The South Asian International Film Festival held its 2013 Gala Awards at the Carlton Hotel in Manhattan Saturday, where Richie Mehta’s Siddharth won the fest’s Grand Jury Prize.
The drama follows a father as he searches India for his missing son. The film also won the best director award for Mehta.
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“This intense, boundary-pushing art is representative of why we started this festival in the first place,” said South Asian International Film Festival founder Shilen Amin.
The festival’s Jury Prize went to I.D. The film is the feature debut of director Kamal KM.
The Short Grand Jury Prize was awarded to Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Kush, which centers on the 1984 assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the anti-Sikh violence that came after.
“Our 2013 competition winners exemplify the innovative storytelling that’s currently coming out of South Asia,” said program director Galen Rosenthal. “They truly are proof that the independent film scene in South Asia is only growing stronger.”
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The ceremony marked SAIFF’s tenth anniversary. After the awards, the guests enjoyed a private dinner featuring a set from hip-hop artist Jay Sean. The awards ceremony was presented by HBO.
