New Delhi, Sep 19 (UNI) 'A Night of Knowing Nothing', Mumbai-born Payal Kapadia's debut film set in the backdrop of students protest, has won the Amplify Voices Award for the best feature film by an under-represented filmmaker at the 46th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
“Payal Kapadia’s unique documentary balances the personal and political with a surprising snapshot of her home country. Shocking at times, but also sweeping in its beauty, 'A Night of Knowing Nothing' is a first feature that already demonstrates her strong voice as a filmmaker," said the Amplify Voices Awards jury statement at the awards ceremony held last night. The film tells the story of a young woman writing letters to her estranged lover.

The Amplify Voices Awards presented to three best feature films by under-represented filmmakers celebrates diversity, technique and passion that transports storytelling to the screen. All feature films in the TIFF official selection by emerging filmmakers of Black, indigenous and people of colour were eligible for the Amplify Voices Awards.
Instituted last year, the Amplify Voices Awards carry a cash prize of 10,000 Canadian dollars (about 5.7 lakh rupees) each. 'A Night of Knowing Nothing' by Kapadia, an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, had won the Golden Eye award for the Best Documentary Film at the Cannes festival in July.
The other winners of the Amplify Voices Awards this year were 'The Gravedigger’s Wife' by Finnish-Somali writer-director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed and 'Ste. Anne' directed by Rhayne Vermette for Best Canadian Feature Film. 'Scarborough' by Canadian directors Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson won a Special Mention from the Amplify Voices Awards jury. 'Scarborough' also won the festival's Changemaker Award for this year.
The prestigious People’s Choice Award of the festival this year went to 'Belfast' by British actor-director Kenneth Branagh. 'Scarborough' won the first-runner prize and New Zealand director Jane Campion's 'The Power of the Dog' won the second runner-up prize.
'The Rescue' by American directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin on the daring international rescue operation to save the 12 Thai junior football players and their coach trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand three years ago won the People’s Choice Documentary Award for this year. The first documentary runner-up is 'Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over' by Dave Wooley and David Heilbroner and the second runner-up 'Flee' by Jonas Poher Rasmussen.
The TIFF 2021 People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award winner is 'Titane' by French director Julia Ducournau. The first runner-up is 'You Are Not My Mother' by Kate Dolan and the second runner-up 'DASHCAM' by Rob Savage.
The festival's Platform Prize went to 'Yuni' by Indonesian filmmaker Kamila Andini. South African film 'Mlungu Wam' (Good Madam) by Jenna Cato Bass won an honourable mention from the jury headed by Oscar-nominated Pakistani-origin British actor Riz Ahmed.
TIFF co-heads Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey said this year brought "an exceptional selection of films" that excited festival audiences around the world. "Our lineup showcased beloved auteurs alongside fresh voices in filmmaking, including numerous women powerhouses. TIFF welcomed guest press, industry, international stars, and directors back to the city and into cinemas," they added.
"The sweeping range in cinematic storytelling from around the world is a testament to the uniqueness of the films that are being made. We’re so grateful and proud of this year’s festival," said Vicente and Bailey. The Toronto festival concluded last night with the screening of Chinese director Zhang Yimou's 'One Second'.
The Toronto festival, which began on September 9, was held in the hybrid format this year with in-person and digital screenings.
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