KIFF: 'Bander Band' of Iran adjudged best film

Iranian movie 'Bander Band' gotthe coveted Golden Royal Bengal Tiger trophy as the Best Filmof the 26th Kolkata International Film Festival whichconcluded on Friday.

The Manijeh Hekmat directed road movie, which followsthe journey of three musicians across a flooded landscape toattend a music competition in Tehran, got a cash award of Rs51 lakh along with the trophy.

Artykpai Suiundukov bagged the Best Director crown for'Shambala' from Kyrgyzstan and Rs 21 lakh as prize money.

Both awards, announced by West Bengal minister FirhadHakim at the awards function, were in the InternationalCompetition: Innovation in Moving Images section of thefestival.

Ukrainian entry 'Blind Fold', directed by Taras Doron,was named as Special Jury Mention recipient in the samecategory meant for world cinema.

In the Indian Languages Films section, Malayalam entry'Kolla Nottam' (False Eye) was adjudged the Best Film. The R RNair directed movie got the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger trophyand Rs 7 lakh prize money.

Biswajit Bhora bagged the Best Director award for hisAssamese film 'Balcony T Bhogoban' (God on the Balcony) inthis section and Rs 5 lakh as a cash award.

In Asian Select NETPAC section, Bangladeshi film'Nonajaler Kabbo' (The Salt in the Water) by R S Sumit wasadjudged the Best Film.

In Competition on Indian Short Films section, 'Dusk'by Ujjwal Pal got the best short film honour and Rs 5 lakh asa cash award.

In Competition on Indian Documentary Films section,'Highways of Life' by Amar Maibam got the top honour and Rs 3lakh as prize money.

Director Goutam Ghosh, a member of the organisingcommittee of the KIFF, said that the despite the pandemicsituation and the deferment of the festival from November 2020to January 2021, it was organised successfully as works ofacclaimed directors were screened from January 8 to 15 withlarge-scale participation of people.

Hakim said that the state government is committed topromoting good films.