National Film Awards: Controversies obscure winners
Aug. 10: Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Bengali-language Kaalpurush – Memories in the Mist, the story of a mild-mannered office clerk (Rahul Bose) whose faltering career is counterbalanced by his wife’s sudden celebrity, received Best Feature Film honors at the 53rd edition of the National Film Awards, covering Indian films produced in 2005.
The 53rd National Film Awards became mired in controversy last year after film critic Shyamli Banerjee filed a petition at the Delhi High Court, claiming that the awards were rigged by government officials. Banerjee also stated that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s drama Black should be ineligible for any National Film Award, as it is an adaptation of The Miracle Worker – according to the rules, adaptations are automatically disqualified.
Another petition, this one filed by documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan at the Mumbai High Court, challenged the National Film Awards regulations banning from the competition films without a censor certificate.
National Film Award winners
Despite Banerjee’s efforts, Black remained in competition, earning Amitabh Bachchan the Best Actor National Film Award. In the film, the veteran Bachchan has the “Anne Sullivan” role (with the addition of Alzheimer’s disease), played on Broadway and in Arthur Penn’s 1962 drama by Best Actress Academy Award winner Anne Bancroft. Rani Mukerji has the “Helen Keller” role (Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Patty Duke on stage and in Penn’s film).
Among the other 2007 National Film Award winners were Best Actress Sarika for Parzania and Rakesh Omprakash Mehra’s political coming-of-age-musical Rang De Basanti, featuring Aamir Khan, Atul Kulkarni, and Kunal Kapoor, and which was selected as the Best Popular Film.
It should be noted that the National Film Awards are filled with quirky categories, such as “Best Film on Environment Conservation” and “Best Film on Family Welfare.”
Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji Black photo: SLB Films.
The 53rd Indian National Film Award winners were announced on Aug. 7, 2007.
The 53rd Indian National Film Awards covers Indian films produced in 2005.
BEST FEATURE FILM: KAALPURUSH – MEMORIES IN THE MIST (BENGALI)
BEST FIRST FILM: PARINEETA (HINDI) by Pradeep Sarkar
BEST POPULAR FILM PROVIDING WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT: RANG DE BASANTI (HINDI)
BEST FEATURE FILM ON NATIONAL INTEGRATION: DAIVANAMATHIL (MALAYALAM)
BEST FILM ON FAMILY WELFARE: DHAVAMAI DHAVAMIRANTE (TAMIL)
BEST FILM ON OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES: IQBAL (HINDI)
BEST FILM ON ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION/ PRESERVATION: THUTTURI (KANNADA)
BEST CHILDREN’S FILM: BLUE UMBRELLA (HINDI)
BEST DIRECTION: RAHUL DHOLAKIA (PARZANIA – ENGLISH)
BEST ACTOR: AMITABH BACHCHAN, BLACK
BEST ACTRESS: SARIKA, PARZANIA
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: NASEERUDDIN SHAH, IQBAL
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: URVASHI, ACHHUVINTE AMMA F
BEST CHILD ARTIST: SAI KUMAR, BOMMALATA – A BELLYFUL OF DREAMS
BEST MALE PLAYBACK SINGER: NARESH IYER, RANG DE BASANTI
BEST FEMALE PLAYBACK SINGER: SHREYA GHOSHAL, PAHELI
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: MADHU AMBAT, SRINGARAM
BEST SCREENPLAY: APAHARAN (HINDI) – PRAKASH JHA, SHRIDHAR RAGHAVAN & MANOJ TYAGI
BEST SOUND RECORDING: RANG DE BASANTI (HINDI)
BEST EDITING: RANG DE BASANTI (HINDI) – P S BHARATHI
BEST ART DIRECTION: TAJ MAHAL – AN ETERNAL LOVE STORY – C B MORE
BEST COSTUME DESIGNER: ANNA SINGH (FOR TAJ MAHAL- AN ETERNAL LOVE STORY ) &
SABYACHI MUKHERJEE (FOR BLACK)
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION: LALGUDI JAYARAMAN FOR SRINGARAM (TAMIL)
BEST LYRICS: BARGURU RAMCHANDRAPPA for “BARUTHE VE NAV BARUTHE VE” FROM THAAYI
SPECIAL JURY AWARD: ACTOR ANUPAM KHER for MAINE GANDHI KO NAHIN MARA
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS: ANNIYAN
