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Payal Kapadia to Lead Cannes Critics' Week Jury After Historic Win

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia has been appointed president of the jury for the 65th edition of Cannes Critics' Week. Her selection follows the acclaim for her second feature, 'All We Imagine as Light,' which premiered at Cannes. Kapadia views the role as vital for nurturing daring first films and resisting market pressures on independent cinema. She will be joined by an international jury including actor Theodore Pellerin and singer Oklou.

Key Points: Payal Kapadia Named President of Cannes Critics' Week Jury

  • Jury president for 65th Cannes Critics' Week
  • Follows success of 'All We Imagine as Light'
  • Champions independent cinema
  • Jury includes international artists
  • Event runs May 13-21
2 min read

'All We Imagine as Light' filmmaker Payal Kapadia to serve as jury president at 65th Cannes Critics' Week

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia, director of 'All We Imagine as Light,' will preside over the 65th Cannes Critics' Week jury in May 2024.

'All We Imagine as Light' filmmaker Payal Kapadia to serve as jury president at 65th Cannes Critics' Week
"supporting the first works of filmmakers is almost a resistance to the market forces. - Payal Kapadia"

Los Angeles, April 22

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia, known for 'All We Imagine as Light', will serve as the president of the jury for the 65th Cannes Critics' Week, reported The Hollywood Reporter.

Kapadia will be joined on the jury by Canadian actor Theodore Pellerin, French singer-songwriter Oklou, Ghanaian-British producer Ama Ampadu, and journalist and Bangkok World Film Festival director Donsaron Kovitvanitcha.

Payal Kapadia has, over the course of six short and feature-length films, "crafted a body of work where poetry contrasts with her unflinching political take on her country," said the Critics' Week in a statement.

"This duality underpins the power of her cinema, a universe that summons all forms to convey folk myths, and bring to the fore invisible lives, class struggle, and the realities of women's lives," it added.

It is worth mentioning that Payal Kapadia's short films 'Afternoon Clouds' and 'And What is the Summer Saying' were selected at the Cinefondation and the Berlinale, before her debut feature documentary 'A Night of Knowing Nothing' went to Cannes in 2021.

It also won the L'Oeil d'Or for Best Documentary.

Her second feature, 'All We Imagine as Light', emerged as a standout at the 2024 Cannes festival.

Speaking on embracing the jury role, Kapadia shared, "My own journey as a filmmaker was supported early on because of film festival selections. Through these, I had the opportunity to meet others like myself from across the world, which helped me build a community of future collaborators."

She further added, "At a time where independent cinema is being eroded in every country, supporting the first works of filmmakers is almost a resistance to the market forces. Film criticism is one of the key components of the independent and art-house film ecosystem. The first films are often freer, more daring and fearless, having an individual voice and to champion those is absolutely essential. First films are also fragile and to be nurtured in a section like Critics' Week, helps them blossom amongst already established filmmaker's work," as quoted by Variety.

Critics' Week will be held in Cannes from May 13 to 21.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
This is fantastic news for the Indian film fraternity. While we celebrate our commercial blockbusters, it's artists like Kapadia who are putting Indian *art* cinema on the global map. Her statement about first films being "freer and more daring" is spot on. Hope this encourages more young filmmakers to tell their unique stories.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows international cinema, this is a well-deserved honor. 'A Night of Knowing Nothing' was a profound documentary. Her perspective on independent cinema being a form of "resistance to market forces" is a crucial conversation, especially in India where the mainstream often overshadows everything else.
R
Rohit P
Makes me proud! But I have a respectful criticism: I wish our own mainstream media and audiences within India gave even half this attention to our independent filmmakers. We need to build that ecosystem here, not just celebrate when the West recognizes our talent. The support should start at home.
M
Meera T
So happy to see a woman filmmaker getting this platform. Her work gives voice to stories we rarely see in our movies. Wishing her all the best! Hope she discovers and champions many more unique voices from around the world.

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