IFFK 2024: Brazilian film Malu wins Suvarna Chakoram, Feminichi Fathima corner multiple awards

Pedro Freire's Malu wins Golden Crow Pheasant at IFFK; Feminichi Fathima sweeps five awards, including best film.

Brazilian filmmaker Pedro Freire’s Malu, a film on the tumultuous relationship of three generations of women inspired from his mother’s life, won the Golden Crow Pheasant (Suvarna Chakoram) award for the best film at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) that concluded here on Friday. The award carries a cash prize of ₹20 lakh, memento, and certificate.

Iranian filmmaker Farshad Hashemi won the Silver Crow Pheasant (Rajatha Chakoram) award for the best director for the film Me, Maryam, the Children and 26 others. The film also won the Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award for the best Asian film in competition. Cristobel Leon and Joaquin Cocina won the Rajata Chakoram for the best debut director for the experimental film Hyperboreans, which mixed live action, stop motion, and puppetry.

But the big winner of the night was debutant Fasil Muhammed’s Feminichi Fathima (Feminist Fathima), which won five awards. In this powerful satire on patriarchy, an old mattress becomes the symbol of a homemaker’s struggles to break the shackles of her ultra conservative husband. The film won the jury prize, the audience poll award, the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award for the best film in the international competition, a special mention in the Federation of Film Societies of India’s (FFSI) K.R. Mohanan Award for best debut director, and the NETPAC Award for the best Malayalam film.

Victoria, directed by Sivranjini J. won the FIPRESCI Award for best Malayalam film of a debut director for skilfully employing cinematic techniques within a confined space to emphasise the struggles of the protagonist overwhelmed by family and societal pressures. Midhun Murali’s dystopian satireKiss Wagon received a special mention in the NETPAC Award for the best Malayalam film.Indu Lakshmi won the FFSI K.R. Mohanan Award for the best debut director from India for Appuram, on a young girl dealing with patriarchy and her mother’s suicide.

East of Noon directed by Hala Elkoussy won a special jury mention for technical excellence. Anagha Ravi shared the special jury mention for her performance in the lead role in Appuram with Chinmaya Siddi, who played an extraordinary young drummer in Rhythm of Dammam.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian presented the awards to the winners. Mr. Vijayan also presented the Spirit of Cinema Award to Payal Kapadia, director of All We Imagine as Light, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes.

“I made a film in Malayalam. It was a crazy decision. But I got a lot of support from everybody in the State. I will strive to honour the values of the Spirit of Cinema Award and continue to make films which are relevant to the times we live in,” said Ms. Kapadia in her acceptance speech.