Filmmaker Payal Kapadia will be honored with a Spotlight Program along with the prestigious Mind the Gap Award for her groundbreaking work in global cinema, at the 47th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF47).
“There’s a notable new generation of independent filmmakers in the Indian film industry currently–an Indian Indies movement, with Payal Kapadia proving herself a substantial talent in this arena,” said Zoë Elton, MVFF Director of Programming. “Also notable is her presence at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Not only because it’s been 30 years since the festival included a film from India. But also, the first time narrative filmmaker who is also a woman is a rare breed for the main competition. And then: she won the Grand Prix, having shattered several glass ceilings along the way, making her a perfect match as a role model–and Mind the Gap Award winner.”
The Spotlight Program will feature a special screening of Kapadia’s latest film, All We Imagine as Light, a poignant exploration of identity, memory, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. Known for her evocative storytelling and innovative approach to visual narrative, Kapadia has garnered international recognition for pushing boundaries and illuminating the power of personal and political storytelling. Following the screening, Kapadia will participate in an in-depth conversation, offering attendees insight into her creative process and the vision behind her celebrated body of work.
The Mind the Gap Award is part of MVFF’s ongoing initiative to amplify voices and perspectives often underrepresented in the film industry. Previous honorees include filmmakers and artists whose contributions to cinema resonate with audiences and inspire future generations.
Previous recipients include notable talents such as Emerald Fennell, Chinonye Chukwu and Danielle Deadwyler, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jane Campion, Viola Davis, Dawn Porter, Céline Sciamma, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Carrie Mulligan, among others.
Payal Kapadia is a Mumbai-based filmmaker who studied Film Direction at the Film & Television Institute of India. Her short films Afternoon Clouds and And What Is the Summer Saying premiered at the Cinéfondation and the Berlinale, respectively. Her first feature, A Night of Knowing Nothing, won the Golden Eye for Best Documentary at the 2021 Director’s Fortnight. Her latest work, All We Imagine as Light, claimed the 2024 Cannes Film Festival’s Grand Prix.