THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bolivian film Utama, which brilliantly portrayed the daily struggles of people faced with a drought, won the Golden Crow Pheasant award aka Suvarna Chakoram for Best Film at the 27th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), which concluded on Friday. The Rajatha Chakoram — Silver Crow Pheasant — for Best Director went to Turkey’s Tayfun Pirselimoglu.
Utama, which tells the story of Clever who visits his elderly grandparents in a midst of a drought, is directed by Alejandro Loayza Grisi. The award was received by film producer Santiago Loayza Grisi, who is also Alejandro’s twin brother.
The award, that carries a purse of Rs 20 lakh and a certificate, was presented by Culture Minister V N Vasavan. Tayfun received Rs 4 lakh and a certificate. He won the award for his film Kerr, which is based on the life of a young man who witnesses a murder.
Firas Khoury picked up the Silver Crow Pheasant award for Best Debut Director for his film Alam, which also took home the Netpac Award for Best Asian Film. Manipuri film Our Home, directed by Romi Meitei Mayanglambam won the FIPRESI International Award for Best Film. It also received a NETPAC Special Jury mention.
Malayalam movies also featured prominently among the winners. The Rajatha Chakoram audience prize went to Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam while Mahesh Narayanan’s Ariyippu won the NETPAC Award for Best Malayalam Film. Lijo’s film was selected through an audience poll.
Indu V S’s 19 (1 )(a) won the FIPRESI Award for Best Malayalam Film by a Debut Director. Hindi film Amar Colony’s director Siddharth Chauhan was selected for the FFSI-KR Mohanan Award for Best Debut Director in India with a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a certificate.
Hindi film A Place of Our Own by the Bhopal-based independent filmmakers’ collective Ektara Collective won the FFSI-KR Mohanan Award for Best Film from India. Transwomen Manisha Soni and Muskan, who starred in the film, received a special mention for Best Performance in a Film in the International Competition category.