Aparna Sen’s “The Rapist,” produced by Applause Entertainment, in association with Quest Films has won the prestigious Kim Jiseok Award at the 26th Busan International Film Festival 2021. The film had its World Premiere at BIFF 2021 in the “A Window on Asian Cinema” section and was one of seven films nominated. In a fiercely competitive year for the award, this win comes as a major triumph for the makers of the film.
“The Rapist” deals with the complex themes of crime, punishment and restorative justice through the prism of class dynamics. It chronicles the journey of three protagonists and how their lives get entwined because of one horrific incident. The film is an unflinching, uncompromising portrait of sexual violence, its aftermath, and the socio-psychological fallout for both the survivors and perpetrators of the crime.
Marking the reunion of the prolific mother-daughter duo of Aparna Sen and Konkona Sen Sharma, “The Rapist” also has Arjun Rampal and Tanmay Dhanania in key roles. It received rave reviews at the festival, with several critics calling it one of Sen’s finest works. The film also marks Applause Entertainment’s feature film debut, and this prestigious honor at Busan signals a fine start at the movies for the studio.
Eminent director-actor-writer Aparna Sen, elated after the win, said, “I feel deeply humbled, grateful and overwhelmed as I accept this prestigious Kim Jiseok award. I would like to thank everyone at Busan IFF, the jury, the organizers and of course, the audience for conferring this honor upon me.”