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: SAROJ KHAN, SRINGARAM I
BEST FEATURE FILM IN ASSAMESE: KADAM TOLE KRISHNA NACHE
BEST FEATURE FILM IN BENGALI: HARBART
BEST FEATURE FILM IN HINDI: BLACK
BEST FEATURE FILM IN KANNADA: THAAYI
BEST FEATURE FILM IN MALAYALAM: THANMATRA
BEST FEATURE FILM IN MARATHI: DOMBIVALI FAST
BEST FEATURE FILM IN ORIYA: KATHANTARA
BEST FEATURE FILM IN PUNJABI: BAGHI
BEST FEATURE FILM IN TAMIL: AADUM KOTHU
BEST FEATURE FILM IN TELUGU: BOMMALATA – A BELLYFUL OF DREAMS
BEST FEATURE FILM IN ENGLISH: 15 PARK AVENUE
BEST FEATURE FILM IN BHOJPURI: KAB HOI GAWNA HAMAR
BEST FEATURE FILM IN MONPA: SONAM
AWARDS IN NON-FEATURE CATEGORIES
BEST NON-FEATURE FILM: RIDING SOLO TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD (English)
BEST FIRST NON-FEATURE FILM: JOHN & JANE (English)
BEST ANTHROPOLOGICAL/ETHNOGRAPHIC FILM: SPIRIT OF THE GRACEFUL LINEAGE (English)
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTION/COMPILATION FILM: HANS AKELA-KUMAR GHANDHARVA (Hindi)
BEST ARTS/CULTURAL FILM: NAINA JOGIN (Hindi & Maithili)
BEST SCIENTIFIC FILM /ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION/PRESERVATION FILM: UNDER THIS SUN (Bengali)
BEST AGRICULTURE FILM: SEED KEEPERS (Telugu/English)
BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES: WAY TO DUSTY DEATH (Hindi/English)
BEST INVESTIGAVE FILM: THE WHISTLE BLOWERS (ENGLISH)
BEST ANIMATION FILM: KACHUA AUR KHARGOSH (Hindi)
SPECIAL JURY AWARD: FINAL SOLUTION (Hindi/Gujarati/English)
BEST SHORT FICTION FILM: THACKKAYIN MEEDHA NAANGU KANGAL (Tamil)
BEST DIRECTION: Ganesh Shankar Gaikwad for VOICES ACROSS THE OCEAN (English/Hindi)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Paramvir Singh for PARSIWADA, TARAPORE PRESENT DAY (English / Gujarati)
BEST SOUND RECORDING: Anmol Bhave for CLOSER
BEST EDITING: Vibuti Nathjha for NAINA JOGIN (Hindi/Maithili)
BEST NARRATION /VOICE OVER: Ajay Raina for WAPSI (English/Hindi/Urdu/Punjabi/ Kashimiri)
SPECIAL MENTIONs: Vibhu Puri for POCKET WATCH and Bidyut Kotokyfor BHRAIMOMAN THEATRE
Academy Awards Marketing Campaign Regulations Issued
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that marketing campaign regulations for the 2008 Academy Awards have been approved by its Board of Governors.
According to the Academy’s press release, “this year’s Regulations strongly encourage companies to reduce the volume of surface mail by consolidating multiple mailings into a single one whenever possible or by using email instead.”
The Regulations also state that companies should, “whenever possible,” allow members to opt out of receiving any mailings. Needless to say, the loophole “whenever possible” all but invalidates that “regulation.”
Additionally, the Regulations allow companies to place downloadable versions of screenplays on a Web site. Eligible music, however, “may no longer be sent to any members at any time. This prohibition includes recordings, sheet music and music videos.”
Oscar campaign regulations: ‘To ensure fairness in the Awards competition’
And in case you didn’t know:
“Campaign Regulations are issued by the Academy each year to ensure fairness in the Awards competition and to remind all involved that the Academy’s decisions are based solely on the merits of the eligible films and achievements. Violations of the Regulations are subject to penalty, though in recent years the level of compliance has been very high.”
Apparently there are people – even at the Academy itself – who actually believe that Oscars nominees and winners are selected “solely on the merits of the eligible films and achievements.” And not, for instance, on millionaire and/or savvy marketing campaigns – Regulations or no Regulations.
For more details on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Regulations, visit: http://www.oscars.org/regulations.
Oscar 2008
Early favorites for the 2008 Oscars include Marion Cotillard for the French-made Edith Piaf biopic La Vie en Rose, Joel and Ethan Coen’s violent thriller No Country for Old Men, and Julie Christie for the Canadian drama Away from Her.
