19th Chennai Film Festival ends on a high note

The 19th Chennai film festival took place at the PVR cinemas ( formerly Sathyam cinemas) from December 30-January 6. Totally 121 Films from 53 Countries were screened in this year’s festival. 

Despite rapid rise in Covid cases in the last few weeks, film enthusiasts actively participated in the festival and followed strict Covid protocols. More than 700 people took part in the eight-day festival. The festival opened with the Italian film ‘Three Floors and closed with the french film ‘VORTEX’. 

CIFF also screened various regional and geographical films such as World Cinema films, Iranian Cinema, German director Caroline Link’s films, Coming of Age – French Cinema, Country Focus (Korea), Indian Panorama and Malayalam Cinema. 

The curtains came down with musical performances followed by a vote of thanks by the CIFF fraternities and this year’s main jury of Tamil feature film competition Director Vasanthabalan. 

Notable Tamil films like Ainthu Unarvugal, Boomika, Karnan, Kattil, Kayamai Kadakka, Maara, Ramae Aandalum Ravane Aandalum, Seththumaan, Sivaranjani and Two Other Women, Thaen and Udanpirappe participated under the film category. 

Out of these, Vasanth’s ‘Sivaranjani and Two Other Women’ has won the first prize followed by the second prize shared by Neelam productions’ ‘Seththumaan’ directed by Thamizh and ‘Thaen’ directed by Gamesh Vinayak. Sivaranjani and Two Other Women’s actress Lakshmi Priya won the special jury award for her scintillating performance. 

Indian playback singer Sid Sriram won ‘Amitabh Bachchan Youth Icon Award’ and the ‘Lifetime achievement award was presented to veteran Singeetam Srinivasa Rao who is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, composer, singer, lyricist and actor, known for his works in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi films.

"This is my first award as an actor. So obviously I am very thrilled and happy to get recognised for the first time”  said actor Lakshmi Priya about her special jury award.