Malayalam-Hindi film wins Grand Prix award at Cannes

PAYAL Kapadia scripted history by becoming the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival for her film All We Imagine as Light.

During her acceptance speech, Payal thanked the jury members.

She spoke about how women are "pitted against each other" in society and added that "friendship is a very important relationship" for her.

Payal Kapadia.

Payal went to the stage to receive her award with All We Imagine as Light cast members Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam.

Talking to the jury, she said, "It was my dream to be selected in the competition. This was beyond my imagination. So thank you." She thanked Kani, Divya and Chhaya in her acceptance speech and hugged them too. Payal shared that the film would not have been possible without them.

Kani Kusruti.

Payal said, “I’m very nervous, so I wrote something down. Thank you to the Cannes Film Festival for having our film here. Please don’t wait 30 years to have another Indian film." She also thanked her producers, crew members and her partners for the film. The director also gave a shout out to the festival workers who had protested at the opening night gala, demanding better wages and acknowledgement.

She added, "This film is about friendship between three women and oftentimes, women are pitted against each other. This is the way society is designed, and that's really unfortunate. But for me friendship is a very important relationship because it can lead to greater solidarity, inclusivity and empathy towards each other. So, which is why these are the values I feel that we should always strive for."

About All We Imagine as Light

The film, which screened on Thursday night, is the first Indian film in 30 years and the first ever by an Indian female director to be showcased in the main competition. The last Indian movie to be selected for the main competition was Shaji N Karun's 1994 movie Swaham. Payal received the Grand Prix from actor Viola Davis.

Divya Prabha.

All We Imagine as Light, a Malayalam-Hindi feature, is about Prabha, a nurse who receives an unexpected gift from her long-estranged husband that throws her life into disarray.

Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a private spot in the big city to be alone with her boyfriend.

One day, the two nurses go on a road trip to a beach town, where the mystical forest becomes a space for their dreams to manifest, according to the plotline.

Chhaya Kadam.