The three-day Devbhoomi International Film Festival concluded with a formal ceremony on Sunday at the Sanskriti Sadan in Mandi.
Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan was the chief guest in the closing ceremony while Mandi Municipal Corporation Mayor Suman Thakur and Municipal Commissioner Rohit Rathore were present as guests of honor.
Describing the organization of this film festival as a milestone for the hilly state of Himachal, Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan remarked that the presence of seasoned artists from Hindi cinema had enhanced the event’s prestige.
After watching the screened films Unresolved and Rat Race, he observed,” such educational films provide the right direction and guidance to society, noting that these family-oriented films were truly worth watching. He also commended Festival Director Pawan Sharma for the magnificent organization of the event and assured the district administration would continue to support holding this festival annually”.
Expressing happiness over the event’s success, Festival Director Pawan Sharma said, “Total of 25 outstanding short films, documentaries, and feature films from Hindi and regional cinema were screened during the three-day festival, drawing immense enthusiasm from local residents and cinema lovers.”
Among the key categories, Director Ravi Deep’s film ‘When Souls Meet’ was awarded the prestigious prize for Best Regional Feature Film, while ‘Bridge to Utopia’ directed by Ritwik Jaiswal, secured the title of Best Feature Film in the Critics’ Choice category.
‘Masand’—directed by Vikrant Sidhu—was declared the overall Best Feature Film as it dominated the fields of acting and direction; Rabbi Kandola was named Best Actor (Feature Film) for his outstanding performance, and Sanjay Shanti Gupta received the Best Feature Film Director award for the film.
In the writing category, Vidyasagar Adhyapak was awarded Best Writer for the film ‘Sudhagad 07’. The film ‘Sakal Tar Hou Dya’, produced by Namrata Sinha, was selected for the Special Jury Award, and Mahesh Waghmare received a Jury Mention for Best Actor.
In the documentary section, ‘Aana Jaana’, directed by Kshitij Sharma, won the title of Best Documentary Film (Jury Mention), while ‘Pure Water for Every House’ (Har Ghar Shuddh Jal), directed by Devendra Shivaji Jadhav, and was chosen as the Best Environmental Documentary.
