There is something unforgettable about films made by the mother-daughter duo of Aparna Sen and Konkona Sen Sharma. Be it Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, 15 Park Avenue, or Iti Mrinalini; the films manage to leave a lingering impression on their audiences.
Their latest collaboration, The Rapist, which premiered at the 26th Busan International Film Festival in the 'A Window on Asian Cinema' section, was announced the winner of the Kim Jiseok Award.
The award is given to honor late Kim Ji-Seok, who devoted his whole life to discovering young Asian directors and supporting the growth of Asian cinema. A grand prize of USD 10,000, sponsored by the BIFF Supporters Association, is awarded to two films respectively. This year, this award was bestowed upon Aparna Sen's The Rapist and a Filipino-Japanese film Gensan Punch.
The Rapist chronicles the journey of three protagonists (Konkana Sen Sharma, Arjun Rampal and Tanmay Dhanania) and how their lives get entwined because of one horrific incident. The film is an unflinching, uncompromising portrait of sexual violence, its aftermath, and the socio-psychological fallout for both the survivors and perpetrators of the crime.
On the other hand, Gensan Punch is a documentary-style narrative of a Japanese man with a prosthetic leg who goes to the Philippines to train and pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer.
Sharing her excitement of receiving the award for her latest work, Aparna Sen shared in a press statement, "I feel deeply humbled, grateful and overwhelmed as I accept this prestigious Kim Jiseok award... This award has a special significance for me because I was in Busan as a jury member many years ago and I had the honor of meeting Mr. Kim in person. I was aware of Mr. Kim's tireless, lifelong effort to promote Asian cinema throughout the world."
"I take this opportunity to thank my producers, Applause Entertainment and Quest Films who put their might behind me and supported me all the way. And of course, my very talented cast and crew who helped me make my vision a reality," she added.
