Payal Kapadia On Winning Grand Prix At Cannes: 'Given This Award To Our Country After 30 Years'

Payal Kapadia created history at Cannes when her film, All We Imagine as Light, won the prestigious ‘Le Grand Prix’ award at the renowned film festival. This marked the first time in 30 years that an Indian movie competed in the festival’s main competition. The film’s team, including director Payal Kapadia and actors Chhaya Kadam, Divya Prabha, and Kani Kusruti, attended the Cannes Film Festival 2024 to accept the award during the closing ceremony.

The filmmaker took to X to express her gratitude. Posting a photo with actors Chhaya Kadam, Divya Prabha, and Kani Kusruti, she wrote, “It is a great achievement for us that we have given this award to our country after thirty years. I am deeply grateful for your generous appreciation. Your recognition motivates me to work even harder.❤️ Thanks a lot .”

Earlier today, PM Narendra Modi took to X to congratulate Payal and wrote, “India is proud of Payal Kapadia for her historic feat of winning the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her work ‘All We Imagine as Light’. An alumnus of FTII, her remarkable talent continues to shine on the global stage, giving a glimpse of the rich creativity in India. This prestigious accolade not only honours her exceptional skills but also inspires a new generation of Indian filmmakers.”

In her acceptance speech, Payal made a special request to Cannes. “I’m very nervous, so I wrote something down. Thank you to the Cannes Film Festival for having our film here. Please don’t wait 30 years to have another Indian film,” Payal said in her acceptance speech. “This film is about friendship between three women and oftentimes women are pitted against each other. This is the way society is designed and it is very unfortunate. But for me friendship is a very important relationship because it can lead to greater solidarity, inclusivity and empathy towards each other,” she added, as reported by The Indian Express.