Marathi-language function “Cactus Pears” (“Sabar Bonda”) continued its pageant profitable streak by taking dwelling the Grand Jury Prize on the inaugural SXSW London pageant.
The award was introduced by the pageant’s options jury, comprising writer-director Julia Jackman, actor Archie Madekwe and actor-writer Susan Wokoma.
Directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade in his function debut, “Cactus Pears” follows two males navigating societal pressures in a rural Indian group. The story facilities on Anand, a 30-something metropolis dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning interval for his father in western India’s countryside, the place he bonds with Balya, a neighborhood farmer struggling to stay single. Because the mourning interval ends and Anand should return to town, he faces a vital choice about their relationship.
On the SXSW London closing gala, jury member Wokoma mentioned: “The profitable movie is a surprising portrait of affection and tenderness and sweetness in and amongst grief and the way these two individuals are in a position to foster some hope and love between them amongst all totally different elements of their faith and their tradition and their households and are supported via that in a very tender stunning method.”
Gemma Blasco’s “The Fury,” significantly lead Ángela Cervantes’s efficiency, scored a jury particular point out.
Earlier this 12 months, “Cactus Pears” world premiered at Sundance, the place it received the Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema (Dramatic), marking the primary Marathi-language movie to function on the pageant. The movie has since claimed the Viewers Alternative award and Particular Jury Point out for Efficiency by a Main Duo at Indian Movie Pageant LA, plus Viewers Alternative and Excellent Efficiency awards for the lead actor at Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Movie Pageant.
“I’m so thrilled to know that ‘Sabar Bonda’ received the inaugural London version of SXSW,” Kanawade mentioned. “This win solely cements additional that genuine human tales know no boundaries. The love that we acquired from the jury in addition to the U.Ok. viewers (we had bought out screenings) solely makes us work more durable to convey ‘Sabar Bonda’ to the cinemas so the audiences can quickly expertise the movie on the large display.”
The filmmaker, raised in a Mumbai slum by a chauffeur father and homemaker mom, transitioned from inside design to filmmaking. His shorts have screened globally, and “Cactus Pears” was developed at Venice Biennale Faculty Cinema 2022-2023, collaborating in platforms together with NFDC Movie Bazaar, Venice Hole Financing Market and Goes to Cannes. Kanawade is repped by Cinetic Media.
The movie is produced by Neeraj Churi, Mohamed Khaki (Canada), Kaushik Ray (Taran Tantra Telefilms, UK), Naren Chandavarkar (Moonweave Movies, India), Sidharth Meer (Bridge PostWorks, India) and Hareesh Reddypalli (Darkish Tales, India), with co-producer Jim Sarbh (Great Leisure, India), affiliate producer Rajesh Parwatkar (U.Ok.) and govt producer Ilann Girard.
Producer Neeraj Churi of Lotus Visible Productions mentioned: “To see the movie resonate so powerfully with each audiences and juries throughout continents is extremely shifting.”
MPM Premium handles world gross sales, with Strand Releasing managing U.S. distribution.
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