Lighting of the sacred lamp
—2018!
—2018!
—2018!
Kautik International Film FestivalOrganised in association with theDistrict Administration of Almora
Over 50 short fiction, docu, & feature films from across the world were exhibited parallel in 2 screens.
Two books had an Uttarkhand launch. Guwahati International Film Festival director Monita Borgohain released her coffee table book on the iconic Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio, and film critic Dipsikha Bhagawati released her translation of Utpal Datta’s book on film appreciation.
Additionally, 3 panel discussions—'The rise of OTT in the present-day scenario', 'Actors preparation for a role' and 'What the future holds for Indian cinema'—were conducted. The panelists comprised Ranjan Ghosh, Prashant Naik, Dipshika Bhagawati, Yash Chavan, Srikant Verma, and Sushil Sharma.
Awards were conferred by 6 separate jury panels.
The features jury comprised Surendar Chaudhury, Himanshu Khatua, and Simone Mariani (Italy). The short fiction jury comprised Umamaheswara Rao, Paresh Kamdar, Monjrul Islam Megh (Bangladesh). The documentary jury comprised Sudhir Tandon, Subhash Sahoo, and Judy Gladstone (Canada). The animation jury comprised Monita Borgohain, Amrit Pritam, and Charlotte Summers (Spain).
House of Illusions instituted two awards; one for Best Student Film, and the other for the Best Film by a Woman Director; the jury comprised Prashant Naik, Resul Pookutty, and Aleksandra Biernacka (Poland).
Film Critics Circle of India conferred awards for the Best Debut Short Fiction and the Best Debut Animation; the jury comprised Dnyanesh Moghe, Dipsikha Bhagawati, and Aseem Chhabra.
AWARDS CONFERRED AT KAUTIK 2021
Best Feature Film
Aimee Baruah's 'Semkhor' (India)
Special Mention—Feature Film
Ruben Buren's 'Maquis' (Spain)
Special Mention—Best Actor in a Feature Film
Rituparna Sengupta in Ranjan Ghosh's 'Ahaa Re - The Two Lovers' (India)
Best Short Fiction
Anuraag Pujaari's 'Araao—The Cry' (India)
Special Mention—Short Fiction
Amir Mohandesian's 'Stage' (Iran)
Special Mention—Best Actor in a Short Fiction Film
Anna Harling in 'The Intimate Touch' (Sweden)
Special Mention—Best Child Artist in a Short Fiction Film
Yaikhomba in 'The Tainted Mirror' (India)
Best Short Documentary
Zachary Goodwin, Flynn Harris, Alex Flanagan & Alex Kumph's 'Eyes' (U.S.A.)
Best Full Length Documentary
Adriano Zecca's 'Return to the Lost Eden' (Switzerland)
Best Animation Film
Forrest Schlage's 'Like & Follow' (Japan)
House of Illusions award for Best Student Film
Zachary Goodwin, Flynn Harris, Alex Flanagan & Alex Kumph's 'Eyes' (U.S.A.)
House of Illusions award for Best Film by a Woman Director
Morvarid Kashiyan's 'Bodies' (Iran)
Film Critics Circle of India award for Best Debut Short Fiction
Yaser Barzegar's 'Subservient' (Iran)
Film Critics Circle of India award for Best Debut Animation
Majid Sabri's 'Dream' (Iran)
KAUTIK 2020 Kautik International Film Festival
Is what we are we witnessing here the beginning of a movement of sorts—the creation of a film industry in a region with no filmic history?
Christopher Dalton
Film Critic /essayist
Every journey is unique... is about dreams. Kautik is now a dream come true for Rajesh & Shalini Shah, and for all these budding filmmakers.
Kawaljeet Singh Negi
Cinematographer
Kautik is nothing short of a minor revolution in the Himalayas.
Anwar Jamal
Documentary Filmmaker
Life here moves at a ZEN-like pace. You will return refreshed, with that additional feeling of having given something back to the fraternity to which you belong.
Jyoti Kapur Das
Filmmaker
One fine morning, Rajesh & his wife packed up from Mumbai and came back to their hometown here to share with youngsters of this country what they had learned through their experience. Such noble folks!