The First Film - الفيلم الأول
20 minutes | India | 2023
Synopsis
In a small town of 1960s India, deep-rooted in orthodox traditions, cinema is believed to corrupt young minds and women have been forbidden to watch films. Devi, a 14-year-old girl, is obsessed with films and dreams of watching a film in the theatre. Her neighbor, Mohan, a 14-year-old mute cinephile boy, narrates stories from his favorite films to her at night. When an unforeseen incident shakes their world, Devi has one last chance to pursue her dream. The First Film celebrates friendship, courage, and the magic of cinema.
Director Biography - Piyush Thakur
Piyush Thakur is a National Film Award-winning filmmaker from Mumbai and an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). He is the recipient of the Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus), presented by the President of India - the country’s highest recognition for cinema. His student short THE REAL MILLIONAIRE (Khara Karodpati) was nominated for the International Grand Prix at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and screened at more than 75 festivals worldwide. He represented India at the International Student Film Camp in Serbia and was later selected for the Kyoto Filmmakers Lab in Japan and Platform Busan in Korea.
His latest short, THE FIRST FILM, went on to win two National Film Awards, including Best Direction. It premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival and has since traveled across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, earning multiple jury and audience awards.