Payal Kapadia's Indian film All We Imagine As Light wins Grand Prix Award at Cannes
Cannes/IBNS: Scripting history, Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light, an Indian film, won Grand Prix, the second highest award at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.
All We Imagine As Light was also the first Indian film in 30 years to compete for the top prize Palme d'Or at the 77th edition of Cannes Film Festival, where Kapadia's work received an eight-minute standing ovation after the screening.
Payal Kapadia is the first Indian to win the Cannes Grand Prix for her debut feature film - All We Imagine As Light. She accepted the award on stage with her actors Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam.
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What a moment for Indian Cinema. What a moment for India🇮🇳🍉 pic.twitter.com/RMsQyWjZhU
Kapadia's film, which features Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridu Haroon, has already garnered positive reviews.
“I am really grateful and feel really privileged to be here. It has been really nice,” says Kapadia speaking to Brut India.
Giving 5 stars in its review, The Guardian called the film "glorious… an absorbing story full of humanity".
The critic has analysed the film keeping it at par with Oscar winning Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray's Mahanagar and Aranyer Din Ratri.
Luminous Red Steps Montée des Marches lumineuse
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ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT – PAYAL KAPADIA
Avec l’équipe du film / With the film crew
Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon, Kani Kusruti, Payal Kapadia, Divya Prabha, Ranabir Das, Julien Graff, Zico Maitra, Thomas Hakim#Cannes2024… pic.twitter.com/upZGnVqEPe
IndieWire in its review says, "This casual everyday vignette is brimming with a sensuality (the rain, the clothes, the food, the women) that people don't tend to notice when caught up in the rhythm of life.
"It takes a snapshot from a photographer removed from the situation to make you realise how full these moments are."
All We Imagine As Light is a story about two nurses from the south Indian state of Kerala working at a hospital and living together at a congested apartment in Mumbai.
Last night, eight minutes long standing ovation for #PayalKapadia’s #AllWeImagineAsLight. Finally India at the centerstage @Festival_Cannes. pic.twitter.com/X49mbDNprz
— Aseem Chhabra (@chhabs) May 24, 2024
The story tracks the two nurses- Prabha and Anu- who suffer in their individual relationships.
While Prabha's husband lives in Germany and barely keeps in touch, Anu is in a relationship with a Muslim man from Kerala knowing the relationship won't be approved by her family.
Prabha is played by Kani Kasruti while Anu is essayed by Divya Prabha.
Speaking to Deadline about the film, Kapadia, 38, earlier said, "India is a country that makes a lot of good films. Not just Bollywood but every state has its industry and there are absolutely brilliant filmmakers."
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