After making history for India at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2024, filmmaker Payal Kapadia's movie All We Imagine as Light has been shortlisted to represent France at the Oscars 2025.
Kapadia, an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), made her directorial debut with this film, bringing significant recognition to the country. She is the first Indian woman director to compete in the festival's main competition and the first Indian to win the Grand Prix award.
The film tells the story of two Malayali nurses living in Mumbai, featuring a talented cast that includes Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon, Azees Nedumangad, and Tintumol Joseph in key roles.
All We Imagine as Light is particularly notable as it marks the first Indian film in 30 years—and the first directed by an Indian woman—to be showcased in the main competition for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The film premiered on May 23, receiving an enthusiastic eight-minute standing ovation from the audience at the end of its screening.