Goa: ‘Beatriz’s War’ wins the Golden Peacock while ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’ wins the Silver Peacock as the 44th IFFI concludes.
Luigi Acquisto and Bety Reis’s film ‘Beatriz’s War’ won the prestigious Golden peacock award for the best film at the 44th International Film Festival of India, which concluded on Saturday.
The conclusion which was marked by a glittering ceremony starring film personalities from across India and the world also saw several prestigious awards, citations and cash prizes which were given out to film artistes by the dignitaries present.
The film’s jury was unanimous in their decision selecting the film from East Timor, which succeeds in intricating intimate relationships between women and men during the hard years of continuous violence against East Timorians.
The director duo won the Golden Peacock, a certificate and Rs 40 lakh in prize money.
Indian director Kamaleswar Mukherjee won the Silver Peacock award for his film
‘Meghe DhakaTara’. The director won the Silver peacock, a certificate and a Rs 15 lakh cash prize.
The best director award was given to Kaushik Ganguly for his film ‘Apur Panchali’, a clever and commendable tribute to the Great Master Satyajit Ray. He received Rs 15 lakh, a certificate and a Silver Peacock.
Alon Moni Aboutboul won the Best Actor award for her performance in the film ‘A Place in Heaven’, where his performance as a cruel and sensitive character was applauded. He received Rs 10 lakh, a certificate and a Silver Peacock.
The Best Actor (Female) award was won by Magdalena Boczarska for her intense, strong portrayal of a victim who subtly turns an oppressor. She received Rs 10 lakh, a certificate and a Silver Peacock.
The Special Jury Award was granted to Onur Unlu, director of the film Thou Gilds’t The Even. He received a Silver Peacock, a certificate and Rs 10 lakh.
Speaking on the occasion, Hon’ble Minister, Information and Broadcasting Shri Manish Tewari said IFFI celebrates the freedom of the human spirit and also announced a major step towards further promoting India as a hassle-free film shooting destination.
“India has extended a single window clearance where international film crews can shoot in any part of the country,” Tewari said, thanking all the dignitaries, the government of Goa, Tourism ministry, the Chief Minister and actresses Asha Parekh and Michelle Yeoh.
Chief Minister of Goa, the host state has promised a bigger and better IFFI going forward.
“IFFI saw a huge number of delegates this time. We will plan a grander IFFI going forward. IFFI is one of the most celebrated festivals,” Parrikar said at the concluding ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion Raghavendra Singh, Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said, “This time we have had a concentrated dose of Indian and World Films. I hope the hangover of watching great films would last at least for a few days”.
Singh said that media reports about the event had been flattering, which he said must have in turn made the jury’s job of picking a winner tougher.
“This time we witnessed a 30 percent rise in the number of delegates that was 12000,” he said suggesting that the number of auditoriums at the venue had to increase.
“The response from North East cinema was terrific and Japan sent a great contingent,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion Chief Guest Michelle Yeoh said, “that she was delighted to be a part of the closing ceremony for the 44th IFFI 2013.
“The world is a smaller place than ever. A movie made in India reaches London or a film made in Singapore or Goa travels worldwide,” she said.
“It is my honor to be in the room, to be seat by seat, theatre by theatre, country to county with lovely directors and producers,” she also said, even as one of Goa’s best known singers Remo Fernandes who was in the audience shouted “Michelle Yeoh, I love you. ”
Later speaking on the occasion Remo said: “We have the BJP in Goa and the Congress in the Centre. Both together have put an amazing show together”.
Rohit Shetty, who was felicitated at the closing ceremony professed his love for Goa, which he jokingly said even rivaled his wife.
“18 or 19 years ago I had told my wife I love you. Now this goes out to Goa. I love you Goa. When we were shooting for an action sequence for Singham in Goa, a man looked at me and suddenly stopped in the middle of the road and said, ‘where did you disappear for so many days?’ This shows how hospitable and friendly people of Goa are,” a visibly touched Shetty said.