KIFF 2025: Cuban, Sri Lankan films receive ‘Golden Royal Bengal Tiger’
KOLKATA: Cuban director David Bim couldn’t be present in the city to collect the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Film in the International Competition: Innovation in Moving Images for his movie ‘To the West in Zapata’ due to visa issues. Filmmaker Gautam Ghose, also chairman, KIFF, was elated to receive the award on Bim’s behalf from Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The makers also received a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh, the highest in any international film festival, along with a certificate. The film additionally won the FIPRESCI Award in the International Competition. Ghose was also honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in celebration of the 100th anniversary of FIPRESCI.
The curtains came down on KIFF 2025 on Thursday with the closing ceremony held at Rabindra Sadan. The Chief Minister attended the event alongside ministers Aroop Biswas and Indranil Sen, megastar and TMC MP Dev, filmmakers Srijit Mukherji, Arindam Sil, and Haranath Chakraborty, actress and TMC MP June Maliah, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, music composer Shantanu Moitra, and several others.
The CM, who described her presence as a “surprise visit” to thank the international delegates, shared a warm and
cheerful moment while presenting the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Director to Sri Lankan filmmaker Lalith Rathnayake for ‘Riverstone’ in the International Competition. He received a cash prize of Rs 21 lakh and a certificate.
The Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Indian Documentary Film went to Joydeep Banerjee for ‘Bijoyee Japoner Patkatha’. Young filmmaker Debalina Majumdar received the Special Jury Mention in the Indian Documentary Film category for ‘Jilipibalar Bondhura’. She shared the honour with Sujit Debbarma and Pranab Jyoti Deka for ‘My Last Face: Kungbara’.
Young director Chandrasish Ray dedicated the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Film in the Bengali Panorama category for his film ‘Porshi’ to his team, acknowledging their two-year struggle to bring the project to life.
Director Sivaranjini won the NETPAC Award for Best Film for ‘Victoria’ while the Hiralal Sen Memorial Award for Best Film in the Indian Language category was bagged by SRFTI alumna Tribeny Rai for
‘Chhora Jastai’ (Shape of Momo). The Sikkim-based maker received a cash prize of Rs 7 lakh.
