The Hindu Business Line : `Bilori' bags Golden Pearl Award at film festival

SANDEEP H Modi receiving the Golden Pearl Award from actress Revathi in Hyderabad on Thursday. He was adjudged best director in the film festival for his movie Bilori. — Satish H.

Hyderabad March 29 The maiden Hyderabad International Film Festival (HIFF), where over 110 films from 25 countries were screened, came to a close on Thursday.

`Bilori', a film directed by Sandeep H Modi, has won the Golden Pearl Award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, in the Category I (films with less than 15 minutes duration) of short and documentary section.

Unlike in other film festivals, the HIFF focussed on the short films and documentaries. With a view to encouraging the young talent, the organisers invited entries for competition in this section.

The second best film (Silver Pearl Award) in the category went to `Agaurav', directed by Nakul Sawhney.

Madhu Mahankali has received the best director award for his film `The Journey'.

In the Category 2 (films with duration of 15 minutes and above), the Golden Pearl Award for the best film went to `Video Game', directed by Vipin Vijay, a filmmaker from Thiruvananthapuram.

`Positive Living', a film directed by the Hyderabad-based director C Vanaja, was adjudged the second best film and won the Silver Pearl Award.

Nakul Sawhney, a Delhi-based director, won the best director award for

his film `Undecided'. Tanikella Bharani, a writer and actor, received the jury award for his film `Ink'.

Jhanu Barua, the film director who headed the jury, said it was time to revive the practice of showing short films before the screening of feature films in cinemas. "We used to have this platform. But it was done away with it. We need to revive it in order to encourage the fledgling filmmakers," he said.

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