Hong Kong: India had a triumphant night at the 18th Asian Film Awards, with All We Imagine As Light and Santosh taking top honors at the prestigious Xiqu Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong.
All We Imagine As Light Wins Best Film
The Asian Film Awards announced the winners on its official website, declaring Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light as the Best Film. The film competed for the coveted award against Black Dog (China), Exhuma (South Korea), Teki Cometh (Japan), and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (Hong Kong).
Kapadia, who previously won the Grand Prix Award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for the same film, expressed her gratitude for the recognition.
An India-French co-production, All We Imagine As Light made history last year as the first Indian film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes. The Malayalam-Hindi drama follows the lives of two nurses, Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha), traversing the challenges of love and life in Mumbai, along with their cook and friend, Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam).
Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’ tops Sight and Sound list of best movies of 2024. @FTIIOfficial family congratulates its illustrious alumnus on another feather in her crowded cap. Best wishes.#PayalKapadia #FTII pic.twitter.com/q8nOFHWWGH
— FTII (@FTIIOfficial) January 2, 2025
Shahana Goswami won the Best Actress award for her performance in Santosh, while director Sandhya Suri bagged the Best New Director trophy.
Santosh, a joint production of India, the UK, France, and Germany, follows a recently widowed housewife who takes on her late husband’s job as a police constable and becomes involved in a murder investigation.
Goswami edged out nominees Kani Kusruti (All We Imagine As Light), Sylvia Chang (Daughter’s Daughter), Kawai Yuumi (Desert of Namibia), and Kim Go-eun (Exhuma) in the Best Actress category.
Meanwhile, British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri triumphed in the Best New Director category, surpassing Yamanaka Yoko (Desert of Namibia), Sora Neo (Happyend), Dong Zijian (My Friend An Delie), and Truong Minh Quý (Viêt and Nam).
