Writer-director Leena Yadav’s “Parched,” about four rural Indian women fighting against sexist traditions, has received the inaugural Stockholm Impact Award.
Granted by the Stockholm International Film Festival and the city of Stockholm, the Impact Award “support[s] headstrong filmmakers who are not afraid to bring up burning topics in contemporary society.” The honor comes with a $114,000 (1 million SEK) cash prize intended to finance the award recipient’s next project.
The Impact Award jury said of “Parched,” “Through superb acting, giving a unique insight into the minds and hearts of women in rural India, told with colorful, sensual cinematography, this film is a paradoxical celebration of life, in spite of tough circumstances, creating both anger and joy, giving fuel for debate as well as hope for change, when addressing a burning question that affects, not half, but the whole of our society.”
In a TIFF interview with Women and Hollywood, Yadav discussed the film’s origins: “In 2012, I was traveling through remote parts of Kutch, India, looking for stories. I met quite a few women with whom I struck a friendship. Some of them shared their life stories with me.
Once I returned to Mumbai, it struck me — the stories of these women were stories of every woman, everywhere. Cultures and circumstances may vary, but their struggles and inner lives are instantly recognizable across time and space. I knew then that these stories had to be shared, discussed and acknowledged by the world.”
[via ScreenDaily]
