Saawan bags ALIIFF Golden Frame Awards
Saawan bags ALIIFF Golden Frame AwardsPR Handout

Pakistan filmmaker Farhan Alam film Saawan, which is produced by USA-based Kalakar Films, has won the coveted All Lights India International Film Festival (ALIIFF) Golden Frame Awards for the best feature film.

Around 130 movies were screened at the third edition of ALIIFF of which 68 movies were part of the competition segment. The categories included Feature Film, Debut Director's Film, Indian Film, Short Film, Student Short Film and Documentary. The festival saw the participation of leading filmmakers and technicians from 50 countries. The festival gave away a NETPAC award too.

Dr Bijukumar Damodaran (India) was the head of the jury panel, which included members like Amir Muhammed (Malaysia), Axel Estein (Germany), Matthew Helderman (USA), Bassam Mohammed Al Thawadi (Bahrain), Jun Robles Lana (Philippines), Marianne Borgo (France), KNT Sastry (India), Nawaf Al Janahi (Abu Dhabi), Doo Yong Lee (South Korea), Soo Sung Lee (South Korea) and Hassan Nazer (Iran).

Saawan bagged the best feature film, while Marccela Moreno's The Loudest Silence from Brazil was adjudged as the best student short film. In Return: Just A Book from India, filmed by Shiny Jacob Benjamin, was declared as the best documentary. National award winner Surabhi Lakshmi earned honourable mention for her performance in director Anil Thomas' movie Minnaminungu.

The award comprising of a cash prize, a certificate and a trophy were distributed to the winners by the juries and Indywood founder director Sohan Roy at the valedictory function of the third edition of Indywood Film Carnival held at Princess Hall, Ramoji Film City, on December 4.

Here is the complete list of the winners of ALIIFF:

No Award Winner Country Filmmaker
1 Best Feature Film Saawan Pakistani Farhan Alam
2 Best Student Short Film The Loudest Silence Brazil Marccela Moreno
3 Best Documentary In Return: Just A Book India Shiny Jacob Benjamin
4 Best Short Film Take The Reins USA Emma Barrett
5 Best Indian Film Railway Children India Prithvi Konanur
6 NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film  Hidden Corner  India  Jaicheng Jai Dohutia
7 Honourable mention in Best Short Film Chudala  India Maaria Sayed
8 Honourable mention in for Cinematography 2001: While Kubrick Was In Space    Daniel Ortega

Indywood Film Carnival concluded at Ramoji Film City, the world's largest film studio, on December 4. The mega carnival, is organised by 10 billion US dollar Project Indywood. UAE-based NRI industrialist Sohan Roy spearheads Project Indywood. He is also the Chairman and CEO of UAE-based Aries Group aims at initiating 10,000 new 4K projection multiplex screens, 100,000 2K/4K projection home cinemas, 8K/4Kfilm studios, 100 animation/VFX studios and film schools conforming to international standards.

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