Kannada film 'Shivamma' bag major award at Busan Film Festival
Another Indian film 'The Winter Within' also among awards
New Delhi (PTI): Kannada movie "Shivamma" and actor-director Aamir Bashir's "The Winter Within" have won trophies at the 2022 Busan International Film Festival.
"Shivamma", directed by first-time filmmaker Jaishankar Aryar, won the New Currents Award along with the Korean title "A Wild Roomer".
Bashir's "The Winter Within" was adjudged the winner of KB New Currents Audience Award during the festival's closing ceremony on Friday.
"Shivamma" chronicles the story of a poor, middle-aged woman sales representative for an energy drink company. It features Sharanamma Chetti and Chennamma Abbegere, and is produced by "Kantara" star-filmmaker Rishab Shetty.
According to festival organisers, the New Currents Award is given to the two best feature films selected from the first or second feature of new Asian directors introduced in the New Currents section of the festival. It carries a grand prize of USD 30,000 for each film.
"We appreciated the originality and intensity with which the director was able to tell this very contemporary story. Here documentary and fiction meet in an organic and spirited way of making cinema.
"The generosity of the actors and the scenes create a closeness with this universal story that takes place in an Indian village," the jury, which included world-renowned film experts, said in a note shared on the festival website.
Aryar, who hails from Bengaluru, celebrated his debut film's win in a post on Instagram.
"Delighted to share the wonderful news that the new currents award of 27th Busan film festival goes to 'Shivamma'. The first Kannada film to win this honour," the filmmaker said.
Bashir's "The Winter Within" is his second directorial effort after he made his debut with 2010's National Award-winning Urdu movie "Harud".
It took home the KB New Currents Audience Award, which is given to the title that is most highly rated by festival audiences from the New Currents section.
The award carries a prize of USD 18,000 for the director.
"The Winter Within" is set in Bashir's native Kashmir, where small and big skirmishes and terrorist activities occur frequently due to the long conflict between India and Pakistan, as well as the border dispute with China, as per the official description on the website.
The story follows a domestic helper, named Nargis, who looks everywhere to find out whether her husband Manzoor, who was arrested after joining the armed rebellion, is dead or alive.
"She is fired when her employer learns that Manzoor is a militant. She returns to her hometown, and Yaseen, who has feelings for her, offers help. Then one day, Manzoor comes home, and the three of them experience subtle emotional changes," the official synopsis read.
Bashir, known for appearing in films and shows such as "A Wednesday", "Haider" and "Sacred Games", penned the movie's screenplay with filmmaker Shanker Raman. The two had earlier collaborated on Raman's 2017 acclaimed directorial "Gurgaon".
Earlier, filmmaker Vinay Shukla's documentary While We Watched , featuring news anchor Ravish Kumar, won the Cinephile Award at the film gala. The honour is given to the best Korean and Asian documentary film presented in the Wide Angle documentary showcase section.
While We Watched , which had its Asia premiere at Busan, is described as a turbulent newsroom drama that intimately chronicles the working days of broadcast journalist Kumar as he navigates a spiralling world of truth and disinformation.
The 27th edition of the Busan International Film Festival was held from October 5 to 14.
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Meitra Hospital to help Malabar Artists by bringing up Art Pavillion at Hortis Arts Festival
Kozhikode: The Kochi Biennale Foundation is gearing up to unveil a dedicated art pavilion at the Malayala Manorama Hortus Arts and Literature Festival, designed as a platform to spotlight local talent from the Malabar region. The pavilion, supported by Meitra Hospital, will provide emerging artists in Kozhikode and surrounding areas with a space to display and sell their work without leaving their native region.
Faizal Kottikollon, chairman of Meitra Hospital and founder of KEF Holdings, along with his wife Shabana Faizal, view this initiative as a stepping stone for artists in Malabar, helping them nurture their craft while staying connected to their roots. The couple, who have long championed regional development, are committed to promoting Malabar’s artistic potential.
"Our land is home to countless talented artists, but many struggle to make a sustainable income from their art," Faizal shared. "Currently, artists often have to migrate to Kochi or beyond to find opportunities. With the Kochi Biennale event making Kochi a thriving art hub, we felt it essential to create a similar stage in northern Kerala, where artists in Kozhikode can perform and sell their work locally, generating income without leaving their homeland."
Both Shabana and Faizal envision the Art Pavilion project developing in the same spirit as the successful Nadakkav School Project, a model school with international standards that inspired similar projects in places as far-flung as Kenya, Bengaluru, and Srinagar.
For Faizal, supporting art is a way of sharing life’s privileges. "True happiness comes from giving back," he noted. "Instead of profit-driven ventures, we’re now focusing on education and health, areas that need urgent support. Art plays a crucial role in enriching lives, and this pavilion aims to uplift both artists and the community."
In line with their community-centered approach, the Kottikollons recently launched Thula, a new venture in Chelari, blending traditional medicine with modern practices. "Thula isn’t about profit; it’s a first-of-its-kind initiative to integrate traditional methods for restoring the body’s natural balance with contemporary medicine," Faizal explained.
While the couple was inspired by the famous botanical treatise Hortus Malabaricus, they see Thula as a means to honor India’s heritage of indigenous healing knowledge, shared by legends like Itty Achuthan. Thula also taps into local talent by featuring artisans, weavers, and Kalaripayattu experts from Kozhikode, creating further opportunities for the region’s skilled artists.
About Faizal and Shabana Kottikollon:
Founders of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation, the couple has actively transformed educational infrastructure across Southern India. Since its inception in 2007, the foundation has contributed over INR 340 million ($4.5 million) to rebuild schools using prefabricated structures to replace decaying classrooms. Shabana Faizal, originally from Mangaluru, is the daughter of Late B Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen, a prominent business and community leader, while Faizal Kottikollon is the son of Malayali entrepreneur PK Ahammed, chairman of the Peekay Group of Companies.
With the pavilion at the Hortus Arts and Literature Festival, Faizal and Shabana Kottikollon continue their dedication to preserving and uplifting Malabar’s artistic culture, opening new avenues for the community’s creative talent.
