‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ wins special jury award at IFFI

Sunday, 04 December 2011: Porfirio, a Colombian drama about an air pirate, walked away with the coveted Golden Peacock at the 42nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Saturday while Malayalam filmAdaminte Makan Abu took home the special jury award.
Directed by Alejandro Landes, the film is based on a true story of air pirate Porfirio Ramirez Aldana who made headlines in 2005 for trying to hijack a plane to Bogota. The film director Landes and producer Francisco Aljure were each awarded a Golden Peacock trophy and a cash prize of Rs20 lakh.
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi won the Silver Peacock for Nader and Simin (A Separation). The award for the best actor was given to Sasson Gabay for his role in Israeli film Restoration, a love triangle. He was awarded a Silver Peacock and a cash prize of Rs10 lakh.
Nadezhda Markina was adjudged the best actress for her performance in the Russian film Elena, about an old couple and their tryst with the life.
The only Indian film in the competition section Adaminte Makan Abu, also country’s entry for the Oscars next year, received the special jury award, which include a Silver Peacock and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

The film’s director Salim Ahmed said he would use the money to promote his film at the Oscars next year. The winners were selected from 14 films in all. The jury, headed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, included the likes of Laurence Kardish from US, Tahmineh Milani from Iran, Lee Yong Kwan from Korea and Israeli Dan Wolman.
The Best Film award was given away by South superstar Suriya, who was also the guest of honour at the festival’s closing ceremony.
“I feel like a first year at college. This is the first time that I have appeared on stage at a film festival. I’ll cherish this all my life. I am grateful to South Indian audience for loving me, where cinema is not just entertainment. Its a culture,” said Suriya.
“All over the country we have as many film industries and talents as we have languages. The culture should be shared across the country. If ‘why this kolaveri di’ can become a hit all over, then films like Adaminte Makan Abu and Aadukalam should be shown in multiplexes and theatres across the country,” he said.
The closing ceremony of the 42nd IFFI, hosted by Mandira Bedi and Sameer Soni, was attended by Hollywood star Michelle Yeoh, French director Luc Besson and Bollywood stars Irrfan Khan, Kangna Ranaut and Sohail Khan.