The screening halls of the Cannes Film Festival are no stranger to minute-long standing ovations in appreciation of the blood and sweat that goes into making impactful pieces of cinema. One such Indian title that moved the audience to its feet for an 8-minute standing ovation was Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’ at the 77th edition of the festival.
The film marked the country’s first title in 30 years to enter the festival’s competition section. Moreover, this allows the director, Kapadia to become a contender for the prestigious Palme d’Or. She will be competing against industry heavyweights like Jacques Audiard, Yorgos Lanthimos, David Cronenberg, Paul Schrader, and Jia Zhangke.
Not only is this a milestone in itself, but the film, which was internationally funded, also garnered widespread positive critical acclaim. So much so that it was described as a ‘fresh and clear perspective of life’s most sensually mundane moments’.
The director’s debut fiction feature was hailed as a masterpiece and was compared to the works of the iconic Lucrecia Martel and Alice Rohrwacher. Many critics even went on to state that the moving tale about two women seeking love is what the world now expects from Indian cinema.
With the acclaim this film is accumulating, it is a no-brainer that it has set the bar for Indian cinema at a new high!