Aadujeevitham, a Malayalam film adapted from the novel Goat Days, portrays the harrowing journey of Najeeb Muhammed, a migrant worker stranded in the Saudi Arabian desert.

Directed by Blessy and led by Prithviraj Sukumaran’s captivating performance, the film resonates with raw emotion and showcases the resilience of the human spirit. Despite its slow pacing and occasional predictability, the cinematography captures the desolate splendour of the desert, enhancing the narrative’s depth.

A. R. Rahman’s music elevates the film to ethereal heights, infusing each scene with captivating beauty. The film delivers a powerful message of hope and redemption through Najeeb’s struggles and triumphs. It stands as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

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For every Indian cinema fan, the voice of the jury president, Emily Morgan, would have sounded the sweetest when she came on stage to announce (in Spanish), “For having a singular and opportune socio-political vision and for delving into an existing local story with universal scope, central around an honest and touching friendship, the jury of Kutxbank New Director’s Award proudly bestows Bahadur – The Brave by Diwa Shah with this esteemed honour.”

During the yesteryears, the Indian names that had echoed from the stage of the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain had been those of Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen or Mira Nair, but it was for the very first time at the 71st edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival that a debutant film director’s name received an applause from the august audience. I mention just the name because young Diwa Shah was not there in person to receive her award.

Of the various ways that tragedies can take place, Diwa had only a single entry visa for Spain which had already been utilised, and despite learning about the nomination of her film at the last moment, she did not have enough time to secure another Spanish visa.

Tragedies, however, are a part of life, and it was one such tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic that became an inspiration for Diwa to delve into the difficult life of the Nepali load carriers who leave their homes and go miles away from their families to earn a living and support their families.

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