Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 25 : Filmmaker Payal Kapadia was honoured by the French government in Mumbai earlier this week for her outstanding contributions to the world of film and the cultural ties between France and India, reported Variety.
According to the publication, the Mumbai-based director received the prestigious Officier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters) award on Wednesday. The Consul General of France presented the award during a ceremony held at the French residence in Mumbai's upscale Peddar Road area.
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Kapadia, who made history last year by winning a major award at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, expressed her joy while speaking at the event.
According to Variety, Kapadia said, "It is an honour and a privilege to be conferred with the distinction of Officer of Arts and Letters. I am also very thankful for the French Government's dedicated support towards independent cinema all over the world."
With this honour, Kapadia joins a list of Indian artists that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Lata Mangeshkar, who the French government has also awarded for their contributions to the arts.
The Order of Arts and Letters is one of France's highest honours, recognizing people around the world for their creativity and contributions to arts and culture.
Kapadia's journey in cinema began in 2017, when she gained international recognition for her short film "Afternoon Clouds," which was selected for the Cannes Film Festival. She later won the Golden Eye award for her debut feature documentary A Night of Knowing Nothing.
In 2024, Kapadia went on to achieve global fame with her fiction feature debut All We Imagine as Light. The film won the Grand Prix at Cannes, making her the first Indian director in 30 years to win an award in the festival's main competition. The film also received a Golden Globe nomination and several international honours.
All We Imagine as Light, which was co-produced in France, was even shortlisted as France's official entry for the Oscars' international category.
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