The
Indian
Film
Festival
of
Melbourne
(IFFM)
announced
today
its
grand
winners
for
its
12th
edition,
which
was
held
virtually.
This
year's
festival
boasted
an
impressive
line-up
of
feature
and
short
films
from
across
the
cinemas
of
India.
Representing
the
theme
of
Diversity
through
Cinema,
IFFM
had
an
overwhelming
response
from
across
the
globe.
The
festival
was
attended
by
various
dignitaries
of
Australia,
The
Honourable
Linda
Dessau
AC,
Governor
of
Victoria
Mr
Andrew
Howard
AM
QC,
The
Honourable
Minister
Danny
Pearson,
Minister
for
Creative
Industries,
Regulatory
Reform,
Government
Services
and
Assistant
Treasurer,
The
Honourable
Minister
Luke
Donellan,
Minister
for
Child
Protection,
Disability,
Ageing
and
Carers,
Ms
Caroline
Pitcher,
CEO
Film
Victoria
and
by
eminent
Indian
artists
like
Anurag
Kashyap,
Shoojit
Sircar,
Thiagarajan
Kumararaja,
Sriram
Raghavan
were
amongst
the
presenters.
Also
present
were
the
prestigious
jury
members
including
Richa
Chadha,
Guneet
Monga,
Onir,
Australian
filmmaker
Geoffrey
Wright,
Oscar-nominated
editor
Jill
Bilcock
were
was
also
the
present.
IFFM
honoured
Pankaj
Tripathi
with
the
Prestigious
Diversity
in
Cinema
Award
presented
by
LaTrobe
University.
Additionally,
Soorarai
Pottru
walked
away
with
the
Best
Feature
Film
and
Suriya
won
the
Best
Actor
award
from
the
same
film.
Vidya
Balan
won
the
Best
Actress
for
her
widely
acclaimed
film
Sherni
and
Mirzapur
was
given
the
Best
Series
Award.
Ace
filmmaker
Anurag
Basu
picks
up
the
Best
Director
trophy
for
the
feature
film
Ludo.
Speaking
about
the
winners,
the
festival's
director
Mitu
Bhowmick
Lange,
says,
"We
congratulate
all
the
winners
and
their
teams
for
making
great
films
that
were
loved
by
the
audiences
across
the
globe.
It
is
about
time
that
we
have
conversations
in
cinema
and
about
cinema
that
are
not
mainstream
and
biased.
It
is
time
to
present
the
diverse
sensibilities
through
narratives
that
are
ground-breaking
and
all
the
winners
of
the
IFFM
awards
symbolize
this
fervour
of
thought."
On
winning
Best
Documentary
Award,
Sona
Mohapatra
said,
"At
a
time
when
the
world
is
finding
its
new
feet
in
this
new
normal
IFFM
was
our
first
outing
after
the
second
wave
in
India,
we
are
grateful
and
we
are
looking
for
better
times
and
hoping
to
make
more
music.
Sending
you
out
all
a
lot
of
love,
much
more
music
in
our
lives,
and
yes
being
fearless
in
telling
stories.
On
Winning
Best
Actor
in
a
series
for
The
Family
Man
2,
Manoj
Bajpayee
said,
"Thank
you
to
all
the
jury
members
for
honouring
me.
I
must
mention
-
cinema
or
series
-
are
both
highly
collaborative.
It's
Highly
embarrassing
for
me
to
take
away
the
award
to
myself
without
mentioning
everyone
involved.
Amazon,
Raj,
and
DK,
but
it's
the
writers
for
the
series
that
make
a
lot
of
difference.
It's
that
team
of
writers,
so
thank
you
to
them
for
giving
me
the
space
to
become
this
character.
The
last
time
I
was
at
this
festival
I
took
the
Best
Actor
award
for
Gali
Guleiyan
and
I'm
grateful
to
the
festival."
On
winning
Best
Actress
in
a
series
for
The
Family
Man
2,
Samantha
Akkineni
said,
"First
time
at
this
festival.
To
be
here
amongst
such
immense
talent.
I'm
grateful
and
it's
such
a
huge
honour.
