Cannes 2024: Kani Kusruti flaunts a watermelon bag in solidarity with Palestine
Chidananda S Naik’s ‘Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know’ wins Cannes La Cinef Award for Best Short Film; Mansi Maheshwari’s ‘Bunnyhood’ secures third prize in same competition
Kani Kusruti, a cast member of Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, which was screened in the competition section of the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival, expressed her solidarity for Palestine by flaunting a handbag resembling a watermelon. On the red carpet, she proudly displayed the bag for the cameras. Meanwhile, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, a student film directed by Chidananda S Naik, won the Best Short Film award at the festival. Another Indian film, Bunnyhood, directed by Mansi Maheshwari, secured the third prize in the same competition.
On Monday, Cate Blanchett, the Oscar-winning Australian actress, made a powerful political statement by wearing a striking black off-shoulder Jean Paul Gaultier dress, designed by Haider Ackermann, on the premiere of The Apprentice. The dress’s black and green colours, when seen against the red carpet’s backdrop, closely resembled the Palestinian flag. This alignment was widely perceived as a deliberate act of support for Palestine, a sovereign state currently under attack by Israel. Blanchett’s sartorial choice and her use of the global stage to draw attention to the Palestinian cause sparked discussion and praise online.
A powerful statement
Remarkably, Kapadia’s film is the first Indian film to compete at Cannes in 30 years, and it marks a historic milestone as the first one by a woman Indian director in this category. The film received an enthusiastic response, earning an eight-minute standing ovation following its world premiere. The watermelon as a Palestinian symbol dates back to the aftermath of the Six-Day War of 1967, when Israel took control of the West Bank, Gaza, and annexed East Jerusalem. During this period, the Israeli government banned public displays of the Palestinian flag in Gaza and the West Bank, prompting the use of the watermelon as a substitute symbol.
Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam and Hridhu Haroon with Payal Kapadia (centre) at the Cannes film festival. Photos courtesy of Maxence Parey/Facebook/Festival de Cannes
Kusruti, a Malayali, delivered a statement that resonated louder than the chorus of social media support for Palestine. “Even while walking the red carpet to thunderous applause, holding onto that piece of watermelon is what we call politics,” observes Shibu Gopalakrishnan, a US-based Malayali engineer on Facebook. “Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha (her co-star in All We Imagine as Light) have brought pride to Kerala. Kani’s choice to flaunt the watermelon bag exemplifies Kerala’s political clarity. This is exciting for everyone as these women, including Kapadia, represent India with great distinction at an international event like this,” opined Dr. R. Bindu, the higher education minister of Kerala.
All We Imagine as Light is an Indo-French production that delves into the life of Prabha, a nurse portrayed by Kani Kusruti, who is taken by surprise when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Meanwhile, her younger friend and roommate, Anu, played by Divya Prabha, seeks a secluded spot to be with her lover. As the two women embark on a road trip to a beach town, they discover a space where their dreams and desires can flourish.
An outspoken actor
“The decision to award the Coppa Mussolini for Best Film to Luciano Serra, Pilot, an Italian war film produced under Mussolini’s supervision, and Best Foreign Film to Olympia, a German documentary associated with the Nazi Ministry of Propaganda, at the Venice Film Festival led to the establishment of an independent film festival by the French as a rebellion. In the same festival, which started in protest against the Holocaust, Kani’s protest against the bombing and killing of children in Gaza and the genocide of Palestinian people by carrying a watermelon handbag is an important turn of history that fills us all with pride,” says Sreejith Divakaran, journalist and script writer.
Kusruti, an accomplished theatre actor with international experience in European and South American productions, earned the Kerala State Government’s Best Actress Award for her role in the 2019 film Biriyani. Known for her bold choice of roles and outspokenness on political matters, she seamlessly blends her theatrical prowess with her expressive political views. Raised in an unconventional manner by feminist and rationalist social activist parents Dr. AK Jayasree and Maitreyan, Kani’s upbringing diverged from the norm; her parents chose not to assign her a surname. As she matured, Kani embraced her individuality by adopting the surname ‘Kusruti’.
Divya Prabha, remembered for her role in Mahesh Narayanan’s internationally acclaimed film Ariyippu (2022), along with Hridhu Haroon and Aseez Nedumangad, are among the other Malayalees involved in the film’s cast and crew, which also features Chhaya Kadam in a key role. The only Indian film to ever win the Palme d’Or, formerly known as the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film, is Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar (1946). Although Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen’s films were sporadically nominated, it was Sen’s 1982 domestic help drama Kharij that won the Jury Prize. In 1994, Malayalam director Shaji N Karun’s Swaham was the last film from India to compete for the Palme d’Or.