Aparna Sen, Nandita Das win Icon Awards at

Filmmakers Aparna Sen and Nandita Das have been awarded the Icon Award at this year’s ‘London Indian Film Festival’ for their contribution to Indian and global cinema.

Running over two weeks and across four cities of London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, the London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) concluded last week with a series of screenings, conversation sessions, cinema discussions and an awards ceremony.

“It was a rare honour and pleasure to receive the Icon Award from LIFF,” said

Sen, whose latest film ‘The Rapist’ was among this year’s European premiere highlights at the festival.

“Making films on my terms without commercial compromise for 40 years has often seemed a thankless job, but now, after the Icon Award, I feel vindicated. Thank you LIFF for continuing to believe in meaningful cinema,” she said.

Das, who joined Sen and actor daughter Konkona Sen Sharma for a special cinematic conversation as part of the LIFF 2022 line-up, said she was grateful for her Icon Award. “I have seen LIFF grow from strength to strength and I am touched by their appreciation of my choices and my work. It means a lot to me,” she said.

Director Pan Nalin’s poignant ode to cinema ‘Chhello Show’ (Last Film Show) was the winner of this year’s audience-voted ‘Best Film Award’. “This is truly inspiring, uplifting and enlightening. As a filmmaker, the only dream I cherish is to be loved by the audience,” said Nalin.

In the annual Satyajit Ray short film category, ‘Jaagran’, co-directed by Ritviq Joshi and Hardik Sadhwani, won the ‘LIFF Jury Prize’.

The awards also included an ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ for Taapsee Pannu for her hardhitting roles, including in the new Anurag Kashyap film ‘Dobaaraa’, which opened the festival.