Pebbles (Koozhangal), Vinothraj PS’ Tamil directorial which is produced by Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan, became the first Tamil film to win the prestigious Tiger Award at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) on Sunday.
Announcing the news on their website, IFFR wrote that the jury has awarded €40,000 (Rs 3,511,378 approximately) to the “seemingly simple and humble” film.
The jury described the film as “a lesson in pure cinema”. “Although it deals with grueling poverty in the searing drought-ridden landscapes of southern India, it succeeded nonetheless in captivating the jury with its “beauty and humour”,” the website said.
Vogue quoted the Tiger Award jury saying, “In the midst of many admirable and ambitious works, the jury was blown away by a seemingly simple and humble film we fell in love with instantly. Creating a maximum impact with a minimum in means, the filmmaker reaches his goal with the same conviction and determination as his main characters. The result is a lesson in pure cinema, captivating us with its beauty and humor, in spite of its grim subject.”
Vignesh Shivan posted a video celebrating the win and said, “Koozhangal is the first Tamil film to win the Tiger competition award. Vinoth’s hard work has got him such a huge honour in his very first film. This is the first release from Rowdy Pictures, so we are immensely happy. We are feeling very, very blessed. Thank you for all your love and support. Thank you, Vinoth and team.”
Vinoth shared his excitement on Twitter and thanked his team.
Feeling emotional!!!Pebbles won the Tiger Award 2021. Our Hardwork, patience & Dream finally came true.Thank you all for your love and support.@IFFR @IFFRPRO @filmbazaarindia
@VigneshShivN #Nayanthara @Rowdy_Pictures @thisisysr @AmudhavanKar
@thecutsmaker @ParthiBDOP https://t.co/KSlvp44QtY— Vinothraj PS (@PsVinothraj) February 8, 2021
This year, the IFFR was held in two parts due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. From February 1 to 7, it was an online-only event. There are plans of a public festival to be held in June to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary.
