Costa Rican film Clara Sola, directed by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, became the big winner of the night at the closing ceremony of the 26th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) here on Friday, bagging the Golden Crow Pheasant (Suvarna Chakoram) for the Best Film and the Silver Crow Pheasant (Rajata Chakoram) for the Best Debut Director.
According to the jury headed by filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli, the film won the award for its treatment of the dichotomy between genuine spirituality and selfish religious structures.
Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, who inaugurated the closing ceremony, presented the award to filmmaker and Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award jury member Bobby Sarma Baruah who received it on behalf of Ms. Mesén.
Argentinian film Camila Comes Out Tonight, directed by Inés Barrionuevo, won the Silver Crow Pheasant (Rajata Chakoram) for the Best Director. The jury chose the film for successfully articulating gender politics and body politics. Actor Gunash Mehdizadeh received the award on behalf of the director.
Tamil film Pebbles (Koozhangal), directed by P.S. Vinothraj, won the audience poll award for the Best Film at the festival. The film also won the jury prize in the International Competition category. Israeli film Let It Be Morning, directed by Eran Kolirin, won a special mention of the jury. Actor Nina Dziembrowski won a special mention for her performance in Camila Comes Out Tonight.
You Resemble Me, directed by journalist-turned-filmmaker Dina Amer, won the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award for the Best International Film, while Avasavyuham, directed by Krishand, won the FIPRESCI Award for the Best Malayalam Film. Krishand's film also won the NETPAC award for the Best Malayalam Film. Pebbles won the NETPAC award for the Best Asian Film.
I'm Not the River Jhelum (Be Ches Ne Veth), directed by Prabhash Chandra, and Forbidden (Nishiddho), directed by Tara Ramanujan, shared the Federation of Film Societies of India's K.R. Mohanan Award for the Best Debut Director from India. Nishiddho was the first of the films produced with the Kerala State Film Development Corporation's funding for women filmmakers.
