Sandhya Suri, a British-Indian filmmaker, won Best First Feature at the Jerusalem Film Festival 2024 for her film ‘Santosh’. Set in India and featuring a local cast, the film follows a female police officer, hired compassionately after her husband's death, who becomes entangled in local social and political drama.
The screenings of ‘Santosh’ and the award-winning film ‘All We Imagine as Light’ have been sold out, according to Anat, an India enthusiast. Anat praised both Indian entries, noting that the actors handled the intense plots with remarkable ease. Co-produced by India and supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Incentives Scheme, ‘Santosh’ received high praise. ‘All We Imagine as Light’, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes this year, also attracted full audiences at the Jerusalem Film Festival, with organisers commending the strong response to Indian films.
"I am proud to announce that both Indian entries—’All We Imagine as Light’ and ‘Santosh’—are completely sold out. It's also noteworthy that both films were directed by women," said a JFF official at an event organised with the Indian embassy before the screenings.
*All We Imagine as Light*, a co-production involving multiple countries, centres on India with an India-centric storyline and cast. Written and directed by Payal Kapadia, the film made history by winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and received global acclaim for its sensitive portrayal of a poignant human story.
