'Grand Prix' for Kapadia at Cannes

The film premiered on May 23 at the Palme d'Or, Cannes' most prestigious category. In the main competition of the festival, a film from India was selected after 30 years, 'All We Imagine Yaz Light'. Earlier in 1994, Saji N Kharoon's 'Swaham' was nominated in this category.

India's Meera Nair's Salaam Bombay won the Camera Day Award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. Nair's next film 'Monsoon Wedding' won the 'Golden Lion' award at the 2001 Venice Film Festival. Ritesh Batra's film 'The Lunchbox' won the Grand Golden Rail Award at Cannes in 2013.

Kapadia's film has become a historic success for India at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The film won the second prestigious award Grand Prix of Kansas. Expressing gratitude for premiering an Indian film at Cannes, Kapadia also requested not to wait 30 years for another Indian film. This is an unbelievable moment for me. I am pinching myself in disbelief," Kapadia said with a smile while speaking after receiving the award at the festival. "It was a big thing for me to be selected in this competition. The award is beyond my imagination.'

Payal Kapadia, who has just turned 38, is the directorial debut feature film, 'All We Imagine Yaz Light'. The film tells the story of friendship between three women of different ages and classes. The Malayalam-Hindi language film stars Kanti Kushruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam in lead roles.

Kapadia has previously made various short films and documentaries. Born in Mumbai, Kapadia is the daughter of artist Nalini Malani. Kapadia, who studied at Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh, did her Masters in Economics from St. Xavier's College and Masters from Sophia College. In addition to that, she has also studied filmmaking at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.

Kapadia's first documentary 'A Night of Knowing Nothing' won the 'Golden Eye Award' at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. The documentary is based on a performance by female students at a film institute in Pune, India in 2015.

Kapadia led the protest which lasted for four months. Because of this, the institute also cut his scholarship. Kapadia has directed 'Afternoon Clouds', 'The Last Mango Before the Monsoon' and 'And What is the Summer Saying'.

Indian filmmakers have won three major awards at Cannes this time. Along with Kapadia, Chidanand S Nayak's 'Sunflowers Were the First One to Know' and Anusuya Sengupta's 'The Seamless' won the award. Filmed in Nepal, "The Seamless" received the performance award in the "On Certain Regard" category.

Cannes' top prize "Palm d'Or" has been won by American director Sean Baker's film "Enora". The film follows a romantic relationship between an exotic dancer (Mikey Madison) and the son of a Russian tycoon (Mark Idelstein). Previously, Baker's 'The Florida Project' and 'Red Rocket' were selected at Cannes.

Earlier in 2011, American director Terrence Malick won the award for 'The Tree of Life'. Two-time Palme d'Or winner director Francis Ford Coppola's film "Megalopolis" did not achieve any success this time. Hollywood director George Lucas has also been awarded the honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes. Cannes, which started on May 14, ended on Saturday night.