KIFF: Films from Bangladesh, and Spain bag Best Film, Paoli’s Chhaad gets a Special Jury nod

After seven days of cinematic extravaganza, the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival came to an end with awards and appreciation. The closing ceremony took place at Rabindra Sadan in the late afternoon, where filmmakers, actors, and delegates gathered to announce the awards. 

This year, two films – Alejandro Rojas, and Juan Sebastian Vasquez's Upon Entry from Spain and Muhammad Quayum's Kura Pokkhir Shunye Ura (The Golden Wings of Watercocks) from Bangladesh – jointly bagged the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Film for International competition on 'Innovation in Moving Images. These two films will be screened at Nandan one after the other on Thursday. Meanwhile, Shokouhe Khamoush (SILENT GLORY) received the Special Jury Award. Ernesto Ardito and Virna Molina won the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Director for their film La bruja de Hitler (Hitler's witch).   

Paoli’s Chhaad won the Special Jury Award in the Indian Language Films category. Bhaskhar Maurya’s Muthayya bagged Hiralal Sen Memorial Award for Best Film in the Indian Language Films category. Deepankar Prakash won the Hiralal Sen Memorial Award for Best Director for the film Naanera.

DOV (Fortune) – a film from Tajikistan and directed by Muhiddin Muzaffar – won the NETPAC award for the best film. The award for Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Indian Documentary Film went to Nybreum – The Unsettled Shade by Neha Sharma. 

The closing ceremony began at around 4.20 pm. Hosted by Shaheb Chattopadhyay, the ceremony saw the presence of Raj Chakraborty, Paoli, Arindam Sil, Ishaa Saha, June Maliah, and several other dignitaries.