Payal Sethi’s “Kurinji” (aka “The Disappearing Flower”) was Sunday named as the first prize winner of the projects at the Film Bazaar in Goa, India. It earned a $10,000 cash prize.
The project explores the theme of “Gulf Wife” syndrome and follows a Kerala housewife whose migrant worker husband in the Gulf region suddenly stops calling home after years of separation. When a money-lender appears demanding repayment of an unknown debt, she embarks on a search for answers with help from an unexpected quarter.
The Work-in-Progress section crowned Ridham Janve’s “Hunter’s Moon” (aka “Kaatti Ri Raatti”) and “The Shape of Momo” as joint winners. The films win various in-kind support from Prasad Labs.
Set high in the mountains, the ambitiously artistic “Hunter’s Moon” depicts man at his crudest state in nature. Directed by Tribeny Rai, “Momo” describes the journey of a woman who is determined not to let patriarchy and its influence push her down.
Additionally, all the participants of the Film Bazaar’s inaugural Episodic Storytelling Lab participants were invited to a six-week workshop in Los Angeles.
The prizes were presented at the closing event of Film Bazaar at the Marriott Resort hotel in Panjim with Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary, Broadcasting, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Managing Director, NFDC and Vrunda Manohar Desai, Joint Secretary Films, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Managing Director, NFDC, present.
They were joined on stage by Jerome Paillard, former head of the Cannes Market and now an advisor to Film Bazaar, and noted casting director Mukesh Chhabra.
Kumar called the 2024 edition, “the greatest ever Film Bazaar in terms of delegates and pavilions.” The event enjoyed a more than 20% increase in delegate numbers to some 1,500, hailing from 31 countries and territories (up from 20 last year.) Similarly, the market hosted ten new national pavilions and 14 pavilions representing India’s state film promotion organizations.
2024 Film Bazaar Winners
Co-production Market
First Prize (cash grant worth $10,000)
“Kurinji” (aka “The Disappearing Flower”), dir. Payal Sethi, Prod. Thanikachalam SA
Second Prize (cash grant worth $5,000)
“Kothiyan” (aka “Fishers of Men”), dir. Sanju Surendran, prod. Pramod Sankar
Third Prize (cash grant worth $5,000)
“All Ten Heads of Ravana,” dir. Pranjal Dua, prod. Bich-Quan Tran
The Special Mention for Best Pitch
“Baaghi Bechare” (aka “Reluctant Rebels”), dir. Sumit Purohit, producer – Chippy Babu & Abhishek Sharma.
Film Bazaar – ATF Partnership award
“Kothiyan” (aka “Fishers of Men”).
Works in Progress
Prasad Labs Award (Free 4K digital intermediate, 50 hours of services)
“Kaatti Ri Raatti,” (“Hunter’s Moon”) by Ridham Janve
Nube Studio Award (6 Lakh / $77,000 worth of digital intermediate on 1 project)
“Shape of Momo,” by Tribeni Rai
Special Mentions (joint winners)
“The Good, The Bad and The Hungry”
The Red Hibiscus”
Viewing Room Film Bazaar Recommends (FBR) – Movie Buff Awards
“Angammal,” by Vipin Radhakrishnan (director), Anjoy Samuel (producer); written by Vipin Radhakrishnan and Perumal Murugan
“House of Manikanta,” by Pinaki Janardhan (writer & director), Mrityunjay Shukla (producer)
“Laptein” (aka (“Flames”) by Ravi Shankar Kaushik (writer & director), Rashi Aggarwal, Jasdev Singh, Arpita Raghuwanshi (producers).
Kurinji concept art
Barycenter Films/Payal Sethi
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