The 78th Cannes Film Festival is underway in Cannes, France, from May 13 to May 24. Indian cinema has a rich history at the festival, with several films making a mark over the years. This year’s edition features five Indian films, including “Homebound,” directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, which is part of the “Un Certain Regard” section. Other Indian films screening at the festival include the Bengali film “Aranyer Din Ratri,” directed by Satyajit Ray, and “Tanvi the Great,” directed by Anupam Kher.
Indian Films at Cannes: A Legacy
The first Indian film to be screened at Cannes was “Neecha Nagar,” directed by Chetan Anand, which won the “Grand Prix du Festival International du Film” in 1946. Since then, Indian cinema has continued to make its presence felt at the festival. Some notable Indian films that have won awards at Cannes include “Do Bigha Zameen” (1954), “Pather Panchali” (1956), and “Salam Bombay!” (1988).
Awards Won by Indian Films at Cannes
Indian films have won numerous awards at Cannes over the years. Here are some of the notable ones:
- 1946: “Neecha Nagar” – “Grand Prix du Festival International du Film”
- 1954: “Do Bigha Zameen” – International Prize
- 1956: “Pather Panchali” – Best Human Document Award
- 1983: “Khariz” – Jury Prize
- 1988: “Salam Bombay!” – Caméra d’Or Audience Award
- 2013: “The Lunchbox” – Grand Rail d’Or Audience Award
- 2024: “All We Imagine as Light” – Grand Prix
Technical Awards Won by Indians at Cannes
In addition to film awards, Indians have also won technical awards at Cannes. Some notable ones include:
- 1952: V. Shantaram – Technical Grand Prize for Direction
- 2019: Modhura Palit – Pierre Angenieux Excellence – Promising Cinematographer
- 2024: Santosh Sivan – Pierre Angenieux Excellence Award for Cinematography