The 80th Academy Award nominations will be announced on Jan. 22. In the United States, the 80th Academy Awards presentation will be telecast live by ABC on Sunday, Feb. 24.
Singing Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose photo: Picturehouse.
Michel Piccoli, Japanese drama ‘Rebirth’: Locarno Film Festival winners
Aug. 20:The Rebirth / Ai No Yokan, a stark drama with little dialogue that, as per Variety‘s Derek Elley, had viewers “streaming out during its public screening.” (Elley takes a rather negative view of the “arty” Locarno Film Festival; a more “balanced” view written by Gino Buscaglia can be found at Swissinfo.)
Veteran Michel Piccoli takes home two awards
Locarno’s Best Actor Silver Leopard was shared by Michele Venitucci, who plays a boxer in Fulvio Bernasconi’s Fuori dalle corde (the English translation would be something like “Outside the Ring”), and veteran Michel Piccoli for his portrayal of a lonely old man in the throes of death in Hiner Saleem’s Beneath the Rooftops of Paris / Sous les toits de Paris. Mylène Demongeot co-stars with Piccoli in Beneath the Rooftops of Paris, which, needless to say, is not a remake of René Clair’s light-hearted 1930 musical Under the Roofs of Paris, starring Albert Préjean, nor a film version of Henry Miller’s erotic novel of the same name.
Also at Locarno, Michel Piccoli took home the Excellence Award for his long film career. Former Pedro Almodóvar muse Carmen Maura – Law of Desire, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and recently seen in the director’s Volver – was the festival’s other Excellence Award recipient, while Hou Hsiao-hsien was given the Leopard of Honor.
More Locarno Film Festival winners
The 2007 Locarno Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize, “for a work that promotes understanding between peoples and cultures,” went to Memories, which consists of three digital video shorts commissioned by South Korea’s Jeonju Digital Project. Pedro Costa, Harun Farockis, and Eugène Green were the directors.
Philippe Ramos won the Best Director trophy for Captain Achab, a reinterpretation of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. The film also won the FIPRESCI Award from the International Federation of Film Critics.
And finally, Marián Álvarez was chosen as Locarno’s Best Actress for her role in Roser Aguilar’s romantic drama The Best of Me / Lo Mejor de mí, while Frank Oz’s black comedy Death at a Funeral, starring Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes, received the Audience Award for Best Film.
The 2007 Locarno Film Festival international competition jury was headed by Irène Jacob (Red, Othello). Nineteen films were in competition for the Golden Leopard.
International Competition
Golden Leopard: AI NO YOKAN (THE REBIRTH) by Masahiro Kobayashi, Japan
Special Jury Prize: MEMORIES by Pedro Costa, Harun Farockis, Eugène Green, South Korea
Best Director: Philippe Ramos for CAPITAINE ACHAB, France / Sweden
Leopard for Best Actor (ex aequo): Michel Piccoli in SOUS LES TOITS DE PARIS (top) by Hiner Saleem (France) and Michele Venitucci in FUORI DALLE CORDE (bottom) by Fulvio Bernasconi (Switzerland / Italy)
Leopard for Best Actress: Marián Álvarez in LO MEJOR DE MI, Spain
Special mention: Cho Sang-Yoon, cinematographer in the film BOYS OF TOMORROW by Noh Dong-Seok
Leopard of Honour: Hou Hsiao-hsien
© FOTOFESTIVAL / Marco Abram
Excellence Award: Carmen Maura (above) and Michel Piccoli
Filmmakers of the Present Competition
Golden Leopard: TEJUT (Milky Way) by Benedek Fliegauf, Hungary / Germany
Ciné Cinéma Special Jury Prize: IMATRA by Corso Salani, Italy
Special mention: TUSSENSTAND by Mijke De Jong, Netherlands
Leopard for the Best First Feature
Leopard for the Best First Feature: TAGLIARE LE PARTI IN GRIGIO by Vittorio Rifranti, Italy
Audience Award / Prix du Public: DEATH AT A FUNERAL by Frank Oz, USA / Great-Britain
Youth Jury Prize
First Prize: Anthony Hopkins for SLIPSTREAM, United-States
Second Prize: Peter Payer for FREIGESPROCHEN, Austria / Luxembourg
Third Prize: Amor Hakkar for LA MAISON JAUNE by, France / Algeria
The Environnement Is the Quality of Life Award: Claudio Del Punta for HAÏTI CHÉRIE, Italy
