Leading international models Ingrida Ilgin and Mirka Howard walked the red carpet at the 76th edition of the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival 2023 dressed in spectacular handmade Sanjukta Dutta’s ensemble. Ingrida Ilegin, who has built a 15-year career in international modelling and won many accolades including the title of "Top Model United Kingdom Winner" and "Miss Film Festival International", put on a handmade Mulberry silk green gown. It is noteworthy that this is the third year in a row that Ingrida has chosen the label of Assam-based designer Sanjukta Dutta. Meanwhile, top New York model Mirka Howard walked the red carpet in a black Mekhela Chador by Sanjukta Dutta. Sanjukta recently showcased her designs at the Paris Fashion Week earlier this year. The designer has been instrumental in empowering India’s rural weavers as well as bringing the age-old art of Assamese handloom to the world stage.

The 76th film festival on the French Cote d'Azur saw a record number of female directors in the competition. The Palme d'Or for best film went to "Anatomy of a Fall," directed by Justine Triet. The prestigious Cannes Film Festival's closing ceremony took place on Saturday, with a French thriller landing the event's top award.  Women win big as Justine Triet takes Palme d'Or This year's Cannes festival was marked by a record number of female directors, with seven of the 21 films in the competition made by women, including newcomers and long-established auteurs. Justine Triet, 44, claimed the main prize, with "Anatomy of a Fall" awarded the coveted Palme d'Or for best film.  Triet is the third female director to win the prestigious Palme d'Or. She prevailed over veteran directors like Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ken Loach and Wim Wenders, all of whom have won at least one Palme d'Or. The film stars German actress Sandra Hüller as a writer who tries to prove her innocence after she is accused of her husband's death. In her acceptance speech, Triet blasted the French government over the recent protests against president Emmanuel Macron. "The country suffered from historic protests over the reform of the pension system. These protests were denied... repressed in a shocking way," she said.  Best actor and actress awards In the best actress category, Turkey's Merve Dizdar got the nod for the film "About Dry Grasses," the latest from festival favorite Nuri Bilge Ceylan.  The best actor nod went to Japan's Koji Yakusho for "Perfect Days," a film by German director Wim Wenders about the story of a Tokyo toilet cleaner. The Grand Prix, the second-highest prize after the Palme d'Or, went to British director Jonathan Glazer's "Zone of Interest," about a family living next to Auschwitz. Meanwhile, the award for best director went to Vietnamese-born French filmmaker Tran Anh Hung for "The Pot-au-Feu", a foodie love story, set in a 19th century French gourmet château.

The restored version of the 1990 Manipuri film ‘Ishanou’, directed by renowned filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma, is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival to be held from May 16-27. The film, which stars Anoubam Kiranmala and Kangjam Tomba and deals with the Maibi culture of Manipur, has been recognized as a World Classic and will be screened in the Cannes Classic section, said officials of the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS). Produced in 1990, the 91-minute film was previously an official entry to the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes in 1991. The MSFDS initiated the ambitious restoration project of ‘Ishanou’ in association with the Film Heritage Foundation, Mumbai, and director Aribam Syam Sharma. ‘Ishanou’ is only the second celluloid Manipuri feature film that the SN Chand Cine Archive and the Museum of MSFDS has digitised, and the first film to have been restored. The Chairman of Film Forum Manipur (FFM), Laimayum Surjakanta Sharma, said that Syam Sharma is the ground-breaking doyen of Manipuri cinema who has been working relentlessly in portraying the cultural and emotional nuances of the state and its people with a humanitarian vision through cinematic storytelling with utmost simplicity and distinctive artistic signature. Various film-related organisations in Manipur had urged the Information and Broadcasting Ministry last year to confer Dadasaheb Phalke Award upon Syam Sharma. In the 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held in Goa in November last year, Manipuri films were screened under the special Manipuri cinema section titled ‘Golden Jubilee of Manipuri Cinema’. Source: Northeast Now

The trailer of 'Mujib: The Making of a Nation', Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's biopic, has launched at the Cannes Festival. Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and Indian Information and Broadcasting and Youths Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Sing Thakur jointly inaugurated the trailer on the third day of 75th Cannes Festival in France. Hasan, in his speech, said the life of Bangabandhu, victory from his struggle and his sacrifice have been portrayed in the movie. The biopic, jointly produced by Bangladesh and India, will keep awake the spirit of Bangabandhu for decades though it is tough to portray the biographies of great people like Bangabandhu, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela in a film, he added.  For this, the minister extended his gratitude to Bangabandhu's elder daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, his (Bangabandhu) younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, the Indian government, producer of the film, director, artistes and others. Anurag said the work of making the biopic of Bangabandhu jointly is really a matter of joy and pride. Bangladesh Ambassador to France Khandaker Mohammed Talha, Indian Ambassador Javed Ashraf, Indian Information and Braodcasting secretary Apurba Chandra, noted Indian director and also the director of movie Shyam Benegal, Executive Producer of the movie and FDC director general Nuzhat Yesmin, actor Arifin Shuvoo, who acted as Bangabandhu, actress Nusrat Imroz Tisha, who acted as Bangabandhu's wife Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, script writers Atul Tiwari and Shama Jayedi, casting director of Bangladesh part Bahar Uddin Khelon, and other artistes of both the countries were present in the function. Source: BSS AH