Awards

Each year we aim to recognise and pay tribute to members of the Industry, with the presentation of these special Awards. Whether the recipient is a legend or an exciting new breakthrough artist, an innovative and inspirational storyteller or a breath-taking cinematographer – the presentation of the annual LFF Awards are seen by the film industry as a recognition of their art by the British Asian film loving community.

 

The ICON AWARD supported by Major Sponsor, Sun Mark Ltd is presented to artists and filmmakers who have excelled in their craft.

The Satyajit Ray Short Film Award recognises the best short in the short film competition category

The coveted London Indian Film Festival Audience Award is voted for by our very discerning, film-loving community throughout the festival period.

 

Satyajit Ray Short Film Award 2016: Mochi (The Cobler)

The short film jury awarded the Satyajit Ray Short Film Award, carrying a cash prize of £1000, in association with the Bagri Foundation, went to to Saqib Pandor for MOCHI (The Cobbler).

Chair of the Short Film Award jury, Satwant Gill, said:  “This multilayered film, evocative and striking, manages to inject real suspense in a short timespan. The drama stays with you long after it has finished, and heralds in a talented new filmmaker. A special commendation went to Debanjan Nandy for his emotional, warm and haunting animation CHHAYA.”

The director of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, Cary Sawhney stated: “We are really pleased that this year, the festival has expanded in stature in both London and Birmingham and included films in 15 languages and 7 women filmmakers. Our awards aim to highlight just some of the many achievements of filmmakers and actors from South Asia, who may otherwise go unsung by the broader world film community.”

Icon Awards 2016: Sharmilla Tagore & Shekhar Kapur

At the closing night of The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival the final tally of awards throughout the festival came to four gongs. Recipients included acclaimed Indian actress Sharmila Tagore (Apur Sansar -1959, Days and Nights in The Forest – 1970), director Shekhar Kapur (Mr India – 1987, Bandit Queen – 1994) & the Oscar-winning Elizabeth films.

The awards included the festival’s rarely presented ICON Award © for Outstanding Contribution to Indian and World Cinema – two awards were presented, one was won by Bengali actress Sharmila Tagore, who started her career with acclaimed director Satyajit Ray, and went on to be one of the greatest actresses of Indian cinema, playing in award-winning films in both Hindi and Bengali cinema. The second ICON Award © went to Lahore-born Director Shekhar Kapur, he is one of the very few Indian directors to have a truly global career from Bollywood to Hollywood, and UK cinema.

Sponsoring the ICON Award © for the 2nd year running, Sun Mark Ltd C.E.O Harmeet ‘Sunny’ Ahuja stated: “These individuals are not just icons but visionaries, that have forged a path for the new generation of filmmakers, and so for us, the relationship has great synergy. It was an honour to present the Sun Mark and Pure Heaven LIFF Icon Awards to these two giants of cinema.”

Sharmila Tagore commented on winning the festival’s award: “The Festival has had a special focus on women and cinema this year with seven films by women directors. I am happy to receive the ICON award and have enjoyed doing the masterclass at this rapidly growing festival.”

Audience Award 2016: Song of Lahore

The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival’s Audience Award went to Song of Lahore, by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken.

Said, directors, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken “We are delighted that Song of Lahore has won the audience award. The film is a labor of love, and an ode to the beautiful city of Lahore and the Sachal orchestra.”

Satyajit Ray Short Film Award 2015: Khargosh (Rabbit)

The festival’s Satyajit Ray Short Film Award in association with the Bagri Foundation was won by Sudarshan Suresh’s film Khargosh (Rabbit), he said:

“I was thrilled to simply be selected to screen in the company of such talented filmmakers and amazing films, but to be recognized with this award is an incredible honour. My heartfelt thanks to the Jury, and the amazing organizers and volunteers that make LIFF what it is. I’m indebted to my writer, my cast and crew and my family for their tireless support. We hope to be back at LIFF again with our future work! Thank you!“

Lebara Play Audience Award 2015 Nachom-ia Kumpasar (Let’s Dance to the Rhythm)

The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival’s Lebara Play Audience Award was won by by sleeper festival super-hit Nachom-ia Kumpasar (Let’s Dance to the Rhythm), directed by Bardroy Barretto, a film about Goan Jazz and its impact on Hindi film music. The film was so popular with audiences that additional screenings had to be added at Cineworld cinemas during the festival, to cope with demand. Aditya Thakur, CEO of sponsor Lebara Play, said:

“The Audience Award is unique because it’s voted for by the viewers, so congratulations to Nachom–ia Kumpasar. We’re particularly proud to sponsor this award because our new entertainment service, Lebara Play, is all about meeting the needs of an underserved audience, so they can enjoy thousands of movies they miss and love – including the films of ICON Award winner Mani Ratnam – anytime, anywhere.”

Icon Award 2015: Mani Ratnam

The festival’s inaugural ICON Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cinema from Sun Mark Ltd, was won by Tamil director Mani Ratnam, who has revolutionised the face of pan-Indian cinema, with films in multiple languages. Ratnam commented: “I am honoured and humbled to receive this icon award. I think that Indian cinema is at the threshold of a new era, and The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival is a showcase for this next generation. I am sure that future awards will be won by some of the bright young talent that is coming up.”