Special Mention: AI NO YOKAN (The Rebirth) by Masahiro Kobayashi, Japan, and SOUS LES TOITS DE PARIS by Hiner Saleem, France
Netpac Prize (Network for Asian Cinema) (ex aequo): LITTLE MOTH by Tao Peng, China, and AN SEH (THOSE THREE) by Naghi Nemati, Iran
FIPRESCI Prize (Internation Federation of Cinematographic Press): CAPITAIN ACHAB by Philippe Ramos, France / Sweden
Ecumenical Jury Prize: LA MAISON JAUNE by Amor Hakkar, Algeria / France
FICC / IFFS Prize: LA MAISON JAUNE by Amor Hakkar, Algeria / France
CICAE Prize: LADRONES by Jaime Marques, Spain
Special Mention: AI NO YOKAN (The Rebirth) by Masahiro Kobayashi, Japan, and LAS VIDAS POSIBLES by Sandra Gugliotta, Argentina/Germany
Critics Week: ALLEIN IN VIER WÄNDEN by Alexandra Westmeier, Germany
Daniel Schmid Prize: AI NO YOKAN (The Rebirth) by Masahiro Kobayashi, Japan
International Competition Jury:
• Walter Carvalho, cinematographer and director, Brazil
• Saverio Costanzo, director, Italy
• Irène Jacob, actress, France
• Jia Zhang-Ke, director, China
• Romuald Karmakar, director, Germany
• Bruno Todeschini, actor, Switzerland / France
Hallam Foe at Edinburgh Film Festival
The 2007 edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival kicked off last night with the UK premiere of David Mackenzies Hallam Foe, starring Jamie Bell and Sophia Myles. The romantic drama had previously been screened at the Berlin Film Festival.
Shot on location in Scotland, Hallam Foe was adapted from Peter Jinkss novel. In the film, Bell plays a young man who, besides being a sort of peeping tom, happens to suspect that his stepmother may have had a hand in the mysterious death of his mother. After moving to Edinburgh, he discovers love in the form of Sophia Myles. Also in the cast are Ewen Bremner and Ciaran Hinds.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival, which will screen about 120 features from 31 countries, will come to a close on Aug. 26.
Amanda award winners
The nominations for the 2006-2007 Amandas were announced on June 26, 2007.
The winners of the 2006-2007 Amandas were announced on Aug. 17, 2007.
Best Film
Mirush, producer Gudny Hummelvold for 4 1/2
* Reprise, producer Karin Julsrud for 4 1/2
Sons, producer Eric Vogel for Tordenfilm
Best Foreign Film
Babel, director Alejandro González Iñárritu, distributor Nordisk Filmdistribusjon
* The Departed, director Martin Scorsese, distributor Sandrew Metronome Norge
La Vie en Rose, director Olivier Dahan, distributor Sandrew Metronome Norge
Best Director
Mirush, Marius Holst
* Reprise, Joachim Trier
Sons, Erik Richter Strand
Best Actor
Nicolai Cleve Broch, Uro
* Raouf Saraj, Winterland
Fridtjov Såheim, The Art of Negative Thinking
Best Actress
* Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Cold Prey
Pia Tjelta, Mars & Venus
Ane Dahl Torp, Uro
Best Supporting Role
Ingar Helge Gimle, Uro
* Henrik Mestad, Sons
Victoria Winge, Reprise
Best Screenplay
* Reprise, Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
Sons, Thomas Seeberg Torjussen and Erik Richter Strand
Winterland, Kjell Ola Dahl and Hisham Zaman
Best Film for Children and Youth
Elias and the Royal Yacht, director Espen Fyksen and Lise I. Osvoll, producer John M. Jacobsen and Sveinung Golimo for Filmkameratene
* Girls, director Hanne Myren, producer Øyvind Rostad for Medieoperatørene
Trigger, director Gunnar Vikene, producer Silje Hopland Eik and Tanya Nanette Badendyck for Cinenord
Best Documentary
* Girls, director Hanne Myren
Porn Star?, director John Sullivan, producer John Sullivan for Navillus Film
Usa vs al-Arian, director Line Halvorsen
Best Short Film
To the Moon, director Katja Eyde Jacobsen, producer Pål Røed for the Norwegian Film School
* Janus, director Linda Fagerli Sæthren, producer Linda Fagerli Sæthren for Volda University College
Flat Mates, director Magnus Mork, producer Jakob Fors
Best Film Straight to DVD
Junebug, USA 2005, director: Phil Morrison, distributor Scanbox Entertainment Norway
* Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan geumjassi), South Korea 2005, director: Park Chan-wook distributor Star Media Entertainment
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (Qian li zou dan qi), Hong Kong/China/Japan 2005, director: Zhang Yimou, distributor Universal Pictures Norway AS
