After seven days (December 15- December 22) of cinematic extravaganza, the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) came to an end with awards and appreciation. Giant hoardings celebrating the best of cinema decked the city’s skyline, captured the essence of the film festival, which brought together tinsel town glitterati and cinephiles under one roof. The Nandan area undoubtedly evoked the holy spirit of world cinema and created magic out of blue! KIFF 2022: Shah Rukh Khan Touches Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan's Feet, Fans Call It 'K3G Reunion' (Watch Video).

Just like the glamourous opening of KIFF, the closing ceremony at Rabindra Sadan left us wanting for more with filmmakers, actors, and delegates gathered to announce the awards.

Here are the winners of 28th KIFF:

Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Awards – Best Film

This year, two films- Alejandro Rojas, and Juan Sebastian Vasquez’s Upon entry from Spain and Muhammad Quayum’s Kura Pokkhir Shunye Ura (The Golden Wings of Watercocks) from Bangladesh- jointly bagged the award for Best Film for International competition on Innovation in Moving Images.

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Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Awards – Special Jury Mention

Under the special jury category, Nahid Hassanzadeh received the prestigious award for International competition on Innovation in Moving Images for his film Shokouhe Khamoushe (Silent Glory), an Iranian film which deals with a shrine and its healing power and showcase the reality of human behavior. KIFF 2022: Rani Mukerji Says It’s a Moment of Great Pride for Me to Be Felicitated at the Prestigious Film Fest.

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Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Awards – Best Director

Ernesto Ardito, Virna Molina won the award for their film La bruja de Hitler (Hitler’s witch) for international competition on Innovation in moving images.

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Indian Language Films- Special Jury Award

Under this category, director Indrani’s Chhaad (The Terrace) won the award, the story revolves around Mitra, a schoolteacher who is passionate about writings and sketching. She gets an offer to write for a renowned local magazine and it is like a dream come true for her. However, the common terrace of her building is locked by the occupants, and it poses a threat to her dreams and affects her wings. The film showcases how the snatching of her terrace leads her to suffer mental and emotional crisis. The director even mentioned that it took her 15 years to make this film.

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Indian Language Films- Special Jury Award

Not just Chhaad, Dr Boby Sarma Baruah’s Sikaisal was a town of the town! The story will make us think what would the trees have said if only they know how to talk. Interesting, isn’t it?

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Indian Language Films- Best Director

Deepankar Prakash’s Naanera deal with the demise of Manish's (the protagonist) father and how his uncle starts taking life decisions. This leads him to a questionable point when he begins a secret love affairs with his cousin and the family finds itself in the midst of another death.

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Indian Language Films- Best Film

Bhashkar Maurya’s Muthayya undoubtedly grabbed everyone’s attention and finally bagged the Hiralal Sen Memorial award for the best film. Muthayya (the protagonist) is a 70-year-old village person who wants to be an actor. Even though it is a Telugu film, never failed to create a sensation at the cinema mall.

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Asian Select (NEPTAC award)- Best Film

DOV (Fortune)- a film from Tajikistan and director Muhiddin Muzaffar won the award  for his simple yet  unconventional storyline. Tajikistan on the eve of the declaration of its Independence Komsomol, KGB, bread deficiency, inflation. Kahhor and Mannon, two old friends are tested when one of them gets the lucky lottery ticket as his salary.

Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award- Best Indian Documentary Film

Nybreum – The Unsettled Shade by Neha Sharma bring forth the shocking yet conveniently missed facet of bride-buying between West Bengal and Kashmir. The reality shocked the audience and tend to ask how the movie significantly step in unraveling the mystery surrounding a nefarious nexus between two extremities of what we understand to be the Indian Union. A sad reflection of reality!

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Indian Short Film Category

Mein Mehmood a film by Prataya Saha won the award, followed by Xunyota (Void) by Nabapan Deka and Haater Sporsho (The Divine Touch) by Dr. Prosenjit Choudhury won the special Jury awards.

The closing ceremony of Kolkata International Film Festival began at around 4.20 pm on December 22. Hosted by Shaheb Chattopadhyay, the ceremony saw the presence of KIFF chairman Raj Chakraborty, actor Paoli Dam, director Arindam Sil, actor Ishaa Saha, actor June Maliah, and several other dignitaries.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2022 07:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).