From FTII to Cannes Grand Prix: A look at Payal Kapadia’s trailblazing life

It's time for a celebration! On her third time at the Cannes Film Festival, Payal Kapadia has scripted history. The 77the Cannes Film Festival has come to an end with a dazzling ceremony on May 25 in Southern France. Throughout the two-week festival, Indians shined brightly with their fashionable appearances, danced on the red carpet and at last, winning accolades. However, they hit thejackpot on the final night of the festival when the winners were announced.

Breaking the drought of decades, Payal Kapadia's debut featureAll WeImagine As Light was able to clinch the Grand Prix, the second biggest award of the night.

All WeImagine As Light, which was India's first film to compete at Cannes in 30 years, has been one of the most favourite movies of this year's festival. The movie starring Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha is also the first film in a competition by an Indian woman. The last time an Indian film won was Chetan Anand's Neecha Nagar, which won the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film award in 1946.

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Celebrating Payal's big win, here are a few things about the director that you should know.

Who is Payal Kapadia?

Since All We Imagine as Light was selected at the competition section of Cannes, the one name that has time and again madeheadlines was filmmaker Payal Kapadia and her film team.

In her career spanning a decade, Payal has attended the prestigious festival three times, andon two of themshe has returned home with an award, proving her talent on the international platform. Born in Mumbai, Payal is the daughter of artist Nalini Malani.

Meet Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha from All We Imagine As Light, 2024 Grand Prix winner at Cannes

Kapadia did her schooling in Andhra Pradesh, before shifting to Mumbai to pursue a Bachelor's degree in economics from St. Xavier's College.

FTII Alumnus

In 2015, Payal went on to study filmmaking at the Film and Television Institute of India, one of the best film institutions in the country.

When Payal Faced Disciplinary Action at FTII

During her time at FTII, Payal faced disciplinary action and an FIR. She took part in the huge four-month-long protest against the appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan, best known for playing Yudhisthirin the 90s show Mahabharata, as the chairman of the film institute.

Payal, who was one of 131 protesters, skipped classes and marched in the corridors during the protest and boycott. As a result of the protest, FTII took disciplinary action against her, and even cut her grant.

The same year, the Pune Police filed an FIR against 35 students, including Kapadia. They were protesting against the assessmentof incomplete diploma film projects of the 2008 batch.

Payal's First Time at Cannes

In 2017, a year after the major protest, Payal's 13-minute film, Afternoon Clouds, was selected for the 70th Cannes Film Festival. Despite the actions that were taken against her, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) supported her by issuing a letter of support and bearing all her travel expenses for the festival.

Her 13-minute documentary revolves around a 60-year-old widow and her Nepali maid. It features Usha Naik and Trimala Adhikari. She was not able to win the prize that year.

Big Win at Cannes

In 2021, Payal again garnered the headlines for her documentary. At the 74th Cannes Film Festival, she won Oeil d'Or, the Best Documentary award.

Premiered in the Directors' Fortnight stream, the film tells the story of a university student in India, who writes letters to her estranged lover who no longer studies in the college and his family does not want him to be with her as she is from a lower caste.