Abu Shahed Emon’s debut, feature film Jalal’s Story won the award for the best work by a debutant director at the 20th International Film Festival of Kerala in India.
Emon was handed the ‘Rajatha Chakoram” (Silver Crow Pheasant Award), a citation and three lakh rupees as part of the award at a function on the concluding day of the festival yesterday in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Emon’s film was selected for the award by a four-member international jury headed by acclaimed Brazilian filmmaker Julio Bressane.
The top award (Golden Crow Pheasant) at the Kerala International Film Festival went to Malayalam feature film, Ottaal (The Trap) by India’s national award-winning director Jayaraj.
Legendary Iranian filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui, a film package was shown in the festival’s retrospective segment, was honoured with IFFK’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award carries a cash prize of Rs10 lakh, a memento and a citation.
14 films representing 11 countries, including four from India, were in the race for the top honours in different categories, including the best debut director.
Starring Mosharraf Karim, Moushumi Hamid, Touqir Ahmed and Shormi Mala, the full-length feature chronicles a rootless boy who struggles to become a man of proper standing in society.