Clara Sola emerges best film, Barrionuevo best director at IFFK

Nathalie Álvarez Mesén wins honours for the Costa Rican-Swedish film
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the chief guest at the concluding ceremony of the International Film Festival of Kerala, waving at the audience at Nisagandhi auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram. Chalachithra
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the chief guest at the concluding ceremony of the International Film Festival of Kerala, waving at the audience at Nisagandhi auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram. Chalachithra

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Costa Rican-Swedish film Clara Sola, directed by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, won the iconic Suvarna Chakoram for the best film as the 26th International Film Festival of Kerala concluded here on Friday. The award carries a purse of Rs 20 lakh and a citation.

The Costa Rican-Swedish screenwriter/director also won the Rajata Chakoram for best debut director, carrying a prize of Rs 3 lakh. Clara Sola showcased the classification between genuine spirituality and selfish religious structures.

The Rajata Chakoram for best director went to Argentinian filmmaker Ines Barrionuevo for the Spanish film Camila Saldra Esta Noche (Camila Comes Out Tonight), for successfully articulating gender and body politics. The thematic and artistic integration of the content and the form shows the director’s command over her art, observed the jury. The award carries a purse of Rs 4 lakh.

Debut directors walked away with most of the awards at the IFFK this time. Young director Vinothraj P S won accolades for his debut film Pebbles (Koozhangal). The film won the NETPAC Award for the best Asian film and the audience poll award. The Tamil film was produced by actress Nayanthara K and director Vignesh Shivan. The NETPAC jury said the film was chosen “for depicting the harsh life of the marginalised, the troubled relationship between father and son and their difficult journey through the stark landscape”.

Receiving the award, Vinothraj expressed happiness at receiving such great encouragement from the audience. The FFSI K R Mohanan Award for best debut director from India was shared by Prabhash Chandra, for the Hindi-Kashmiri film I’m Not the River Jhelum (Be Ches Ne Veth), and Malayali filmmaker Tara Ramanujan, for Forbidden.

The NETPAC Award for the best Malayalam film and the FIPRESCI Award for the best Malayalam film were won by The Arbit Documentation of an Amphibian Hunt (Aavasavyuham), written and directed by Krishand R K. The young filmmaker said the film talks about a serious issue in society related to environmental problems.

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