August 7, 2012 - 19:44 AMT
Osian's Cinefan Film Fest honors best of Asian, Arab cinema

The 12th Osian's Cinefan Film Festival concluded Sunday night in New Delhi with an awards ceremony that honored the best of Asian and Arab cinema, The Hollywood Reporter said.

The Audience and FIPRESCI Awards went to Hansa by Manav Kaul, revolving around a young girl living in a mystical Himalayan village. The festival's Indian competition section awarded the best film to Ajay Bahl's B.A. Pass, an edgy “Delhi-noir” drama, which also saw the film's lead Shadab Kamal winning best actor.

Ajita Suchitra Veera won best director for her film Ballad of Rustom while best actress went to Rii for Cosmic Sex. The Indian competition's special jury award went to Patang by Prashant Bhargava.

The best film for the Asian and Arab competition was won by Turkey's Inside directed by Zeki Demirkubuz, while the best director went to Faouzi Bensaidi for French-Moroccan title Death For Sale.

The section's best actress and actor awards went to Taraneh Alidousti and Mani Haghighi for their turn as a couple on a road trip in Iranian production Modest Reception, directed by Mani Haghighi.

The special jury prize for the Asian and Arab competition went to Indonesian film Postcards from the Zoo, directed by Edwin while the special mention award went to Japan's Milocrorze: A Love Story, directed by Yoshimasa Ishibashi.

The festival's best film in the shorts competition was won by Turkey's Silent by L Rezan Yesilbas with the special mention award going to another Turkish entry, The Bus by Olgu Baran Kubilay.

Turkey continued its winning streak with a best film win in the first features competition for Beyond The Hill by Elmin Alper while the special mention award went to Thailand's In April The Following Year There Was A Fire.

The festival closed with Bengali film-maker Rituparno Ghosh's Chitrangada, described as “one of the most radical explorations in Indian cinema about the freedom to choose one’s gender and sexual orientation.”

Cinefan is organized by Mumbai-based arts body Osian's which also held an exhibition and auction of vintage Indian film memorabilia during the festival.