went to American director Sean Baker for "Anora".

Kapadia's movie, which screened on Thursday night, is the first Indian film in 30 years and first ever by an Indian female director to be showcased in the main competition.

The last Indian movie to be selected for the main competition was Shaji N Karun's 1994 movie "Swaham".

In her speech, the filmmaker thanked the three leading ladies of the film -- Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam -- and said the film would not have been possible without them.

"This film is about friendship, about three very different women. Oftentimes, women are pitted against each other. This is the way our society is designed and it is really unfortunate. But for me, friendship is a very important relationship because it can lead to greater solidarity, inclusivity and empathy," said Kapadia

"All We Imagine as Light", a Malayalam-Hindi feature, is about Prabha, a nurse, who receives an unexpected gift from her long estranged husband that throws her life into disarray.

Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a private spot in the big city to be alone with her boyfriend. One day the two nurses go on a road trip to a beach town where the mystical forest becomes a space for their dreams to manifest, according to the plotline.

The film became a strong contender for the top prize after its screening that saw the team receive an eight-minute standing ovation and glowing reviews from the international critics.