In a landmark moment at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2024, Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia secured both her and her country’s inaugural Grand Prix Award for her film ‘All We Imagine As Light,’ presented in the Malayalam-Hindi language.

This achievement marked a significant milestone, as Kapadia became the first female director from India to compete in the festival’s main competition, according to a report by PTI. Notably, her film also became the first Indian entry in the festival’s main competition in three decades, with Shaji N Karun’s ‘Swaham’being the last selection in 1994.

Following its screening at Cannes, ‘All We Imagine As Light’ garnered widespread acclaim, receiving an eight-minute standing ovation from the audience. International critics lauded the film in their reviews, tipping it as a potential award winner, further solidifying its impact on the global cinematic stage.

Who exactly is Payal Kapadia?

At 38 years old, she’s already familiar with international recognition. While ‘All We Imagine as Light’ represents Kapadia’s first venture into feature film directing, she’s no newcomer to the global stage.

In 2021, her documentary ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing’ premiered at the Cannes Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight, earning her the prestigious Oeil d’Or (Golden Eye) award. Additionally, her short film ‘Afternoon Clouds’ found its place in Cinefondation, a category dedicated to nurturing emerging filmmakers.

In an interview with PTI on April 17, Kapadia expressed her excitement and humility about the opportunity. ‘Being selected for the Cannes Competition is truly thrilling and humbling, especially considering how much I admire many directors selected in this section, both in the past and present. It’s an immense honour to be showing my film among them,’ Kapadia remarked.

Having studied at the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Kapadia is recognized not only for her cinematic talent but also for her activism. In 2015, she led a protest lasting four months against then-FTII Chairman Gajendra Chauhan, as reported by journalist Nidheesh MK. Kapadia’s participation in the protest, which involved boycotting classes, resulted in disciplinary action, including a reduction in her FTII grant.

2015: FTII under Gajendra Chauhan slaps disciplinary action against a student, Payal Kapadia. She had boycotted classes& led the 4-month long protest against Chauhan. Later, FTII cut her grant.

2024: Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light wins the #Cannes2024 Grand Prix ✨ pic.twitter.com/NLykTuElBm

— Nidheesh M K (@mknid) May 25, 2024

Also Read: Cannes 2024: Indian Actress Anasuya Sengupta Shines, First Indian To Win Best Actress Award

Payal Kapadia Urges for More Indian Films at Cannes in Award Speech

Upon receiving the Grand Prix Award from American actor Viola Davis, Payal Kapadia expressed her gratitude to the leading actresses of her film, “All We Imagine As Light,” which features Chhaya Kadam, Divya Prabha, and Kani Kusruti.

‘Feeling quite nervous, I wrote down my thoughts. Thank you to the Cannes Film Festival for including our film. Please don’t wait another 30 years to feature an Indian film. This movie highlights friendship among three very different women. Society often pits women against each other, which is unfortunate. For me, friendship fosters greater solidarity, inclusivity, and empathy,’ said Kapadia.

‘All We Imagine as Light’ filmmaker, Payal Kapadia, wins Grand Prix #Cannes2024 pic.twitter.com/BGpImLAiG9

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 25, 2024

The plot of ‘All We Imagine As Light’ revolves around nurse Prabha, who receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, disrupting her life. Meanwhile, her younger roommate Anu struggles to find privacy in the bustling city for her relationship. The two embark on a road trip to a beach town, where a mystical forest becomes a space for their dreams to come true.

In an interview with AFP on May 24, Kapadia observed that few Indian filmmakers submit their works to international festivals. ‘The Indian film industry is quite self-contained, so many filmmakers don’t feel the need to send their work to festivals. For those making smaller, less narrative-driven films, finding funding is challenging. The French system provided significant support for my project,’ she explained.

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‘All We Imagine As Light’ is an Indo-French collaboration between petit chaos (France) and Chalk and Cheese Films (India).