Toronto, Canada — Vivek Chaudhary’s documentary I, Poppy, which explores the life of an activist son confronting systemic corruption in India while his mother manages their family’s poppy farm, earned the best international feature award at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival on Friday night. This recognition highlights a significant achievement for Chaudhary, as the film had its world premiere at the festival.
Winning the top jury prize grants I, Poppy eligibility for the best documentary feature category at the upcoming Academy Awards. This victory also continues a trend, marking the second consecutive year that an Indian protest documentary has garnered this prestigious award at Hot Docs. Last year, Nishta Jain’s Farming the Revolution, spotlighting Indian farmers protesting against controversial new laws, claimed the same honor.
Hot Docs 2023 also acknowledged other notable works. The special jury prize for an international feature documentary went to Sasha Wortzel’s River of Grass, addressing environmental and socio-economic challenges within the Florida Everglades.
In addition, the award for best emerging international filmmaker was shared by Amilcar Infante and Sebastian Gonzalez Mendez for their documentary Unwelcomed, which looks at the migrant crisis in Chile following significant anti-immigrant protests triggered by an influx of Venezuelans. Best Canadian feature documentary honors were awarded to Amalie Atkins for Agatha’s Almanac, depicting the life of a resilient Mennonite woman on her ancestral farm in southern Manitoba.
Denis Cote received the special jury prize for a Canadian feature documentary with Paul, which examines a young man’s journey through domestic chores amidst struggles with depression and social anxiety. The documentary had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, drawing attention to unique social issues.
Talal Afifi and Giovanna Stopponi won the best social impact documentary award for Khartoum, highlighting the experiences of displaced Sudanese filmmakers as they dramatize their country’s turmoil stemming from civil unrest.
In total, 14 awards were presented during the celebration in Toronto, with the festival continuing through Sunday, May 4.
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