Payal Kapadia’s debut at 2024 Cannes Film Fest

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s debut feature, “All We Imagine As Light,” is set to compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival alongside renowned directors such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Paolo Sorrentino, Francis Ford Coppola, and Paul Schrader.

This marks a significant milestone as it’s the first time in three decades that an Indian film has secured a spot in the festival’s competitive section, following Shaji N Karun’s 1994 film “Swaham.”

Kapadia has previously tasted success at the French festival with her documentary “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” which won the L’Œil d’or (Golden Eye) at the Director’s Fortnight in 2021. The announcement of the selection list was made at a press conference in Paris by festival president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Fremaux.

Fremaux expressed his satisfaction with the resurgence of interest from countries like India and China in participating in the festival. He emphasized the importance of their cinema heritage and understanding of social networks and communication.

“All We Imagine As Light,” an Indo-French production starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Chhaya Kadam, follows the journey of Prabha, a nurse dealing with an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, and her friend Anu, who seeks a space for her love life to flourish. The film explores their intersecting paths during a road trip to a seaside town.

Produced by companies from India, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Italy, the film reflects a collaborative effort across borders.

Kapadia, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), had her short film “Afternoon Clouds” screened at Cannes while she was still a student.

Additionally, filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s debut feature “Santosh” will be featured in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section, further highlighting the diversity and talent present in contemporary Indian cinema.