BIFFes 16, 2025: All the Winners and Winners take all

All eyes and ears were on Bengaluru International Film Festival’s Artistic Director, Vidyashankar Jois, on the evening of 8^th March, at Sulochana, Information Department, Infantry Road. He first introduced the Selection Juries, that helped him reduce the number of entries from 400+ to 200, then the Award Juries were introduced, and finally, the films and makers who bagged awards. Besides the citation and a trophy, the awards, in each category, ranged up to Rs. 10 lakh (Rs. 10,00,000).The categories for the awards at BIFFes 16, 2025, which is organised by the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, were Best Asian Films, Best Indian Films, Best Kannada Films, the FIPRESCI Award and the NETPAC award. There was also a life-time award. Unfortunately, the recipient, Shabana Azmi, could not come herself, since she was attending a conference on International Women’s Day, and deputed actress Arundhati Rao Nag to collect the award on her behalf.

Best Asian Film

IN THE LAND OF BROTHERS

Directors: Raha Amirfazli and Alireza Ghasemi

Country: IRAN

Language:

PERSIAN | DARI

Second Best Asian Film

READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN

Director: Eran Riklis

Country: ISRAEL

Language: FARSI

Third Best Asian Film

SABA

Director: Maksud Hossain

Producer: Uri Singer, Arifur Rahman, Tamim Abdul Majid, Maksud Hossain, Trilora Khan, Mehazabien Chowdhury, Barkat Hossain Polash.

Country: BANGLADESH

Language:

BENGALI

Jury Special Mention

FEMINICHI FATHIMA

Director: Fasil Muhammed

Country: INDIA

Language: MALAYALAM

Jury Special Mention

PYRE

Director: Vinod Kapri

Country: INDIA

Language: HINDI

Best Indian Film

HUMANS IN THE LOOP

Director: Aranya Sahay

Country: INDIA

Language: HINDI

Second Best Indian Film

LEVEL CROSS

Director: Arfaz Ayub

Country: INDIA

Language: MALAYALAM

Third Best Indian Film

SWAHA

Director: Abhilash Sharma

Country: INDIA

Language: MAGAHI

Special Jury Appreciation

BELI HOO

Director: Sebastin David

Country: INDIA

Language: KANNADA

FIPRESCI Jury Award

HUMANS IN THE LOOP

Best Kannada Film

MIKKA BANNADA HAKKI

Director: Manohara K

Country: INDIA

Language: KANNADA

Second Best Kannada Film

PIDAYI

Director: Santhosh Mada

Country: INDIA

Language: TULU (Variant of Kannada)

Third Best Kannada Film

DASKATH

Director: Aneesh Poojary

Country: INDIA

Language: TULU

NETPAC Jury Award

LACCHI

Director: Krishnegowda

Country: INDIA

Language: KANNADA

Lifetime Achievement Award

SHABANA AZMI

Citation: For illuminating the screen with performances of rare depth and authenticity, for fearlessly embracing roles that challenge conventions, for the portrayals of complex, defiant women and for being an unwavering voice in gender discourse. This award is given in honor of the unparalleled contributions to cinema and the tireless advocacy for equality, justice, and human dignity.

The award was received by Arundhati Rao, a childhood friend of Shabana, and a very old acquaintance of mine. Arundhati was married to actor late Shankar Nag (Nagarakatte), who died in a road accident in 1990, aged 36. Arundhati and her supporters built a theatre in his memory, Shankarnag Chitramandira, on M.G. Road, Bengaluru. Shankar's brother is Anant Nag, a doyen of Kannada cinema. Arundhati's younger sister Padmavati (Pinty) is also an actress.