Japanese Film “Two Seasons, Two Strangers” Wins Top Prize at Kerala International Film Festival
Table of Contents
The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) concluded Friday with Sho Miyake’s introspective drama taking home the Golden Crow Pheasant (Suvarna Chakoram) award and a ₹20 lakh prize.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – The 30th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) drew to a close on Friday with the presentation of its prestigious awards at the Nishagandhi auditorium. Two Seasons, Two Strangers, a Japanese film directed by Sho Miyake, was awarded the Golden Crow Pheasant (Suvarna Chakoram) for best film, recognizing its poignant exploration of a screenwriter’s emotional journey.
The closing ceremony, presided over by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, also honored several other filmmakers and artists for their contributions to the world of cinema. Kerala State Chalachitra Academy chairperson Resool Pookutty, Minister of Culture Saji Cherian, and Minister of General Education V. Sivankutty were also in attendance.
Silver Screens and Emerging Talent
In addition to the top prize, the festival recognized excellence in directing and debut filmmaking. Argentine filmmakers Carina Piazza and Lucía Bracelis received the Silver Crow Pheasant (Rajatha Chakoram) award for best director for their work on Before the Body. Shadowbox, directed by Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, secured the Silver Crow Pheasant for best debut director, along with the Federation of Film Societies of India’s (FFSI) K.R. Mohanan Award, solidifying its position as a standout first-time effort.
Regional and International Recognition
The festival also highlighted Asian cinema and Malayalam filmmaking. The Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award for the best Asian film in competition went to Cinema Jazireh, directed by Gozde Kural. Thanthapperu, directed by Unnikrishnan Avala, proved a crowd favorite, winning both the jury prize in the international competition and the audience poll award. It also shared the NETPAC Award for the best Malayalam film with Khidki Gaav, directed by Sanju Surendran. Khidki Gaav further distinguished itself by winning the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award for the best film in the international competition.
The FIPRESCI award for the best Malayalam film of a debut director was presented to Fazil Razak for Moham. Special jury mentions were also awarded to Tillotama Shome for her performance in Shadowbox and to Black Rabbit, directed by Shahram Mokri, for technical excellence.
Lifetime Achievements and Artistic Courage
Beyond the competitive awards, the IFFK honored distinguished figures in the film industry. Chief Minister Vijayan presented the IFFK’s Lifetime Achievement Award to African filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako. The festival also paid tribute to Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, the jury chairperson, who is currently facing imprisonment in Iran due to his creative work.
Filmmaker Syed Akhtar Mirza was also honored, celebrating his 50 years in cinema. “No place in India that has such a tremendous history of cinema as Kerala. When this State honors me, it means a lot to me,” Mirza stated.
The 30th IFFK concluded on a high note, reaffirming Kerala’s position as a vital hub for cinematic excellence and artistic expression.
