Lithuania’s ‘Toxic’ Wins Golden Peacock at IFFI 2024

The debut feature film “Toxic” by Saule Bliuvaite, a Lithuanian drama, recently took home the prestigious Golden Peacock award for best film at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). During the festival’s closing ceremony in Goa, the film also earned the best actress award, which was shared between co-leads Vesta Matulyte and Ieva Rupeikaite.

“**Toxic**” tells the story of two teenage girls from a dreary industrial town who decide to enroll in an extreme local modeling school. The film, featuring a cast of non-actors, premiered at Locarno in August, where it snagged the Golden Leopard for best film, along with the best first feature award.

Another highlight of the festival was the best director award, which went to Romania’s Bogdan Muresanu for the tragicomedy “**The New Year That Never Came**.” This win came on the heels of the film being awarded best film at the Cairo International Film Festival.

Additionally, the French coming-of-age drama “**Holy Cow**” also had a successful run at the festival, with director Louise Courvoisier winning the special jury award and Clement Favreau taking home the best actor award. The film premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes.

US filmmaker Sarah Friedland’s “**Familiar Touch**” was named the best debut for a feature film director. The film explores a woman’s transition to assisted living and its impact on her identity and desires. It had previously won accolades at the Venice Film Festival.

A special mention for best male actor went to Tunisia’s Adam Bessa for his performance in Meryam Joobeur’s “**Who Do I Belong To**.” Bessa was recognized as one of Screen’s Arab Stars of Tomorrow in 2022.

In addition to the film awards, the festival also saw acclaimed Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce being honored with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award, while Indian actor Vikrant Massey was named Personality of the Year.

The festival, organized by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the National Film Development Corporation of India, featured over 200 films from 75 countries and included masterclasses and panel discussions. The industry market Film Bazaar also ran alongside IFFI, providing a platform for networking and collaboration.

Overall, the 55th IFFI was a celebration of diverse cinema and talent, with a range of awards recognizing outstanding contributions to the world of film.