New Delhi: Indian Film Maker Payal Kapadia became the first ever Indian to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival. She received the award for her film ‘All we imagine as light’. This is the first Indian film to get broadcasted at the Cannes Film Festival after a decade. Payal Kapadia is the one who opposed the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the Chairman in 2015.
PAYAL KAPADIA, lauréate du Grand Prix pour ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT.
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PAYAL KAPADIA, award winner of the Grand Prix for ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT.#Cannes2024 #Palmares #Awards #GrandPrix pic.twitter.com/nE16YOvLeC— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 25, 2024
Unbelievable day for Indian cinema. An independent filmmaker – from much hated FTII – whose first film was a poetic love letter to the idea of dissent in a democracy, wins the second highest honour at the biggest film festival in the world.
Payal Kapadia’s ALL WE IMAGINE AS… pic.twitter.com/0YPOSxPScG
— वरुण 🇮🇳 (@varungrover) May 25, 2024
Who is Payal Kapadia?
Payal was born in Mumbai and she went to the Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh. She received a Bachelor’s degree in economics from St Xavier’s College. The Indian Film Maker also received a one year Master’s degree from Sophia College. Payal studied Film Direction from the Film and Television Institute of India.
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Payal is best known for winning the Golden Eye award for the best documentary film at the Cannes Film Festival 2022. The film was ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing’. Her another film ‘Afternoon Clouds’ was the only film that made it to the 70th Cannes Film Festival. The Indian director was one of the prominent faces at the long protest at the FTII. She protested along with other students for over 4 months and also boycotted classes.
An inspiring tale of dissent and triumph.
Payal Kapadia 👏🏼👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/DKOn8q6sWw
— Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) May 26, 2024
2015: FTII under Gajendra Chauhan slaps disciplinary action against a student, Payal Kapadia. She had boycotted classes& led the 4-month long protest against Chauhan. Later, FTII cut her grant.
2024: Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light wins the #Cannes2024 Grand Prix ✨ pic.twitter.com/NLykTuElBm
— Nidheesh M K (@mknid) May 25, 2024