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Vinod Kapri's 'Pyre' wins three major US awards in one week
'Pyre' tells the story of Padam and Tulsi, an elderly couple living in a remote Himalayan village left behind by younger generations.
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Pranavi Sharma - Wed, 17, Sep 2025
- 00:58 EDT
- 21
Vinod Kapri’s awards for his film 'Pyre' and poster of the film. / Courtesy Photo
Indian filmmaker Vinod Kapri’s 'Pyre' won three major awards in the United States in just one week, adding to its growing list of international recognitions.
At the 14th DC South Asian Film Festival earlier this month, 'Pyre' received the Best Feature Film Award. Days later, it secured both Best Feature Film and Best Director at the 8th India International Film Festival of Boston. The film will be next screened at the 16th Chicago South Asian Film Festival on Sept. 21, where it is competing for Best Film.
The US honors come after a strong run in Europe. In July, 'Pyre' won the Grand Jury Best Feature Film Award, known as the “German Star of India Award,” at the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart. Within the same month, it picked up three Audience Choice Awards across Germany, Spain, and the UK.
'Pyre' tells the story of Padam and Tulsi, an elderly couple living in a remote Himalayan village left behind by younger generations. Their lives, marked by solitude and uncertainty, shift when a letter arrives from their estranged son after three decades. The film’s cast includes non-professional actors Padam Singh, 80, and Heera Devi, 70, both residents of the Himalayas.
Vinod Kapri’s 'Pyre' won three major awards in the United States in just one week. / Courtesy PhotoViewers at the DC Film Festival screening praised the film’s authenticity and performances. One said, “It reminded me of these two characters waiting for somebody. It was so full of ethos, it reminded me of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.” Another described it as “an amazing movie” and added, “I think it’s worthy of going to the Oscars. The moviemaking reminded me of Satyajit Ray.”
Others highlighted the naturalism of the cast. “I am still trying to digest that they were non-actors because there is no awkwardness,” one audience member remarked. Another said, “What moved me was the comfort that the couple actually found in their surroundings. The connection they had with where they were living is so rare to see, especially for us in urban settings.”
'Pyre' brings together an international creative team, including Academy Award-winning composer Michael Danna and Amrita Vaz on music, editors Patricia Rommel and Subhajit Singha, and poet-lyricist Gulzar. It is produced by Kapri and Sakshi Joshi.
The film premiered at the Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival in November 2024, where it was the only Indian film in competition and won the Audience Choice Award for Best Film. Since then, it has been showcased at festivals in India, Belgium, the UK, and the US.
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