IFFK 2022: Bolivian film Utama wins Suvarna Chakoram; Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam receives Rajatha Chakoram via audience poll

Tayfun Pirselimoglu wins Rajatha Chakoram for the Best Director; Alam, directed by Firas Khouri, takes home the Best Debut; Manipuri filmmaker Romi Meitei’s Our Home bags the International Federation of Film Critics Award for the Best International Film

Utama, Alejandro Loayza Grisi’s artistic statement of the global climate crisis, won the Golden Crow Pheasant (Suvarna Chakoram) for the Best Film at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) here on Friday. The film highlights the struggle of an elderly couple and their grandson in the Bolivian highlands to overcome an uncommonly long drought.

The film’s producer Santiago Loayza Grisi, the filmmaker’s brother, received the award which carries a cash prize of ₹20 lakh, a memento and a certificate from Minister for Cultural Affairs V.N. Vasavan at the closing ceremony held at the Nishagandhi auditorium. Tayfun Pirselimoglu won the Silver Crow Pheasant (Rajatha Chakoram) award for the Best Director.

Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam won the Rajatha Chakoram award through an audience poll. Alam, Firas Khouri’s coming of age drama that points out the unsubtle mechanisms of nationalism, won the Rajatha Chakoram for Best Debut as well as the Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award for the Best Asian Film. Manisha Soni and Muskan, the lead actors of A Place of Our Own, won special mention for their performance.

Manipuri filmmaker Romi Meitei’s Our Home won the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award for the Best International Film and a special mention for the NETPAC award. 19 1(a), directed by Indhu V.S., won the FIPRESCI Award for the Best Malayalam Film. Ariyippu directed by Mahesh Narayanan won the NETPAC award for the best Malayalam film.

Siddharth Chauhan won the Federation of Film Societies of India’s K.R. Mohanan Award for the Best Debut Director from India for Amar Colony. Ektara collective won a special mention for A Place of Our Own. IFFK artistic director Deepika Suseelan announced the awards.

Mr. Vasavan presented the IFFK Lifetime Achievement Award to Hungarian master Bela Tarr. In his acceptance speech, he said that he was deeply moved and touched by the audience’s appreciation.

“We belong to different continents, countries and cultures. We have millions of differences between us. But when I see you, I have a feeling that we have a beautiful common language, that of the motion picture. We have to protect our movies for the young generation, and understand and accept each other,” he said.