The glamor of the 75th Cannes Film Festival in the French coastal city of Cannes has been the center of global attention for 12 days and will continue in full swing until May 28.
Parallel to the world’s second largest film festival after the Oscars, another film event called ‘Can Market’ is being held in the same city, in which this time India has been awarded the title of ‘Country of Honour’, which is a new tradition. is This saw the special screening of six films made in India during the festival, although these films are not a regular part of the Cannes Film Festival.
These six films were: Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, Godavari, Dhuin, Tree Full of Parrots, Boomba Ride, Alpha Beta Gamma.
As far as the Cannes Film Festival is concerned, there is no official Indian feature film included in it, but one documentary was definitely included, which is Sonic Sen’s ‘All That Breathes’.
Apart from this, Arundan’s ‘Thump’ will be screened in the classical section, while his film ‘Prathivandi’ will be screened as a tribute to legendary filmmaker Satyajit Roy, but also archived as an asset. Granted, which is a great honor.
If we look at the list of Oscar awards, the performance of Bollywood is not very encouraging. However, the reasons for this can be closely examined as to why the film of a great artist like Satyajit Roy could not even get an Oscar nomination.
On the contrary, India’s presence can be felt at the Cannes Film Festival, from red carpets and on stage to joining the decision-making committee.
From time to time at Cannes, Indian artistes have also made their presence felt in various categories of awards. Let us mention the moments when an Indian film managed to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Necha Nagar (1946)
It is the only Indian film ever to win the ‘Palm d’Or’ award for best film at the Cannes Film Festival, which director Chetan Anand jointly received with ten other directors at the first Cannes festival. The long list of names may be confusing, so remember that it included such notable directors as David Lean, Billy Wider and Roberto Rossellini. A total of 44 films were submitted for competition.
‘Necha Nagar’ was also such a trendsetting film that it created social realism in India, which was later brought to the fore by Satyajit Ray and Bimal Roy.
The Palme d’Or, called the ‘Palm d’Or’ by the French, is the highest honor given at the Cannes Film Festival and you can think of it as the equivalent of the Oscar for Best Picture.’
After that, many other awards are also given in Cannes including Grand Prix, Jury Award, Critics Award, Audience Award, Golden Camera Award etc.
Two Bighas of Land (1953)
Coming from Calcutta, Bimal Roy not only shook the Bombay film industry with Do Bigha Zameen, but also bagged the International Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Thanks to Bimal Rai’s direction, Salal Choudhary’s music and Balraj Sahni’s acting, this landmark film is still mentioned among the best films of Bollywood.
This film was also made under the film tradition called ‘New Realism’. This tradition started in Italy and in 1948, De Sica’s ‘Bicycle Thief’ took it to the extreme and this tradition started spreading in different film industries from Japan to India.
The films that were made in this tradition used real characters instead of famous actors and real-life scenes instead of expensive studio sets, while the themes were simple and real. were, due to which these films touched the heart.
Pathir Panchali (1955)
Bimal Roy’s masterpiece ‘Pathir Panchali’ (Song of the Road) did not win the ‘Palam D’Or’ but won the ‘Best Human Document’ award for reflecting the real situation of poverty in rural Bengal.
Even today, Satyajit Roy’s ‘Pathir Panchali’ must be included in the list of the best films of the world, whether it is an Indian film or not.
Out (1982)
Famous Bengali director Mrinal Sen’s film ‘Exclusion’ (sometimes also known as ‘Da Case is Closed’) is the story of a troubled middle-class family. The film was nominated at the Cannes Film Festival in 1983 and won the Jury Prize.
It should be remembered that a year ago Mrinal Sen was a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival.
Hello Bombay (1988)
The first Indian film to receive an Oscar nomination after Mother India (1958), ‘Salaam Bombay’ is Mira Nair’s masterpiece that was well received both domestically and internationally.
Salaam Bombay won two awards at the Cannes Film Festival. The Golden Camera Award was launched in 1978 and aims to encourage new film directors. The second was the Audience Award which is given based on the popularity of the participants in the festival.
Neeraj Ghiwan’s ‘Masan’ also received a good reception at Cannes (Phantom Films).
Mariana Simhasanam (1999)
The main theme of this Malayalam film is electric chair execution. Director Murali Nair made this film at a time when the death penalty was carried out by electric chair for the first time in India.
Murali Nair was awarded the Golden Camera Award for this film.
Masan (2015)
There are hundreds of films on the issue of caste in India, but Neeraj Ghiwan’s ‘Masan’ presents it in a touching and touching way through a sad love story. It was his first feature film which was well appreciated by local and international critics.
In recognition of Neeraj’s stellar debut and potential bright future at the Cannes Film Festival, he was awarded the Special Promising Feature Award, while the International Federation of Film Critics also named him one of its three award winners.
