Daily Updates

The 30th edition of the IFFK drew to a close on a note of quiet triumph and global resonance. As cinephiles and filmmakers bid farewell to a week of immersive cinema, the festival’s coveted Rajatha Chakoram (Silver Crow Pheasant) Award for Best Director crossed continents to Argentina. Karina Piazza and Lucia Brasilis were honoured for Before the Body, a film cited by the jury for its assured vision and emotional depth, at a closing ceremony that also marked three decades of IFFK’s commitment to world cinema. The award carries a cash prize of ₹4 lakh, along with a citation and plaque.

A standout in the international competition section, the Spanish-language Before the Body impressed for its restrained storytelling and emotional intensity. The film follows a mother’s desperate attempt to protect her children as mounting threats and social pressures close in, offering a stark meditation on vulnerability, fear and the primal instinct to safeguard one’s own.

Previously known for their web series La Vida Tranquila and several short films, Piazza and Brasilis bring a finely calibrated sensitivity to the material. Their direction privileges the quiet tensions of everyday life, allowing the drama to unfold with an unsettling intimacy that amplifies its emotional impact.

This year, 14 films vied for the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant), with the awards adjudicated by an international jury chaired by acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof—underscoring IFFK’s sustained engagement with cinema that speaks across borders.