Sri Lankan director Lalith Rathnayake’s “Riverstone” claimed the Golden Cyclo, the top prize at the 32nd Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, which concluded Feb. 3 following a week-long showcase of Asian cinema in the French town.
The international jury, presided over by Chinese director Wang Bing and including Korean director Shin Su-won, Iranian producer Katayoon Shahabi, and French director, producer and screenwriter Joël Farges, recognized the film for its examination of political crisis in Asia and its impact on ordinary citizens. According to the jury’s citation, the drama demonstrates how “the serious crisis of political power in Asia threatens the survival of ordinary people” while reflecting “the current situation on the continent.”
The jury praised the performances and noted that Rathnayake “fully expressed the humanistic spirit” of the adapted work, singling out the film’s “sharp criticism of contemporary politics” as a contributing factor to its victory. The film previously won top awards at the Shanghai and Singapore film festivals.
Wang Bing also received the festival’s Honorary Golden Cyclo from the Vesoul Urban Community and City of Vesoul.
Kyrgyzstan’s “Kurak,” co-directed by Erke Dzhumakmatova and Emil Atageldiev, secured the Grand Prize of the Jury for what the panel described as its “subject importance and universality.” The jury commended the film as “accomplished in every cinematic respect,” highlighting both the performances and direction. Atageldiev died in 2024. “Kurak” won top prizes at Busan last year.
The Jury Prize went to Taiwanese filmmaker Tsao Shih-han’s “Before the Bright Day,” which also earned the Netpac Jury Prize. The film centers on a boy navigating fears of war and violence while growing up in an abusive household and struggling with school life, set against a middle-class Taiwanese family facing economic hardship. The jury noted the director’s skillful contrast between stillness and movement, with the protagonist “frozen” inside the violent home but “constantly on the move” outside, seemingly attempting to escape a world of conflict.
The Netpac jury, led by Indian festival programmer Raman Chawla, praised the film’s “sophisticated blend of historical scale and domestic drama, navigating the divide between national crisis and personal growth with cinematic precision and heart.”
The international jury also awarded two special mentions: a first special mention to Iranian filmmaker Abbas Nezamdoost’s “Duality” for its original cinematic approach, and a second special mention to Thai director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit’s Venice prizewinner “Human Resource” for its direction.
“Human Resource” went on to collect the Marc Haaz Jury Prize. The unanimous jury decision recognized the film’s exploration of pregnancy and bodily autonomy, noting its “understated narration, nuanced performances, and precise, rigorous visual and sound design.” The panel highlighted the film’s central question about how “an ordinary woman” experiencing pregnancy finds “her body become a social body, exposed to the gaze, judgement and control of others.”
The Critics’ Jury Prize also went to “Kurak,” with the panel citing the filmmakers’ “courage in tackling a painful topical issue with careful direction.” “Riverstone” received a special mention from the same jury for its psychological exploration of justice and conscience, supported by strong lead performance and cinematography.
The Prize of the Friends of Émile Guimet went to “Riverstone,” with the jury praising it as a road trip film featuring a confrontation between an empathetic prisoner and three police officers, representing an “inverted duality between good and evil.” The jury noted the unexpected pacing and cinematography. Indian director Tannishtha Chatterjee‘s “Full Plate” received a special mention from the same jury for its portrayal of women’s lives across different social and religious backgrounds in India, with the panel highlighting the film’s depiction of sisterhood and hope.
“Full Plate” also claimed the Public’s Choice Award for Feature Film. The documentary prize went to Bernard Louargant’s French film “Li Chevalier, Encre et Âme.”
In the youth categories, “Kurak” took the High School Jury Prize, while Palestinian filmmaker Alaa damo’s “Hassan” won the Youth Jury Prize.
The festival’s 33rd edition is scheduled for Feb. 2-9, 2027.
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