The functionality of Marathi “Cactus Pears” (“Sabar Bonda”) continued its sequence of festival victories by winning the prize of the Grand Jury at the first London Festival SXSW.
The prize was announced by the jury of the features of the festival, including director Julia Jackman, actor Archie Madekwe and actor-writer Susan Wokoma.
Directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade in his beginnings, “Cactus Pears” follows two men sailing on societal pressures in a rural Indian community. The story focuses on Anand, a 30 -year -old resident forced to spend a 10 -day mourning period for his father in the countryside of western India, where he binds with Balya, a local farmer who has trouble staying single. While the mourning period ends and Anand must return to the city, it faces a crucial decision concerning their relationship.
During the closing gala of Sxsw London, Wokoma, a member of the jury, said: “The winning film is a superb portrait of love and tenderness and beauty in and among sorrow and how these two people are able to promote a certain hope and a little time among all the different aspects of their religion and their culture and their families and are supported through this in a very tender way.”
Gemma Blasco’s “The Fury”, in particular the performance of the head of Ángela Cervantes, marked a special mention of the jury.
Earlier this year, the world of “Cactus Pears” was presented at first in Sundance, where he won the Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema (dramatic), marking the first film Marathi to present at the festival. The film has since harvested the public prize and the special mention of the jury for the performance of a leading duo at the Indian film festival, as well as public prizes and exceptional performances for the main actor at Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ + Film Festival.
“I am so delighted to know that ‘Sabar Bonda’ has won the inaugural edition of London de Sxsw,” said Kanawade. “This victory does only cement further than authentic human stories know no borders. The love we have received from the jury as well as the British public (we had sold projections) does not work harder to bring” sabar bonda “in the cinemas so that the public can soon live the film on the big screen.”
The filmmaker, raised in a slum of Mumbai by a driver’s father and housewife, went from interior design to the cinema. His short films were detected worldwide and “Cactus Pears” was developed at Venice Beny College Cinema 2022-2023, participating in platforms such as NFDC Film Bazaar, Venice Gap Financing Market and VA in Cannes. Kanawade is reproduced by kinetic media.
The film is produced by Neeraj Churi, Mohamed Khaki (Canada), Kaushik Ray (Taran Tantra Telefilms, UK), Naren Chandavarkar (Moonweave Films, India), Sidharth Meer (Bridge Postworks, India) and Hareesh Reddypalli (Dark Stories, India) Jim Sarbh (Wonderful Entertainment, India), Associate Producer Rajesh bywatkar (United Kingdom) and executive producer Ilann Girard.
Producer Neeraj Churi of Lotus Visual Productions said: “Seeing the film resonate so powerfully with the public and the juries through the continents is incredibly moving.”
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