IDSFFK 2025: Dalit Subbaiah Wins Best Long Documentary, ‘Amma’s Pride’ Named Best Short

Swift Summary

• Documentary Dalit Subbaiah – Voice of the Rebels, directed by M.K.P. Gridaran, won Best Long Documentary at the 17th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), winning ₹2 lakh.
• Shankar Goud’s negative Remorse took Second Best Long Documentary, earning ₹1 lakh.
• Special mentions were awarded in long documentary categories:

– Cinematography for Ricard Dance (Shihab Ongallur).
– Sound for Cycle Mahesh (Bigyna Dahal).

• Awards in short documentaries:

– Best Short Documentary: Amma’s Pride, directed by Shiva Kirsh.
– Second Best Short Documentary: An Eventual Calamity of Time, directed by Omkar Khandagale, who also received the kumar Talkies award for editing.
– Special Jury mentions: cinematography (No Space to Pray) and sound (At The Margins).

• Awards in short fiction films:

– Best Short Fiction: Onyl to You, I Surrender (Aditya Raj Bhargav).
– Second Best Short Fiction: An Orphanage of Memories (Rayit Hashmat Qazi).
– Special Jury mention went to film Pechi (Abilash Selvamani).

• Campus Films:

– Shruthil Mathew won Best Campus Short Film for his movie, Ura.

• Lifetime Achievement Award went to Rakesh Sharma for his contribution to documentary filmmaking, including works like Final Solution.
• Kerala Ministers Saji Cherian and P. Prasad presented the awards. A new film policy aimed at encouraging documentaries was announced.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The awards presented at IDSFFK reflect a growing recognition of independent filmmakers exploring diverse themes across genres such as human rights (Dalit Subbaiah) and introspective storytelling (Negative Remorse). This showcases India’s vibrant culture of documentary cinema that challenges societal norms while preserving narratives often overlooked.

Kerala’s initiative toward implementing a comprehensive film policy focused on promoting documentaries can substantially benefit filmmakers who struggle with funding or visibility in mainstream cinema spaces. Rakesh Sharma’s Lifetime Achievement recognition underscores the importance of politically charged filmmaking as a powerful tool for advocacy. these developments could elevate India’s status as an incubator for innovative storytelling through visual mediums.

Read more at the Hindu