Films from Peru and Philippines win top honours 9th International Film Festival of Kerala 2004 awards

The Peruvian film “Dias de Santiago” by Josue Mendez was judged best feature film at 9th International Film Festival of Kerala 2004 (Dec 10-17, 2004).The Filipino director Mark Meily was declared as the best director for his film “Crying Ladies”.This film also won the award for the best Asian film constituted by Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC).

The festival showed more than 170 films in 17 categories. It was well attended by some 4,500 delegates from various parts of India. The screenings took place in the 8 screens cinema multiplex located in Thiruvanathapuram. Bina Paul Venugopal, deputy director of International Film Festival of Kerala, declared that her festival was a great success. International Film Festival of Kerala, which is recognized by FIAPF (Federation Internationale Des Associations De Producteurs de Films), is one of India’s leading film festivals. It is organized by the Motion Picture Academy of Kerala State in India.

9th International Film Festival of Kerala 2004 selected Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai’s “2046” as its opening film. Its cinematographer Christopher Doyle attended the festival. The 2004 edition of IFFK comprised of following section Dias de Santiagons: IFFK Competition, World Cinema, Indian Cinema Today, New Malayalam Cinema, Werner Herzog Retrospective, Contemporary Masters: Tsai Ming Liang, Christopher Doyle, Homage to Jean Rouch,Padmarajan, Vittorio Gassman and Focus on Mexico, France, South Africa.

9th INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF KERALA 2004 AWARDS

International Jury:

Paul Leduc (Chairperson, Mexico)
Simon Field (England)
Dora Bouchoucha (Morocco)
Mama Keita (Senegal)
Farhan Akhtar (India )

JURY AWARD (GOLDEN CROW PHEASANT) FOR BEST FILM
JOSUE MENDEZ (Dias de Santiago, Peru)

JURY AWARD (SILVER CROW PHEASANT) FOR BEST DIRECTOR
MIKE MEILY (Crying Ladies, Philippines)

JURY AWARD (SILVER CROW PHEASANT) FOR BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR
BAHIJ HOJEIJ (Ring of Fire, Lebanon/France)

FIPRESCI Jury:
Joan Dupont (Chairperson, USA)
KNT Sastry (India)
Shaheen M Kabir (Bangladesh)

JURY AWARD
BAHIJ HOJEIJ (Ring of Fire, Lebanon/France)

NETPAC Jury:
Ashley Ratnavibhushana (Chairperson, Sri Lanka)
Madhu Jain (India)
Yves Thoraval (France)

JURY AWARD (BEST ASIAN FILM)
MIKE MEILY (Crying Ladies, Philippines)

SPECIAL MENTION
ERAN RIKLIS (The Syrian Bride, Israel/France/Germany)

AUDIENCE AWARD

1ST BEST FILM
REZA HEYDARNEJAD (Album, Iran)

2nd BEST FILM
SHEN WENSHENG (Endless Way, China)

by Lalit Rao