Garhwal Post Bureau
Shimla, 27 Sep: The Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Kavinder Gupta, presented awards to the winning filmmakers at the prestigious awards ceremony of the 12th International Film Festival of Shimla (IFFS). Held at the historic Gaiety Cultural Complex, Shimla, the ceremony marked the grand finale of the three-day film festival.
The Governor honoured filmmakers for outstanding films in international, national, and state categories. The awards recognised excellence in various fields of filmmaking, including documentaries, short films, animation, student films, and AI-based cinema.
Addressing the ceremony, the Governor congratulated all the award-winning filmmakers and participants and commended the International Film Festival Shimla for providing a platform to filmmakers from different countries, Indian states, and diverse cultural backgrounds. He said such events play an important role in promoting dialogue and understanding between different cultures and societies.
The awards ceremony was attended by filmmakers, delegates, film lovers, students and cinema enthusiasts, marking a grand conclusion to the 12th edition of IFFS.
Awards in International, National and State categories
International Category: Best Feature Documentary: Far From Home; Best Short Documentary Film: The Sound of the Soul; Special Jury Prize – Short Documentary: The Everest Dream; Best Short Film: Renewal; Special Jury Prize – Short Film: The Mold; Best Animation Film: The Rusty Fish; Special Jury Prize – Animation Film: Milo; Best AI Film: Co-Existence; Best Student Film: Eternal Kinship; Special Jury Award – Student Film: Lalabi.
National Category: Best Long Documentary Film: The Genesis of Rasa; Best Short Documentary Film: Coal Diggers of India; Best Short Film: Halgi; Special Jury Prize – Short Film: Nyingma… Through Her Eyes; Special Jury Prize – Short Film: An Oyster Life; Himachal Range; Best Short Film: Tenfa; Special Jury Award – Short Film: Chupi Roh.
The third and final day of IFFS showcased a diverse range of international, national, and regional films across three screening sessions. The morning session featured feature-length documentary films, Far From Home and The Genesis of Rasa. The afternoon session featured short and animated films, including Renewal, The Mold, The Rusty Fish, Milo, Halagi, and Tenfa.
The evening session featured a diverse range of AI, student, documentary, and regional cinema presentations. These included Co-Existence, Eternal Kinship, Lullaby, The Sound of the Soul, The Everest Dream, Coal Diggers of India, Nyingma… Through Her Eyes, An Oyster Life, and Chupi Roh. These films effectively explored a variety of themes, including culture, human relationships, social realities, the environment, and innovative approaches to contemporary storytelling.
The 12th International Film Festival Shimla promoted cultural exchange and dialogue through cinema by bringing together filmmakers and films from different countries of the world and different parts of India.
During the three-day festival, audiences had the opportunity to view films from diverse languages, cultures, and filmmaking traditions. Special conversation sessions, masterclasses, and interactive events were also organized with filmmakers and prominent figures in cinema.
The festival also continued its signature initiative, “Cinema Behind the Bars,” which screened selected films for inmates in prisons, using cinema as a medium for creative engagement and social dialogue.
The 12th International Film Festival of Shimla concluded with a grand ceremony, with the Governor presenting awards to the winning filmmakers. The festival once again underscored its commitment to promoting independent cinema, emerging filmmakers, and diverse cinematic voices.
