An Indian documentary, All That Breathes, has won the L'Oeil d'or, or Golden Eye Award, at the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
The film, that won the best documentary award, has been directed by Shaunak Sen. It follows the lives of two brothers who run a hospital in Delhi to treat injured black kites.
“In one of the world’s most populated cities, where cows, rats, monkeys, frogs, and hogs jostle cheek-by-jowl with people, the “Kite Brothers” care for thousands of these mesmerizing creatures that drop daily from New Delhi’s smog-choked skies,” HBO, which has picked up the film, said in a synopsis.
It added: “As environmental toxicity and civil unrest escalate, the relationship between this family and the neglected kites forms a poetic chronicle of the city’s collapsing ecology and deepening social fault lines.”
The jury that chose ‘All That Breathes’ for the award said the film was reminder that in a world of destruction, every life and every small action mattered, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“You can grab your camera, you can save a bird, you can hunt for some moments of stealing beauty, it matters. It’s an inspirational journey in observation of three Don Quixotes who may not save the whole world but do save their world,” the jury added.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur congratulated the team of All That Breathes for the award.
“I am sure, this will inspire other Indian documentary makers to make it big at the world stage,” the minister added in his tweet.
Film critic Raja Sen said: "First Sundance. Then Cannes. All That Breathes. All that wins. So proud of you, Shaunak Sen."
