Thiruvananthapuram: The 20th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFK) that concluded here on Friday saw director R. Jayaraj's "Ottal" (The Trap) sweeping all the top awards, including the audience poll award.
Kerala Governor Justice P. Sathasivam (retd) awarded the coveted Suvarna Chakoram, the Best Film of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) jury, the Best Malayalam film of the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) jury and the audience poll.
The Suvarna Chakoram includes Rs.15 lakh cash award, certificate and memento.
"Ottal", already a winner in the national and state film awards, took the top prize for its strong cinematic language, interweaving local and planetary concerns, humankind's relationship with nature and nurture, and child human rights, all grounded in a deep honest connection to culture and place.
"It is often felt that Kerala is not only God's Own Country, but the favourite foster land of a variety of arts, so it is little wonder that it has produced notable names in filmmaking. The film festival provides an opportunity for film lovers to see films from around the world and thereby get a feel for lifestyles around the world," said Governor Sathasivam.
The Rajatha Chakoram for Best Director was awarded to Jun Robles Lana for the Filipino film "Shadow Behind the Moon". It consists of a cash award of Rs.4 lakh, certificate and memento.
The Rajatha Chakoram for Best Debut Director was awarded to Bangladeshs' director Abu Shahed Emon for "Jalal's Story". It consists of a cash award of Rs.3 lakh, a certificate and a memento.
Legendary Iranian filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui, whose films were shown in the festival's retrospective segment, was honoured with the IFFK's Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award for lifetime achievement carries a cash prize of Rs.10 lakh, a memento and an official citation.