Screen queen and Parliamentarian Malani Fonseka added another feather to her cap when she won the best actress award at the 2012 SAARC Film Festival held in Colombo last week.

Malani won the award for her role in Prasanna Vithanage’s Akasa Kusum which incidentally won the Best Feature Film Trophy.

The SAARC Film Festival concluded with some of the best films in the region being acknowledged and awarded. The SAARC Film Festival was held at the National Film Corporation Cinema Hall, organized by the SAARC Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka.

This year brought in nominations from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Documentary and Feature films were screened daily from May 16 to 20 with well known film directors from Singapore, Iran and Russia participating as adjudicators at the Regional Film Awards.

The festival also included a workshop on “Film Vs Digital – The Impending Extinction of the celluloid cinema, and the challenges ahead”, with panelists, Dr. . B. Nihalsingha, Chandran Rutnam and Vimukthi Jayasundara and Keynote Speaker Phillip Cheah from Singapore.

 

2012 SAARC Film Awards List

Best Feature Film ( Trophy)

“Akasa Kusum” – Sri Lanka – Directed by Prasanna Vithanage

Best Feature Film ( Silver)

“Ram Chand Pakistani” – Pakistan - Directed by Mehreen Jabbar

Best Feature Film ( Bronze)

“Byari” – India- Directed by K.P. Suveeran


Best Documentary Film (Trophy):

 “Saving Face” – Pakistan – Directed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Runner up Documentary

“The Great School Teacher” – Sri Lanka – Directed by Mayri Wanaguru
 
 
Best Actress

Malani Fonseka/Sri Lanka/”Akasa Kusum”
 
Best Actor

Manzar Sehbai/Pakistan –“Bol”

Rashid Farooqi/Pakistan –“Ram Chand Pakistani”
 
Best Director

Morshedul Islam/Bangladesh/”Khelaghar”




Pakistan triumphs with Best Documentary and Silver Medal for the Best Feature Film

Pakistan won its first SAARC Film Award on Sunday night for the documentary “Saving Face” that chronicles the work of a British plastic surgeon who rebuilds the faces of women disfigured by acid attacks.  Another Pakistani movie nominated for the Awards was Mehreen Jabbar’s directed Raam Chand Pakistani, which bagged Silver Medal in the Best Feature Film category.

The Awards for the Best Documentary of the year, and Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in SAARC region were received on behalf of Pakistan by High Commisioner Seema Ilahi Balloch.

Another honour for Pakistan was the awards for Best Actor which went to Manzar Sehbai, and Rashid Farooqi for their roles in Bol and Ram Chand Pakistani respectively.