IFFI 2015: Colombian film ‘Embrace of Serpent’ wins Golden Peacock

The best director award went to Peter Greenaway for Eisenstein. French actor Vincent Lindon was adjudged Best Actor for his role in The Measure of a Man while the Best Actress award was shared by five actress — Gunes Sensoy, Doga Doguslu, Tugba Sunguroglu, Elit Iscan and Ilyada Akdogan for their roles in Turkish film Mustang. Russian filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Director Goran Radovavovic’s Enclave was conferred the Special Mention Award for focusing on ethnic conflict in Kosovo and Julia Vargas directed film Sealed Cargo was awarded the Special Jury Award.

Speaking on Indian cinema, Shekhar Kapur said: “I want them to improve, therefore I am quite strict with Indian cinema.”

Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar said IFFI enhances Goa’s image and is a treat for movie enthusiasts. “Film festivals make international cinema available to the masses, our infrastructure (under construction IFFI secretariat) will be completed soon and we will be able to take film festivals to a new level,” Parsekar said.

Speaking at the event, Oscar-winning music composer A R Rahman said theatres are modern shrine of unity. “I hope… people come out with great humanitarian movies which unite the world and spread culture and create commonality of consciousness of people across the world,” he said.

Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Rathore, said film festivals exposed the audience and the filmmakers to the global cross culture. He commended Goa government for its cooperation with the central agencies in organising the fest.