Iranian midwife turned director's creation bags best film award at KIFF

Midwife-turned-director Nahid Hassanzadeh's debut feature film "Another Time" from Iran bagged the best film award while young Chinese filmmaker Yao Tingting was adjudged the best director for his offering "Yesterday Once More" at the 22nd Kolkata international Film Festival here on Friday.

In his acceptance speech, Hassanzadeh dwelled on the hurdles that she had to cross in making her films.

The KIFF'S International Competition for Women Directors had a bouquet of 15 films.

The first feature film of Israeli directors Mili Ben Hayi and Tamar Shippony -"Cheer Me Up" - received the Special Jury Award.

In the Asian Select category, "Singing in the Graveyards" - a Malaysian film by Bradley Liew and "Lady of the Lake" by Haobram Paban Kumar from India picked up awards. Turkish Film "My Father's Wing" was handed the best film award in the Cinema International category.

In the short film and documentary category, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute product Asok Vailou's "Tau-Tai (Seed)" walked away with the best short film award. The film centres around militant Vio, who comes home to his Manipur village on vacation and sees the impact of Indian Army's counter-insurgency operation in the state through the life of his younger sister.

--IANS

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