High Commission of India
Colombo

PRESS RELEASE

Jaffna International Cinema Festival honoured Indian Veteran Film Maker Girish Kasarawalli with Lifetime Achievement Award

Renowned Kannada filmmaker and pioneer of parallel cinema in India, Padma Shri Girish Kasaravalli, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th Jaffna International Cinema Festival, 2024 by the Festival Director Ms. Anomaa Rajakaruna. The award ceremony took place on September 09, 2024, at the Jaffna Cultural Centre. Kasaravalli, who has earned international acclaim for his work, has won fourteen National Film Awards, including four Best Feature Film awards for Ghatashraddha (1977), Tabarana Kathe (1986), Thaayi Saheba (1997), and Dweepa (2002). In 2011, he was bestowed with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honor.

2. Upon receiving the award, Kasaravalli urged young filmmakers worldwide "to unite in preserving auteur cinema, as only collective action can counter the harmful intentions of a greedy force." During the festival, he led a master class titled "Behind the Lines of Parallel Cinema: Face to Face with Girish Kasaravalli," reflecting on his five-decade-long career in the Kannada film industry.

3. The goal of the Cinema Festival was to celebrate independent cinema in the region, using art as a tool to connect with people. It provided a platform for cross-border community engagement through cinema. The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, cultural arm of the High Commission of India in Colombo and the Consulate General of India in Jaffna, have been partners in the festival since 2023, with numerous Indian filmmakers participating each year. In 2024, around 60 films from 18 countries were screened at the festival with the majority coming from Sri Lanka and India.

4. The Centre also recently collaborated with the 10th Colombo International Theatre Festival, hosting 10 workshops led by renowned theatre experts from 16 countries.

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Colombo
13 September 2024