Hyderabad: Making history with her film All We Imagine As Light, Payal Kapadia became the first Indian director to win the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. Payal praised the jury members in her acceptance speech. In addition to that Kapadia how the win was beyond her imagination. Payal went to the stage to accept her award alongside Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, and Kani Kusruti from the cast of her film.
Taking the stage, Kapadia said: "I jotted down something because I'm really anxious. We are grateful that our film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. I beg you not to wait thirty years for another Indian movie." She further said that it was her goal to be chosen for the competition, but she could not have imagined this.
At the Cannes stage, she gave hugs and expressed her gratitude to Kani, Divya, and Chhaya. Mentioning how women are "pitted against each other" in society, she said that "friendship is a very important relationship" for her. Thanking the all-female cast, Payal revealed that without them, the movie would not have been feasible.
She also expressed her gratitude to her partners, the crew, and the producers of the movie. The director also acknowledged the festival workers who had demonstrated at the gala on opening night, calling for increased pay and recognition. Talking about All We Imagine As Light, she said "This movie is about three women who become friends, and oftentimes, women are pitted against each other."
She continued: "It is truly regrettable that society is structured in this way. However, I think that friendships are really important because they foster a sense of mutual support, inclusion, and understanding. For this reason, I think we should constantly aim for these principles."
The movie, which debuted on Thursday night, is the first Indian film to be shown in the main competition in thirty years as well as the first ever directed by a woman from India. The 1994 film Swaham, directed by Shaji N Karun, was the last Indian film to be chosen for the main competition. Actor Viola Davis awarded the Grand Prix to Payal.
In the Malayalam-Hindi film All We Imagine As Light, Prabha, a nurse, receives an unexpected present from her long-estranged husband that completely upends her life. On the other hand, Anu, her flatmate, searches the large city for a quiet place where could spend time alone with her partner, but to no avail. The two nurses take a road trip to a coastal resort, where they experience their fantasies coming true in the ethereal forest.
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