IFFI thriller ends, French film strikes gold

the goan I network
PANAJI
After eight days of the best of cinema around the world, enriching masterclasses, panel discussions and more, the curtains came down on the 48th edition of the International Film Festival of India.
And if the opening ceremony for the festival was a glamorous affair, the closing ceremony at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Bambolim was also a starry affair with superstars from the film world like Karan Johar, Katrina Kaif, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Huma Qureshi, Pooja Hede, Sushant Singh Rajput and many more gracing the occasion.
The event which was hosted by director Karan Johar, actress Zaira Wasim and actress Sonali Bendre saw Morocco-born French director Robin Campillo's drama film ‘120 Beats Per Minute' win the coveted Golden Peacock Award and cash prize of Rs 40 lakh.
The film which is set in 1990's France and deals with homosexuality and AIDS epidemic also saw actor Nahuel Perez Biscayart walk away with the Best Actor (Male) award.
The Best Actor (Female) on the other hand went to Parvathy T K for her portrayal of a nurse who wages a battle for the release of her husband held hostage by the rebel army in the war-torn Iraq in Mahesh Narayanan's Malayalam film ‘Take Off'. Mahesh Narayanan also walked away with the Special Jury Award for ‘Take Off' which included a Silver Peacock, a certificate and cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.
Chinese director Vivian Qu won the Best Director Award for her 2017 film ‘Angels Wear White' while Bolivian director Kiro Russo won Best Debut Film by a Director for ‘Dark Skull'.
Manouj Kadaamh's Marathi film ‘Kshitij' has won the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal. The criteria for the Gandhi Medal reflect UNESCO's fundamental mandate of building peace in the mind of men and women, particularly human rights, intercultural dialogue, promotion and safeguard of diversity of cultural expressions.
In addition to this, Canada's most celebrated art house directors, Atom Egoyan who has given the world films like Exotica (1994), ‘The Sweet Hereafter (1997)' and ‘Remember (2015) was honoured with the IFFI 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award. Egoyan stated that he was deeply overwhelmed by the award, while also adding that the cinema of India has been a very important part of his career.
The Shahenshah of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan received a standing ovation as he was presented with The Indian Film Personality of the Year Award amidst thunderous applause. Noted actor Akshay Kumar who presented the award also shared an interesting anecdote about the mega superstar. "When I was a young boy, I happened to be present along with my father at a film shooting of Amitabh Bachchan. As I went up to take his autograph, Amitabhji was eating grapes. Noticing me eyeing the grapes that had fallen on the floor, he handed me a bunch after signing my autograph book. And his humility touched me and stayed with me," said Akshay. "Years later when I was shooting for a film, I noticed that a young boy was fighting to come in. I called him in and clicked a picture with him. That boy turned out to be Ranveer Singh." Big B expressed his gratitude for getting this prestigious honour.
"Sometimes there comes a time when there are no right words to say what one feels. Thank you feels like such a small word. But I am truly grateful for today's award," he said. The actor also revealed that he has fond memories of Goa. "My first film Saat Hindustani was shot in Goa and therefore I have immense amount of memories, love and affection for the people of Goa. In fact, I would say my very first film fan that I had was also from Goa. Her name is Zarine Fernandes and she is here today. Fortunately she is still a fan," he said. The actor also spoke about why he has immense regard for the film industry in India and it's presence in the world. "When we sit in the dark hall we never ask what is the cast, creed or religion of the person sitting next to us. Yet we see the same film. We laugh at the same jokes and cry at the same emotions. We sing the same songs. In this world today, where can you find such a worthy example of unity and integration as you do in the world of cinema?" he said
Earlier Indian singer Papon entertained the audience with some folk tunes while Bollywood heart-rob Siddharth Malhotra delivered a spectacular performance of some of his best hits and also performed a special dance tribute in honour of Amitabh Bachchan. The festival closed with the screening of Thinking of Him directed by Pablo Cesar.

No screening
for ‘S Durga', CBFC orders
re-examination
PANAJI: Controversial movie "S Durga" was refused screening at the IFFI after the censor board ordered the Malayalam film be re-examined over alleged violation of rules, thwarting another attempt by its director who said it was contempt of court. A special screening will be held during the upcoming International Film Festival of Kerala.