Sponsoring the ICON Award, Sun Mark Ltd CEO Harmeet ‘Sunny’ Ahuja stated: “Sun Mark is delighted to further recognise the talent and achievements in film. Our ICON Award was chosen for the living legend, Mr Mani Ratnam. He is a most recognised and respected director and is known for tackling difficult subjects, which might otherwise be conveniently swept under the carpet. We congratulate him for his incredible contribution to international cinema, which has made him a true icon.”

 

Pure Heaven Outstanding Young Talent Award 2015: Suraj Sharma

Delhi born actor Suraj Sharma, whose lead role in film Umrika helmed the festival, was the recipient of the festival’s Outstanding Young Talent Award, presented by the festival’s major sponsor Pure Heaven. Following on from Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, actor Suraj Sharma was lauded by the festival audience for his controlled lead performance in the Sundance winner Umrika. Sharma commented on winning the festival’s award: “The festival has been so kind, awarding me it’s first outstanding young actor award and opening the festival with our film Umrika! The response for our film has been better than we could ever imagine. My gratitude goes out to the festival for doing such a great job!”

Spirit of Inspiration Award from Sun Mark 2015: Manisha Koirala

For her outstanding work in supporting the earthquake appeal in Nepal, Manisha Koirala was awarded the Sun Mark Ltd Spirit of Inspiration Award. Presented at a glittering gala at Grange Hotels St Paul’s, an event to raise much needed funds to rebuild homes in earthquake torn Nepal. Manisha herself has been in the thick of this, working tirelessly to help, where the critical challenge is to shelter the homeless before the winter. This event raised funds for UK registered charity Indian Ocean Disaster Relief Fund (IODR). Sponsor Sunny Ahuja of Sun Mark stated:

“We admire Manisha’s work in cinema where she was known for taking on difficult roles and her support for social causes and for those who have no voice and whose message needs to be spread.”

Satyajit Ray Foundation Short Film Award 2014: Kush

The festival’s popular Satyajit Ray Foundation Short Film Competition was won by Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Kush. The award carries a cash prize of £1000. Kush previously won short film kudos at Venice and was long-listed for the live action short film Oscar. Ananya Kasaravalli’s Devil in the Black Stone (Kappu Kallina Saitana) won a Special Mention.

Shubhashish Bhutiani said, “Thank you so much to the London Indian Film Festival Jury and the Satyajit Ray Foundation for this amazing honour. His dealing with children and the way he told truthful and complex stories in such a simple way are some of the things I’ve learnt from Satyajit Ray. I heard the story for this film in a classroom many years ago, and felt compelled to share it after it resonated with me for all that time. With an incredibly supportive cast and crew, we made the film with the little resources we have, and for it today, to be recognized by our own community in such a culturally diverse part of the world, means a lot to me.”

Pure Heaven Audience Award 2014: Sold

Oscar winning director Jeffrey D Brown’s hard-hitting child trafficking drama Sold, executive produced by Emma Thompson and starring Gillian Anderson, which opened the 5th edition of the London Indian Film Festival, has won the festival’s Pure Heaven Audience Award.

Jeffrey D Brown said, “It’s really amazing. I hadn’t really anticipated this at all. I’m really grateful, humbled and speechless. I really hope this galvanises more people to see the film so that we can help the kids who’ve been through this ordeal and we can end this travesty around the globe.” Brown and producer Jane Charles are in advanced discussions with distributors with a view to securing a global release for Sold in early 2015.

The runner up for the audience award was Samruddhi Porey’s Hemalkasa, the festival’s closing night film starring Indian cinema icon Nana Patekar. The film is a biopic about a doctor couple that dedicated their lives towards improving the lot of tribal people in Western India with little or no help from the government.

Satyajit Ray Foundation Short Film Award 2013: Kaun Kamleshwar? (Who’s Kamleshwar?)

Anurag Goswami won the Satyajit Ray Foundation’s short film award, held in conjunction with LIFF, for Kaun Kamleshwar? (Who’s Kamleshwar?). The jury, comprising Atif Ghani (producer – Ill Manors), Kim Longinotto (director – Salma), Sunny Grewal (BBC London), Meghna Gupta (shorts director, Unravel) and Satwant Gill (LIFF), said: “The Satyajit Ray Foundation’s short film award goes to a film which was confident and ambitious in its storytelling, gave us engaging characters and was genuinely cinematic. Using some unforgettable images and off-beat humour the film explores how random decisions have the power to shape our lives.”

Anurag Goswami said: “It’s an honour and a great feeling that our efforts have been recognised at such a prestigious avenue. Short films are finding an audience like never before, courtesy festivals such as LIFF. It’s very encouraging and satisfying that our voices are being heard all over the world. Thank you LIFF!”

Special Jury Mention goes to Vikram Dasgupta for his entertaining, bold and vibrant interweaving of stories in the film Calcutta Taxi.

Audience Award 2013: Lucia

Director Pawan Kumar’s Kannada-language film Lucia has won the coveted Audience Award at the 4th London Indian Film Festival (LIFF, July 18-25). The inventive crowd-funded film, powered by UK-based online outfit Distrify, delighted sold out audiences across the city.

Pawan Kumar said: “To win this award in the face of such powerful competition is a dream come true for me. I thank the London Indian Film Festival for selecting the film for its world premiere and would also like to thank the London audience and the UK Kannada community for supporting the film.”