Liv Ullmanns Honorary Award: Lauren Bacall
The Amanda Committee Golden Clapper: Aslaug Holm
The Amanda Committee Honorary Award: Knut Andersen
The Peoples Amanda Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release
Mirush, director Marius Holst, producer Gudny Hummelvoll for 4 ½
* Cold Prey, director Roar Uthaug, producer Martin Sundland and Magne Lyngner for Fantefilm
The Art of Negative Thinking, director Bård Breien, producer Dag Alveberg for Maipo Film
Mars & Venus, director Eva Dahr, producer Silje Eik Hopland and Tanya Nanette Badendyck for Cinenord
The Junior Olsen Gang and the Silver Mine Mystery, director Arne Lindtner Næss, producer Roy Anderson and Rune Throndsen for Nordisk Film
Reprise, director Joachim Trier, producer Karin Julsrud for 4 ½
Sons, director Erik Richter Strand, producer Eric Vogel for Tordenfilm
Uro, director Stefan Faldbakken, producer Asle Vatn and Christian Fredrik Martin for Friland
Usa vs al-Arian, director Line Halvorsen, producer Jan Dalchow for Dalchows verden
Winterland, director Hisham Zaman, producer Turid Øversveen for 4 ½
The main jury:
Sissel Benneche Osvold (President)
Hans Petter Blad
Iram Haq
Trine Wiggen
Erik Poppe
(Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Film for Children and Youth, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Role)
The jury for short films and documentaries:
Aslaug Holm
Monica Csango
Arild Fröhlich
Best Foreign Film:
The films have been nominated by members of the Norwegian Cinema Directors Association based on the thirty best box office performers at Norwegian cinemas during the period of 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007.
Karlovy Vary Film Festival Awards: Icelandic thriller ‘Jar City’ wins Crystal Globe
Baltasar Kormákur’s Jar City was named the Crystal Globe winner at the 2007 Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s awards ceremony held at the Grand Hall of the Thermal Hotel on July 7. Adapted by Arnaldur Indriðason from his own novel, the Icelandic / German thriller features Ingvar E. Sigurðsson and Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir in a tale connecting a recent murder to a three-decade-old rape case.
The Karlovy Vary Film Festival ran June 29–July 7.
Karlovy Vary Film Festival Awards
GRAND PRIX – CRYSTAL GLOBE
Jar City (Mýrin), Iceland, Germany
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Lucky Miles, Australia, 2007
Director: Michael James Rowland
BEST DIRECTOR AWARD
The Art of Negative Thinking (Kunsten å tenke negativt), Norway
Director: Bård Breien
BEST ACTOR AWARD
Sergey Puskepalis for Simple Things (Prostyje vešci)
Russia
Best Actress Award winner Elvira Mínguez for David Ulloa and Tristán Ulloa’s Spanish drama ‘Pudor’
BEST ACTRESS AWARD
Elvira Mínguez for Pudor
Spain
SPECIAL MENTION Ex-aequo
Leonid Bronevoy for his role in Simple Things (Prostyje vešci)
Russia
Zdenek Sverák for the screenplay of Empties (Vratné lahve)
Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Denmark
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM (under 30 minutes long)
Artel (Artel), Russia
Director: Sergey Loznitsa
SPECIAL MENTION
Theodore (Teodors), Latvia
Director: Laila Pakalnina
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM (over 30 minutes long)
Lost Holiday (Ztracená Dovolená), Czech Republic
Director: Lucie Králová
SPECIAL MENTION
The Mosquito Problem and Other Stories (Problemat s komarite i drugi istorii)
Bulgaria
Director: Andrey Paounov
Karlovy Vary Film Festival jury members
Grand Jury
Peter Bart – President of the Jury, USA
Karl Baumgartner, Germany
Jean-Luc Bideau, Switzerland
Nandita Das, India
Daniele Gaglianone, Italy
Arsinée Khanjian, Canada
David Ondrícek, Czech Republic
Documentary Jury
Dimitri Eipides – Chairman of the Jury, Greece
Anna Bucchetti, Italy
Anchalee Chaiworaporn, Thailand
Manuel Grosso Galván, Spain
Marko Škop, Slovakia
Jar City director Baltasar Kormákur and producer Lilja Pálmadóttir, and Best Actress winner Elvira Mínguez photos: Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
Jerusalem Film Festival Awards
2007 Jerusalem Film Festival: July 5–14
In Eran Kolirin’s The Band’s Visit, an Egyptian police band gets stranded in a small Israeli town.
