ROME: Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider — a modern-day adaptation of Hamlet — won the People’s Choice Award in the Mondo Genre (world genre) at the ninth edition of Rome Film Festival.
Haider also premiere in Italy on October 24. “It truly affirms our belief that good cinema can transcend boundaries and this award puts Haider on the global map,” Amrita Pandey, vice president and head of marketing and distribution — Disney Studios India, said in a statement.
Out of the seven films including A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (US), Quando Eu Era Vivo/ When I Was Alive (Brazil) and La Prochaine Fois Je Viserai Le Coeur/ Next Time I’ll Aim For The Heart (France), which featured under the genre, Haider was the only Asian film selected across the globe.
This is the first time an Indian film has won the audience award in a non-specialised (non-focused on Asian cinema) wide-ranging international festival.
It was a proud moment for Bhardwaj, who shared his excitement, saying, “Haider is a classic Shakespearean tale retold with Kashmir in India as its backdrop; it’s a story that we would like to take to the world and to get this award now is a proud moment for the entire team of Haider.”
The People’s Choice Award at the Rome Film Festival was won by Dallas Buyers Club in 2013 and The Motel Life in 2012.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2014.
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