Thanks
to
Raj
and
DK
to
see
past
the
cute
girl
image
I
have
and
to
give
me
this
role
which
is
so
different
from
what
I
have
done
so
far.
To
give
me
this
character
that
has
so
many
layers
and
such
diverse
parts
to
it.
It's
my
big
dive
into
OTT
and
what
an
amazing
show
to
do
it
with."
On
winning
Best
Series
for
Mirzapur
2,
filmmaker
Gurmeet
Singh
said,
"Overwhelming
to
be
being
around
here
with
such
amazing
talent.
It's
all
thanks
to
the
writers,
OTT
is
their
medium
and
they
gave
us
such
amazing
content
to
work
with,
so
all
the
credit
to
them."
On
winning
the
prestigious
Diversity
in
Cinema
Award,
Pankaj
Tripathi
said,
"This
award
is
special
for
me,
I'm
humbled
-
it's
really
inspiring
for
me,
my
craft.
The
man
who
is
here
to
give
me
this
award.
He
is
the
one
who
discovered
my
talent.
So
thanks
to
Anurag
Kashyap
sir.
He
is
the
one
who
rediscovered
my
talent.
So
I'm
grateful
to
you.
I'm
grateful
to
all
my
directors,
writers
for
having
me
part
of
their
projects."
On
winning
the
Best
Actor
in
a
feature
film
for
Sorrarai
Pottru,
Suriya
said,
"I'm
sure
all
the
nominees
have
given
their
best.
This
film
is
very
special.
This
is
the
first
award
I'm
getting
for
this
film.
This
is
one
of
the
first
films
that
came
to
me
during
the
pandemic.
Thanks
to
all
the
fans
who
have
given
us
so
much
love.
In
my
career,
I
felt
bored
with
what
I
was
doing
after
having
worked
for
20
years.
So
thanks
to
my
director
Sudha
-
this
film
was
her
10
years
dream
-
she
worked
4
years
on
writing
or
his
film.
The
character
of
Maara
will
not
be
anything
without
her.
I
couldn't
ask
for
more."
On
winning
the
Best
Actress
in
a
feature
film
for
Sherni,
Vidya
Balan
said,
"I'm
thrilled
to
be
receiving
the
award
for
Sherni
which
was
shot
during
the
pandemic.
Thanks
to
my
director
Amit
Masurkar,
my
producer
Abundantia-
who
pulled
all
stops
to
make
this
film
during
these
uncertain
times."
On
winning
the
Best
Director
Award
for
Ludo,
Anurag
Basu
said,
"Humbling
to
be
part
of
the
nominees
and
to
be
winning
the
best
director.
Thankful
to
Netflix
and
T-Series.
My
actors
were
amazing
to
stand
by
me.
Such
amazing
people,
my
crew,
my
actors.
Such
a
crazy
bunch
of
people.
This
award
shows
us
that
despite
all
the
situation
we
are
in,
shows
that
cinema
will
continue
to
be
celebrated."
Here's
a
complete
list
of
winners:
Best
Feature
Film
-
Soorarai
Pottru
Best
Performance
Male
(Feature)
-
Suriya
Sivakumar
(Soorarai
Pottru)
Best
Performance
Female
(Feature)
-
Vidya
Balan
(Sherni)
&
Honourable
mention
to
Nimisha
Sajayan
(The
Great
Indian
Kitchen)
Best
Director
-
Anurag
Basu
(Ludo)
&
Honorary
Mention
Prithvi
Konanur
(Pinki
Elli?)
Best
Series
-
Mirzapur
Season
2
Best
Actress
in
a
Series
-
Samantha
Akkineni
(The
Family
Man
2)
Best
Actor
in
a
Series
-
Manoj
Bajpayee
(The
Family
Man
2)
Equality
in
Cinema
(Short
Film)
-
Sheer
Qorma
Equality
in
Cinema
Award
(Feature
Film)
-
The
Great
Indian
Kitchen
Best
Indie
Film
-
Fire
in
the
Mountains
Diversity
in
Cinema
Award
-
Pankaj
Tripathi
Disruptor
Award
-
Sanal
Kumar
Sasidharan
Best
Documentary
Film
-
Shut
Up
Sona