Japanese environmental drama Evil Does Not Exist won the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant) award for the best film in competition at the 28th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, the film tells the aftermath of industrialisation in a village, through glamping sites. At the forefront of the tale is a man and his little daughter.
The IFFK’s next prestigious award, the Rajata Chakoram (Silver Crow Pheasant) for best director of the films in competition, went to debutant Shokir Kholikov for Sunday. The film from Uzbekistan tells the story of an elderly couple whose son tries to replace their home. Sunday also got the NETPAC award for the best Asian film in competition.
Among Malayalam films, Thadavu, a remarkable debut by Fazil Razak on the solitary life of a middle-aged woman in north Kerala, won the audience poll award for films in competition. Fazil also won the Rajata Chakoram for the best debut director. Shruthi Sharanyam’s B 32 Muthal 44 Vare, beautifully depicting bodily issues through the stories of six women, won the FIPRESCI award for best Malayalam film. Aattam, directed by Anand Ekarshi, won the NETPAC award for the best Malayalam film. The film focuses on the events that follow after a woman faces sexual assault in a space she had considered safe.
Spanish director Felipe Carmona's Prison in the Andes, a film showing the torturers of Chilean dictator Pinochet serving time in a luxury jail, won the FIPRESCI award for best international film.
Uttam Kamathi's Kerwal was selected for the FFSI - KR Mohanan Award for best debut director in India. The Mexican film All the Silence, won the award for sound design. The film tells the story of an actor who is also a teacher of sign language, going deaf.
Veteran Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Adoor Gopalakrishnan in recognition of his comprehensive contribution to the field of cinema.
Tamil actor Prakash Raj, who was the chief guest at the IFFK’s concluding event, quipped that he was happy that in “God's Own Country”, the people kept god away from politics.