German Star of India for Director Jeo Baby
Feature Film Award for ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’
Stuttgart - Director Jeo Baby's socio-critical feature film 'The Great Indian Kitchen' has been awarded
the 'German Star of India' in the feature film category of the 18th Indian Film Festival Stuttgart on
Saturday. The coveted film award carries a value of 4,000 EUR. The trophy for the best short film,
which comes with 1,000 EUR, was awarded to director Ambiecka Pandit for 'Custody'. In the
documentary category, the jury chose 'Watch over me' by director Farida Pacha. The documentary
film 'Borderlands' by director Samarth Mahajan received a special mention. The 'Director's Vision
Award', which is also worth 1,000 EUR, went to director Girish Kasaravalli for his feature film 'Illiralare
Allige Hogalaare - Can neither stay here or journey beyond'. The award ceremony was held at the
Wilhelma Zoological-Botanical Garden in Stuttgart. Animals and plants from India at the Wilhelma
acted as sponsors of the film awards.
Which film has won the Audience Award in the amount of 1,000 EUR will not be certain until the end of
the five-day online Festival and will be announced on Monday, July 26th, 2021. Due to the coronavirus
pandemic, Europe's largest festival of Indian film once again had to switch to digital cinema. However,
three Festival films could also be seen on the big screen at Cinema Stuttgart.
Director Jeo Baby convinced the three-member jury with his feature film 'The Great Indian Kitchen': "It
is a homage to the young and strong Indian wife who tries to break out of old traditions and structures,
longing for appreciation and self-development.” Jeo Baby impressively manages to bring out each
character clearly in the oppressive routine between housework, Indian cooking, and sacrificial service
to husband and father-in-law. He said his latest film also manages to highlight the blind spots of
everyday injustice towards a homemaker who is always taken for granted by both the women and the
men of the house.
'Custody' by director Ambiecka Pandit, the winner in the short film category, uses "a bouquet of
interesting techniques to create a mood with great compositions and gazes," according to the jury. The
winning film is about age-old friendships that are put to the test while a baby's life is at risk.
'Watch Over Me' by director Farida Pacha impressed the documentary jury because it "gives the
viewer lessons in patience and empathy – values that are necessary in both life and filmmaking. Shot
in black and white, the starkness never lets the film lose its purpose: to uphold the dignity of the dying
and their families." The film depicts the daily life of a team working for a palliative care organisation in New Delhi: a doctor, a nurse, and a counsellor.
The documentary film 'Borderlands' by director Samarth Mahajan received an Honourable Mention.
According to the jury, the film shows a range of well-chosen and sensitive stories that are uniquely
located along the borders of India but become universal in their humanity.
The 'Director's Vision Award' honours a feature film that has the potential to become a great film
classic. According to the jury, with 'Illiralare Allige Hogalaare - Can neither stay here or journey
beyond' director Girish Kasaravalli subtly and in a multitude of layers expresses a poignant tale of
alienation and class difference.
Festival Director Oliver Mahn of organiser Filmbüro Baden-Württemberg hopes that the 19th Indian
Film Festival Stuttgart, which will bring modern Indian cinema to the capital of Baden-Württemberg
from July 20th to 24th, 2022, can once again be celebrated in the cinema auditorium and with
numerous guests from the Indian film industry.
Below the wording of the various jury statements:
LAUDATION FEATURE FILM
The film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’ pays homage to the young and strong Indian wife who tries to
break out of old traditions and structures, longing for appreciation and self-development. Jeo Baby
impressively manages to clearly flesh out each individual character in the oppressive routine between
housework, Indian culinary art, and the self-sacrificing service to both the husband and the father-inlaw.
The film also manages to emphasize the blind spots of daily injustice on a homemaker which are
always taken for granted by both women and men of the house.
We were particularly impressed that Jeo Baby and his team succeeded in creating an exciting
suspense arc, a firework for all the senses mixed with a subtle but haunting social criticism. Criticism
not only relevant in India but all over the world where a stronger appreciation of women and equality to
men is still needed. Congratulations!
LAUDATION SHORT FILM
The film ‘Custody’ uses a bouquet of interesting techniques to create a mood with great compositions
and gazes. The casualness of the actors adds to the sense of life and the experience as a whole
becomes incredibly immersive. The onus of carrying the story is on no one yet on everyone.
LAUDATION DOCUMENTARY
The film ‘Watch Over Me’ is a deeply impressive documentary that gives the viewer lessons in
patience and empathy – values that are necessary in both life and filmmaking. Shot in black and white,
the starkness never lets the film lose its purpose: to uphold the dignity of the dying and their families. It
is a well-crafted, intimate, and respectful portrayal of the terminally ill and the three dedicated and
compassionate women caregivers tirelessly attending to them. Its theme and treatment are also
especially significant given the current times.
HONOURABLE MENTION DOCUMENTARY
The film ‘Borderland’ shows a diverse selection of well-chosen and sensitive stories that are uniquely
located along the borders of India but become universal in their humanity. We admire the filmmakers'
craft, courage, and distinguished decisions, which created a powerful platform for the protagonists'
stories.
LAUDATION DIRECTOR’S VISION AWARD
The Director’s Vision Award goes to Girish Kasaravalli for the film ‘Can neither stay here nor journey
beyond’ for expressing subtly and in a multitude of layers a poignant tale of alienation and class
difference.