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)
{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};
if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;
n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,’script’,
‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’);
fbq(‘init’, ‘2494823637234887’);
fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);
#Indian #films #won #awards #Cannes #Film #Festival
**Interview with Film Critic and Cannes Expert, Dr. Anjali Mehra**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Mehra. The 75th Cannes Film Festival is currently underway, and there’s much excitement surrounding India’s participation. Could you elaborate on what makes this year’s festival particularly significant for India?
**Dr. Mehra:** Absolutely! This year, India is honored as the ‘Country of Honour’ at the Cannes Market, which is an exciting new tradition. It gives us a platform to showcase our cinematic talent. The special screenings of six Indian films, including titles like *Rocketry: The Nambi Effect* and *Godavari*, highlight the rich diversity of Indian cinema, even though they aren’t part of the main competition.
**Editor:** It’s interesting to note that while India has a strong presence at Cannes, there isn’t an official Indian feature film in the main selection. How do you view India’s representation in this prestigious festival?
**Dr. Mehra:** While it’s true that there isn’t a feature film competing in the main selection, the inclusion of the documentary *All That Breathes* is a significant achievement. Plus, films like *Thump* and *Prathivandi* being showcased add to India’s recognition. It reflects the growing appreciation for Indian films outside the traditional Bollywood scope and acknowledges our filmmakers’ contributions to the global cinema landscape.
**Editor:** Historically, Indian films have achieved recognition at Cannes. Can you share some notable past contributions and their impact?
**Dr. Mehra:** Certainly! *Neecha Nagar* won the Palme d’Or in 1946, making it a landmark in Indian cinema. Following that, *Do Bigha Zameen* and *Pathir Panchali* also gained international acclaim. These films pioneered themes of social realism and human conditions, which set high standards for storytelling in Indian cinema. They not only won awards but also shaped the narrative style in Indian filmmaking, influencing generations of filmmakers.
**Editor:** With this year’s focus on representation, do you think India’s cinematic achievements will translate to more opportunities and recognition on the international stage?
**Dr. Mehra:** I believe so. The recognition at Cannes and the spotlight on titles like *Salaam Bombay*, which won awards at Cannes before its Oscar nomination, indicate a growing acceptance and interest in Indian narratives globally. With more Indian artists involved in decision-making committees and the festival’s proceedings, I predict we’ll see more Indian stories told in international cinema.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Mehra. Your insights are invaluable, and we look forward to seeing how this year’s festival unfolds!
**Dr. Mehra:** Thank you for having me! Let’s hope for continued success for Indian cinema at Cannes and beyond.
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Mehra. The 75th Cannes Film Festival is currently underway, and there’s much excitement surrounding India’s participation. Could you elaborate on what makes this year’s festival particularly significant for India?
**Dr. Mehra:** Absolutely! This year, India is honored as the ‘Country of Honour’ at the Cannes Market, which is an exciting new tradition. It gives us a platform to showcase our cinematic talent. The special screenings of six Indian films, including titles like *Rocketry: The Nambi Effect* and *Godavari*, highlight the rich diversity of Indian cinema, even though they aren’t part of the main competition.
**Editor:** It’s interesting to note that while India has a strong presence at Cannes, there isn’t an official Indian feature film in the main selection. How do you view India’s representation in this prestigious festival?
**Dr. Mehra:** While it’s true that there isn’t a feature film competing in the main selection, the inclusion of the documentary *All That Breathes* is a significant achievement. Plus, films like *Thump* and *Prathivandi* being showcased add to India’s recognition. It reflects the growing appreciation for Indian films outside the traditional Bollywood scope and acknowledges our filmmakers’ contributions to the global cinema landscape.
**Editor:** Historically, Indian films have achieved recognition at Cannes. Can you share some notable past successes of Indian cinema at this festival?
**Dr. Mehra:** Certainly! Indian cinema has a remarkable history at Cannes. For instance, *Necha Nagar* was the first Indian film to win the prestigious Palme d’Or in 1946, setting a precedent for Indian storytelling. Films like *Do Bigha Zameen* and *Pather Panchali* also garnered international acclaim, with the latter earning the Best Human Document award. Most recently, titles like *Masan* have drawn attention and accolades, demonstrating the evolution and impact of Indian cinema on the world stage.
**Editor:** Given the historical context, what do you think the future holds for Indian films at international festivals like Cannes?
**Dr. Mehra:** The future seems promising! With India’s diverse storytelling and unique cultural perspectives gaining recognition, we can expect more Indian films to grace international festivals. The acknowledgment of different styles, from an experimental documentary to vibrant narratives, showcases our potential. It’s an exciting time for Indian cinema, and we may see more competitive entries in the future, leading to accolades at prestigious platforms like Cannes.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Mehra, for your insights on India’s evolving presence at the Cannes Film Festival!
**Dr. Mehra:** Thank you for having me! It’s always a pleasure to discuss something as vibrant and impactful as cinema.
