Home » News » Kanu Behl’s 'Agra' receives a five-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival
Kanu Behl’s 'Agra' receives a five-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival
"Agra" is Kanu Behl’s second film to have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. His debut film, "Titli", premiered at Cannes in 2014 under the Un Certain Regard section
May 27, 2023
A poster of Agra, (right) Kanu Behl
Award-winning filmmaker Kanu Behl is on cloud nine, and rightfully so. The filmmaker is at the ongoing 76th Cannes Film Festival with his Hindi feature film "Agra", the premiere of which was recently held at Directors’ Fortnight, an independent section of the Cannes Film Festival, 2023.
Read also: Kanu Behl at Cannes 2023: India needs a fresh story to be represented on a global platform
And he is thrilled with the overwhelming response the film has received. And why not, since "Agra" received a 5-minute standing ovation.
The premiere was attended by a large section of Indian and international media, along with those who had reserved their seats well in advance.
Speaking about the honour he received, an overwhelmed Kanu said, "It was overwhelming to see a story that took me on a very personal journey received with such love and warmth on the global stage. 'Agra' reflects a very specific milieu, but the story it tells about the politics of sexual repression and the tangled skeins of desire, is universal, and that's what the audiences responded to."
He added, "I feel truly rewarded that the film's journey has begun on such an uplifting note. To see it being celebrated in the prestigious Director’s Fortnight at Cannes gives me hope that it will open the way for difficult conversations about things we don't address in our homes."
"Agra" is Kanu Behl’s second film to have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. His debut film, "Titli", premiered at Cannes in 2014 under the Un Certain Regard section.
Written by Kanu and Atika Chohan, the film is an exploration of sexual dynamics within a family, and the deep dystopian fractures created in a modern India fast shrinking into pigeon-holed spaces.
It was developed at the PJLF Three Rivers residency programme in Italy, with the prestigious ‘Cinema du Monde’ film fund backing it.
The film was also part of the FBR section of the Viewing Room at NFDC’s Film Bazaar, 2022.
An Indo-French co-production by Saregama India Ltd, UFO Production, and O28 Films, "Agra" is the only Indian feature film in the Directors' Fortnight.
The festival, highlighting independent films from throughout the world in a free-spirited, non-competitive selection, began on May 16, 2023, and will last until today, May 27, 2023.
"Agra" stars Rahul Roy, Priyanka Bose, Mohit Agarwal, Ruhani Sharma, Vibha Chibber, Sonal Jha, and Aanchal Goswami in pivotal roles.
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