Kurseong director Vivek Rai’s short film ‘Shanti’ selected for Serbian festival

Shanti, a Nepali short film by Kurseong director Vivek Rai, has been selected for the best film category at the prestigious Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival (KIFMF), which will be held in Serbia next month.

KIFMF, which was founded by prominent film director Emir Kusturica, has in the past seen the attendance of famous Hollywood actors such as Johnny Depp, Monica Bellucci and Jim Jarmusch, even though the film festival does not feature much in the parade of Hollywood A-listers.

The festival’s founder, Kusturica, is also a two-time winner of the Palme d’Or – the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival – for When Father Was Away on Business (1985) and Underground (1995). In 1988, he won the Best Director Award for The Times of Gypsy.

“This came as a huge surprise. I am completely overwhelmed with happiness. This is the first Indian film to make it to the prestigious Kustendorf Festival. I feel like eight years of hard work is finally paying off,” said Vivek, 39.

The festival will be held in Drvengrad, Serbia between 23 and 27 January
Vivek with Shanti’s cinematographer Rajiv
This will include Runthala from Mumbai.