Veteran Tamil filmmaker Bharatiraja will be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the 3rd Singapore South Asian International Film Festival( SAIFF) on 30 August 2019.
He made his debut in 1977 with 16 Vayathinile and is known for realistic and sensitive portrayals of rural life in his films.
16 Vayathinile is regarded as a milestone in the history of Tamil cinema. Despite receiving criticism early on in his career that his work catered only to village audiences, Bharathiraja changed the narrative with Sigappu Rojakkal.
Advertisement
A film about a psychopathic woman-hater that was totally different in terms of both conception and production.
After that the veteran continued to experiment with genres and experimental films. Some of his work has dealt with class, caste and issues that permeate the society that have been naturalized since forever.
The six-time National Award winner is also a Padma Shri awardee and has won numerous accolades on various occasions in the past.
The jury panel, chaired by Roger Garcia, will include eminent film personalities like Indian actor- director and cinematographer Suhasini Maniratnam, director Sabiha Sumar from Pakistan, Director Rasoul Sadr Ameli from Iran and actress Yashoda Wimaladharma from Sri Lanka.
“With such distinguished film personalities as part of the jury, we are happy that they chose a hugely respected filmmaker P. Bharathiraja to confer lifetime achievement award,” Abhayanand Singh, Chairman of the SAIFF told IANS.
Advertisement
