The Suvarna Chakoram and Rs 15 lakhs for the Best Film was awarded to the director Carlos Gaviria for the Spanish film, “Portraits in a Sea of Lies” at the closing ceremony of the 15th International Film Festival of Kerala. The best Malayalam film was awarded to Dr. Biju’s Veetilekkulla Vazhi. The awards were presented by the President of the festival at the Nishagandhi auditorium in the closing ceremony of the 15th IFFK. Well-known film maker Santhosh Shivan and his wife, the renowned cine artiste Suhasini were the chief guests of the function.

The best Malayalam film by the FIPRESCI was presented to the Lenin Rajendran film, “Makaramanju”.The Hassankutty award for the best Indian debut film constituted by Ms Mira Nair has been won by “Chitra Suthram” directed by Vipin Vijay.

The NETPAC Award for the best Malayalam film has been awarded to “Veetilekkulla Vazhi” directed by Dr. Biju “for its brave approach to a problem, terrorism, which, aside from India worries the whole world and for the message full of humanity present in the entire film”.

The best film at the IFFK, “Portraits in a Sea of Lies” tells the story of two cousins who take a journey to recover their grandfather’s land in a civil war-torn Columbia. The screenplay and editing of this film is also by the director, Carlos Gaviria. The Rajata Chakoram for the Best Director in Competition has been awarded to the Argentinian director Julia Solomonoff for “The Last Summer of La Boyita”. The director wins a cash prize of Rs 4 lakhs and a Certificate.

The Rajata Chakoram for the Best Debut film in Competition, having a cash prize of Rs 3 lakhs and a certificate has been awarded to the Turkish film “Zephyr” by Belma Bas. The Rajata Chakoram for the Audience Award with a cash prize of Rs 2 lakhs and a certificate has been bagged by the film “The Japanese Wife”.

The NETPAC Award for the Best Asian film goes to “I am Afiya Megha Abhimanyu Omar” directed by Onir Anirban from India. the FIPRESCI Award for the best film in Competition has been bagged by “Buried Secrets/ Dowaha” of the Tunisian filmmaker Raja Amari.

The function was presided by Ministers Binoy Viswam and M.Vijayakumar along with Chalachitra Academy Chairman K.R.Mohanan, Vice Chairman, V.K.Joseph, Secretary, S.Sreekumar and Ms Bina Paul Venugopal, the Festival Director of International Film Festival of Kerala.