Punjabi film bags awards at international fests

Chandigarh: Punjabi film 'Chauthi Koot' (The Fourth Direction), based on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, is continuing with its winning spree. After bagging the top honour at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival last month, it won two best film awards on Saturday-one at the Singapore International Film Festival and the other at the Auteur Film Festival in Belgrade.
Directed by Gurvinder Singh, the film is based on a collection of short stories by Canada-based Punjabi author Waryam Sandhu. The film is about the state-sponsored crimes of the 1980s, the resistance movement it spawned and the fears and insecurities of those times. The film premiered at the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes Film Festival in May this year.
The SGIFF jury, headed by Brillante Mendoza, said: "Through a masterful execution, 'The Fourth Direction' makes us experience the fear and tension of the era and how the political situation is influencing the life of this family." The prize ceremony was attended by celebrities David Beckham and Dev Patel.
The film was screened at the main programme at the 21st Belgrade Auteur Film festival along with works from the likes of award-winning filmmakers from across the world including Jia Jhangke (China), Corneliu Porumboiu (Romania) and Nanni Moretti (Italy). It won the Grand Prix (best film) award on Saturday evening.
The film has been co-produced by Kartikeya Singh and Sunil Doshi in India and Catherine Dussart in France. Pune-based Gurvinder's first film Annhey Ghorey Da Daan (Alms of the Blind Horse) premiered at Venice Film Festival.