Payal Kapadia’s debut feature film enters elite company at Cannes competition section

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s first feature film ‘All We Imagine As Light’ has been selected for the competition section of the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which will open in May this year. The Cannes 2024 official section was unveiled on Thursday, and the competition will be held from May 14 to May 25. Kapadia had previously won the Golden Eye for Best Documentary in 2021.

Anurag Kashyap, whose movie ‘Kennedy’ premiered at Cannes last year, shared the news on Instagram Stories, congratulating Kapadia for having an Indian film in competition at the prestigious festival. Some of the other films on the competition list include ‘The Apprentice’ by Ali Abbasi, ‘Motel Destino’ by Karim Ainouz, and ‘Bird’ by Andrea Arnold.

Kapadia, a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, has previously directed films such as ‘Watermelon, Fish and Half Ghost’, ‘The Last Mango Before the Monsoon’, and ‘Afternoon Clouds’. Her selection for Cannes marks a significant achievement in her career as a filmmaker.

The recognition of Kapadia’s work at a global platform like Cannes highlights the talent and creativity present in the Indian film industry. Her storytelling and directorial skills have garnered attention and praise, paving the way for more diverse and innovative Indian cinema to be showcased on an international stage. Congratulations to Payal Kapadia on this remarkable achievement!