IFFI: ‘Tulpan’ Bags Golden Peacock Award

IFFI: ‘Tulpan’ Bags Golden Peacock AwardRenowned Kazakh film maker Sergei Dvortsevoy’s film “Tulpan” won the Golden Peacock award and a cash prize of Rs 4 million on the closing day of the 39th International Film Festival of India in Panaji.

In the past, ‘Tulpan’, has also won the best feature film and the Golden Eye awards at the Montreal Film Festival and Zurich Film Festival respectively.

The film is also Kazakhstan’s official entry for the forthcoming Oscar awards in the foreign film category.

Receiving the award from chief guest Kamal Hassan and Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, an elated Dvortsevoy said, “I think films cannot change the world, but films can change the people who in turn can change the world.”

Dvortsevoy also pocketed the most promising director’s award.

The special jury award at the film festival - the Silver Peacock and a cash award of Rs.15 lakh - was presented to Sri Lankan actress Malini Fonseca for her role in the Sinhalese film “Akasa Kusum” (Flowers In The Sky). The film depicts the life and struggles of the people of Kazakhstan.

Speaking on this, an overjoyed Ms. Fonseca said, “I feel we need happiness and peace everywhere in the world, I wish both countries [India and Sri Lanka] get more closer and friendlier.”

Nearly fifteen films from Asian, Asia-Pacific and Latin American were in the running for the Goa festival's top prize. The film festival, which was started on November 22, screened over 200 films from 40 countries. Over 6000 delegates from all over the world attended the 10-day festival.

Following the recent terror strikes in Mumbai, the organizers of IFFI cancelled a number of programmes and other activities during the festival.

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