Good year for Indian movies at Toronto film festival
LONDON: Mumbai-based director Vasan Bala was already a pioneer when he brought his second film, Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota, to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it became the first Indian movie included in the popular Midnight Madness section.
And on Sunday, that selection made even bigger waves as it collected the prestigious People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award at TIFF.
This has been a banner year for Indian films with regard to TIFF awards. Joining Bala was London-based filmmaker Sandhya Suri, whose project The Field captured the Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film.
As the awards ceremony concluded in Toronto, Bala was trying to digest the honour as he said: “It’s surreal. I’m really happy for everyone (involved with the film).”
As he prepares for the movie’s November theatrical release in India, he felt this award will provide it with momentum going ahead.
TIFF’S programmer for Midnight Madness, Peter Kuplowsky, was just as delighted with the result: “I really wanted to play a martial arts movie at Midnight and I really also wanted to play an Indian film and the brilliant Vasan Bala married the two dreams of mine for this section. I’m so thrilled that not only did the film get received so warmly, but the audience decided it was the one deserving of the People’s Choice Award.”
As for Suri’s short fiction feature set in a north Indian village, the jury noted: “The film is striking for its aesthetic lyricism, tender performances, and powerful emotional impact.” The 19-minute film is a co-production by India, UK and France.
TIFF’S biggest prize, the People’s Choice Award, went to director Peter Farrelly’s Green Book, with Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk and Alfonso Cuarón’s ROMA emerging as the first and second runners-up respectively.
TIFF is the largest film event in North America and among the leading and most influential festivals in the world.