The Wolgin Award – Best Israeli Feature:
The Band’s Visit directed by Eran Kolirin
Special Jury Prize:
Vasermil directed by Mushon Salmona
The Wolgin Award – Best Israeli Documentary:
Children of the Sun directed by Ran Tal
Special Mention:
Citizen Nawi (above) by Nissim Mossek
A Fool’s Dream by Dan Syrkin, Ido Bahat
Best Short Film:
Roads directed by Lior Geller
Special Mention:
Ketem by Alla Sheraeir
Pathways by Hagar Ben Asher
Drama Award in Memory of Anat Pirchi
Reds by Amir Manor
In The Spirit of Freedom Award – Best Feature Film:
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
In The Spirit of Freedom Award Best Documentary:
Crossing Borders directed by Bilal Yusef
The Jewish Experience Awards – LIA Award:
Comme un Juif en France – Being a Jew in France by Yves Jeuland
Special Mention:
Making Trouble – Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women, by Rachel Talbot
The Jewish Experience Awards The Yad Vashem Chairman’s Award:
Steal a Pencil for Me by Michèle Ohayon
Special Mention:
I Have Never Forgotten You: the Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal, by Richard Trank
Spell Your Name, by Sergey Bukovsky
The Experimental Film Competition Award:
The Man with the D.V Camera Causes Trouble to the Man with the Film Camera by Avishay Sivan
The Forum for the Preservation of Audio-Visual Award:
The Children of the Sun, by Ran Tal
The Other Israel Prize for a film that furthers awareness and challenges conventions about the Arab citizens of Israel
Crossing Borders, by Bilal Yusef
Life Achievement Award:
Ermanno Olmi
Achievement Award:
Avi Nasher
Michael Shvily
Katriel Schory
Danny Dimbort
Avi Lerner
‘Monsoon Showers’ tops Karnataka Film Awards
The winners of the 2006–2007 Karnataka State Film Awards – the awards committee was headed by filmmaker Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar – were announced on July 20.
There were 37 films in competition. Karnataka is a state in southern India. Kannada is its most important language.
Best Film: Mungaru Male / Monsoon Showers
Runners-up: Duniya, Cyanide
Best Directors: Yogaraj Bhat (Mungaru Male / Monsoon Showers)
Runners-up: Soori (Duniya), A.M.R. Ramesh (Cyanide)
Best Social Film: Kaada Beladingalu, by B. S. Lingadevar
Best Film in a Regional Language: Badi
Best Actor: Vijay (Duniya)
Best Actress: Tara (Cyanide)
Best Supporting Actor: Rangayana Raghu (Duniya)
Best Supporting Actress: Nitu (Koti Chennaiah)
Best Screenplay: Soori (Duniya)
Best Dialogue: Yogaraj Bhat (Mungaru Male / Monsoon Showers)
Best Story: Jananki (Kaada Beladingalu)
Best Cinematographer: Krishna S. (Mungaru Male / Monsoon Showers)
Best Editing: Basavaraj Urs (Kallarali Hoovagi)
Best Music Director: Mano Murthy (Mungaru Male / Monsoon Showers)
Best Lyricist: Jayanth Kaikini (Mungaru Male / Monsoon Showers)
Best Art Director: Vittal (Kallarali Hoovagi)
Best Sound: Tukaram (Mungaru Male / Monsoon Showers)
Best Male Playback Singer: Hemanth (Janapada)
Best Female Playback Singer: M.D. Pallavi (Duniya)
Best Child Actor: Revanth (Daatu)
Best Male Dubbing Actor: Murali (Saundarya)
Best Female Dubbing Actress: Deepa (Arasu)
Special Award for Costume Design: Nagini Bharana and Roshan (Kallarali Hoovagi)
Special Award for the Hearing and Speech Impaired: Dhriva (Snehanjali)
Special Award: Aneka Creations for producing Daatu
Rajkumar Award: M.N. Lakshmi Devi
Puttanna Kanagal Award: Singeetham Srinivasa Rao
Lifetime Contribution to Kannada Cinema Award: Dwarkish B.S.