SHE Short Film Festival

The Jatayu Rama Cultural Centre organised ‘SHE’ Short Film Festival under the aegis of Sri Jatayu Rama Temple on the themes of “S”trength, “H”onour, and “E”mpowerment of women. The event focused on creating awareness with regard to women safety and promoting the multi-faceted aspects of womanhood as a whole.

More than 150 short films, each created within the duration of 10 minutes, were examined by a 10-member jury panel headed by the veteran actress Shrimati Menaka Suresh. Entries were shortlisted by the panel after meticulous screening. Winners were announced by the renowned Director Shri Priyadarshan, in the presence of Head Juror Shrimati Menaka Suresh, Producer Shri Suresh Kumar, Director and the Convenor of SHE Short Film Festival Shri Sreevallabhan, and the Co-ordinators of SHE Short Film Festival Shri Sarath Chandra Mohan & Shri Anand J. S. at Thiruvananthapuram Press Club.

The winners of SHE Short Film Festival are as follows:

1. First Prize – Karuvaraiyin Kanavukal, Directed by Mr. Sarath Sunder
2. Second Prize – Detox, Directed by Mr. Anoop Narayanan
3. Third Prize – Chhatra, Directed by Mr. Job Master
4. Best Content – Rituyagna, Directed by Mr. Shreyas S. R.
5. Best Director – Mr. Sarath Sunder, for the Movie “Karuvaraiyin Kanavukal”
6. Best Actor – Dr. Anand Shankar, for the Movie “Detox”
7. Best Actress – Ms. Shivani Menon, for the Movie “Karuvaraiyin Kanavukal”
8. Best Editing – Mr. Miljo Johnny, for the Movie “AVAR”
9. Best Cinematography – Salman Faris, for the Movie “AVAR”
10. Best Music – Vipin Vincent, for the Movie “Srishti”
11. Special Mention Awards

Direction

1. Mr. Udayan Punchakari, for the Movie “Yellow Button”
2. Ms. M. S. Dhwani, for the Movie “Urava”

Female character

1. Ms. Aishwarya Anilkumar, for the Movie “Karuvaraiyin Kanavukal”
2. Ms. Madhurima Murali, for the Movie “Oridathoru Aan Penkuty”

Photography: Mr. Shivan S Sangeeth

Film: Thuna

Screenplay & Direction:

1. Varsha Pramod, for the Movie “Bala”
2. Bijudas, for the Movie “Devi”
3. Rajasekharan Nair & Suneesh Neendoor, for the Movie “Voyour”

The legengary actors of Malayalam Film Industry namely Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Jayaram, Arya, Kunchacko Boban, Rahman, Manju Warrier, Mamta Mohandas, Aparna Balamurali, Anu Sithara, Esther Anil, Regina Cassandra, Rashi Khanna, Khushboo Sundar, Ambika, Radha, Ranjini, Parvathi Jayaram, Madhubala, Portuguese Writer & Director Margarida Moreira, renowned filmmaker-writer-actor Ken Holmes, award-winning Irish-British actress Ivana Grahowac, British actor Christopher David Johnson, British actresses Alice Park-Davies and Veronica Jean Trickett, American actor Fred Padilla, and various internationally acclaimed filmmakers and artists, and people from various walks of life had shared their support for the Festival on social media, including Facebook.

Sugathakumari last spoke for ‘SHE’ Short Film Festival, narrated the story of Jatayu – a warrior who sacrificed his life to help a woman in distress, and emphasised that it was not enough to merely talk about women’s safety but to pay an appropriate attention.

The jury panel consisted of Jalaja, M. R. Gopakumar, Viji Thampi, Kireedam Unni, Thulasidas, Venu Nair, Radhakrishnan, Kaladharan, and Girija Sethunath. Priyadarshan, G. Suresh Kumar, Suresh Gopi, Major Ravi, Rajasenan, Rajeev Anchal, Musician Prof. K. Omanakutty and others were part of the Advisory Board.

The award ceremony was conduted at Uday Palace Convention Centre in Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram, on 05^th December 2021 at 05:30 PM, presided by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting – Shri L. Murugan Ji as Chief Guest. The leading actors Sushri Keerthy Suresh and Shri Tovino Thomas graced the occasion as the Guests of Honour.