New Delhi:
After winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, Everything we imagine as light France has chosen it to represent the country at the 2025 Oscars. The film, written and directed by Payal Kapadia, tells the story of two Malayali nurses living in Mumbai. The film stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon, Azees Nedumangad and Tintumol Joseph in lead roles. Everything we imagine as light is a collaboration backed by French and Indian production houses such as Petit Chaos, Chalk & Cheese Films, BALDR Film, Les Films Fauves, Another Birth, Pulpa Films and Arte France Cinéma.
Zico Maitra, co-producer All that we imagine as light, revealed that the makers have also submitted the film for Oscar selection in India. He told NDTV, “We have submitted the film for selection in India. As Indian producers, it has been incredible to see a regional language film resonate so deeply with audiences worldwide, starting with Cannes and the film being the first Indian film to be screened in competition in 30 years. Although the film’s themes are global, this is the story of Mumbai and the lives of women in that city+India. It would be a great honor to represent India at the Oscars. We believe it could be a source of great joy for India, the way it felt after the film won the Grand Prix at Cannes.”
Everything we imagine as light was the first Indian film in 30 years and the first film by an Indian female director to be screened in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival. The last Indian film to compete in the main competition was Shaji N. Karun’s Swaham in 1994.
Everything we imagine as light was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered on May 23. The film received an eight-minute standing ovation at the end of the screening. Click here to read more about it.
Everything we imagine as light it was also screened at the 2024 Munich International Film Festival.
