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Goa, 28 November 2023

French, British and Greek co-production Drift directed by Anthony Chen received the prestigious ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at 54th International Film Festival of India. The film is an emotional portrait of an immigrant woman who seems condemned to wander by the traumatic and terrible reality of human madness. The award was announced at the grand Closing Ceremony of the festival at Goa today.

The main protagonist ‘Jacqueline’ played by Cynthia Erivo in Drift is a young refugee who lands alone and penniless on a Greek island where she tries to survive, then to cope with her past. While gathering her strength, she begins a friendship with a rootless tour guide played by Alia Shawkat and together they find the resilience to forge ahead. The film portrays how drifting through life's uncertainties can lead to unexpected bonds. Selecting this heart touching movie for the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal, jury observed that it draws the lines of hope and resilience.

A still from the movie Drift

Mr Serge Michel, Vice President, ICFT-UNESCO and  Ms Xueyuan Hun, Director of the Platform for Creativity & Innovation (PCI), ICFT-UNESCO were felicitated by Mr Prithul Kumar, Festival Director during the closing ceremony.  

Drift had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 22 January 2023. The film is based on the novel ‘A Marker To Measure Drift’ by Alexander Maksik. Alexander Maksik along with Susanne Farrell co-scripted the film. Ten films from across the globe competed for the coveted the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal this year at IFFI.

Established by ICFT Paris and UNESCO, the Gandhi Medal is a yearly tribute presented at IFFI to a film that best mirrors Mahatma Gandhi's vision of peace, non-violence, compassion and universal brotherhood. Since its inception in 2015 at the 46^th IFFI this award has celebrated films embodying these enduring values.

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PIB Team IFFI | Rajith/Bibin/Darshana | IFFI 54 - 089