Cannes 2024: How India Scripted History With Cinema, Culture And Fashion

At the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Indian artists and India cinema broke new ground by achieving several milestones. The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival which concluded on May 25, has been quite eventful for India. From hosting Bharat Parva (Festival of India) for the first time to Payal Kapadia's 'All We Imagine As Light' clinching the prestigious Grand Prix award at Cannes 2024, India scripted history at the film festival.

Have a look at some of the achievements of India at the Cannes Film Festival.

India hosted Bharat Parva (Festival of India) for the first time at Cannes

Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Shri Sanjay Jaju hosted Bharat Parva, which celebrated the rich Inidian culture, cuisine and handicrafts along with Indian cinema at the French Riviera.

Shyam Benegal’s 'Manthan' got a special screening

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal's 1976 film 'Manthan' starring Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil among others, was screened at the Bunuel Theatre at Cannes as part of Cannes Classics 2024. It was a surreal moment as the cult classic was screened at the prestigious film festival after almost 48 years of its release. Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Smita Patil's son Prateik Babbar and daughter of Verghese Kurien Nirmala Kurien, attended the red carpet event for 'Manthan'.

Anasuya Sengupta won Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival 

Anasuya Sengupta, who hails from Kolkata, made India proud by becoming the first Indian to win the Un Certain Regard Prize for Best Actress for her performance in ‘The Shameless’ at the Cannes Film Festival.

Indian films ‘Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know’ and ‘Bunnyhood’ bagged awards

These two Indian films had an extraordinary run at Cannes 2024. 'Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know', a Kannada short film, and animation film 'Bunnyhood' competed in the La Cinef section. The former won the first prize and the latter bagged the third place. 'Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know' is directed by Chidananda S Naik, a student from Film and Television Institute of India, while 'Bunnnyhood' is helmed by Mansi Maheshwari who hails from Meerut.

Payal Kapadia’s 'All We Imagine As Light' scripted Cannes history with Grand Prix award

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia, on the last day of the Cannes Film Festival, created history by wining the prestigious Grand Prix award for her movie 'All We Imagine As Light'. She became the first Indian to lift the coveted award. The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) alumna, in an interview with Directors Note said, “I’ve always struggled with understanding why people feel the need to lie, and its consequences. The story of my appendix surgery was the perfect choice to explore this theme''.

Cinematographer Santosh Sivan received the prestigious Pierre Angenieux ExcelLens award

National Award-winning cinematographer Santosh Sivan was honoured with the prestigious Pierre Angenieux ExcelLens award in Cinematography in the presence of India's Ambassador to France, Jawed Ashraf. Santosh became the first Asian to be awarded the prize named after the inventor of the zoom lens. Actress Preity Zinta presented the award to Santosh Sivan.

Avneet Kaur became the youngest Indian actress to launch her International film poster at Cannes 2024

Young diva Avneet Kaur made her stunning debut at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. She went to the festival for the poster launch of her upcoming international film 'Love in Vietnam'. She became the youngest mainstream Indian actress to attend the festival this year.

Indian influencers at Cannes 2024

Apart from celebs from the entertainment industry, our Indian influencers also created waves at the Cannes Film Festival. Nancy Tyagi, an Indian influencer showcased her designs at Cannes and was raved by all. She turned heads on the red carpet wearing her creations. Karishma Gangwal, Vishnu Kaushal, Masoom Minawala, Ankush Bahuguna, and Niharika NM among others also showcased their creativity, and influence on the international stage.

Kashmiri traditional attire 'Phiran' debuted on Cannes red carpet

Filmmaker Rahhat Shah Kazmi who is popularly known for his thought-provoking cinema made his appearance at Cannes, with traditional dress, Phiran, on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival. The press and the onlookers were mesmerised to see the the Kashmiri attire that Rahhat donned.

We congratulate the achievers who left a mark at Cannes 2024. Looking forward to more such achievements in the future.