The 77th edition of Cannes film festival has been quite eventful for India. Apart from Shyam Benegal’s Manthan getting a special screening at the festival after almost 48 years of its release and several celebrities and influencers turning heads at the red carpet, Indian films and actors were nominated under several categories at the festival. Now, an Indian actor has won big at Cannes 2024.
Anasuya Sengupta, who hails from Kolkata, won Un Certain Regard Prize for Best Actress for her performance in The Shameless. The film, directed and written by Bulgarian filmmaker Konstantin Bojanov, revolves around Renuka, played by Anasuya, who escapes from a Delhi brothel after killing a police officer. The film also stars Omara Shetty, the love interest of Renuka.
Anasuya, with her win, has created history by becoming the first Indian to win the award.
Apart from Anasuya, two Indian films Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know and Bunnyhood won the first and third place, respectively, in the La Cinef Selection at this year’s Cannes.
While Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know is a Kannada short film, directed by Chidananda Naik, a student from Film and Television Institute of India, Bunnnyhood is directed by Mansi Maheshwari. She hails from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and has been studying in the UK.
In an interview with The Kolkata, Anasuya recalled her reaction when she was informed her film was listed under the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes. She said, “I received the news when Konstantin sent me a link to the press conference announcing the Cannes official selections. When our film’s name was announced, I jumped out of the chair with ecstasy!”
Chidananda Naik, who took the inspiration for the film from a popular folktale said The Hindu, “My dream has been to transform the myths and folktales of India into cinematic experiences, and with such a wealth of stories waiting to be told, this shoet film feels like perfect place to start.” The film was shot in four days. Meanwhile, Maheshwari reveals that the idea of Bunnyhood came to her from an incident from her childhood, where her mother lied about an appendix surgery she had to undergo.
“I’ve always struggled with understanding why people feel the need to lie, and its consequences. The story of my appendix surgery was the perfect choice to explore this theme,” said Maheshwari in an interview with Directors Note.
The 77th edition of Cannes film festival concludes on May 25.
Click for more updates and latest Bollywood news along with Entertainment updates. Also get latest news and top headlines from India and around the world at The Indian Express.
No comments:
Post a Comment