Tamil films that have won awards at international film festivals

We take a look at the Tamil films from the last 10 years that have won awards at the international level.

Vinothraj PS's Koozhangal is a stunning drama involving a drunkard father and his son, stars newcomers Karuththadaiyan and Chella Pandi. Backed by Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan, it is the first Tamil film to win the Tiger Award at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam.

A meditation on what it means to be a Muslim in India, debutant Arun Karthick's film captured a day in the life of an ordinary Muslim man living in Coimbatore. It won the NETPAC award for Best Asian Film premiering at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam and also bagged the Grand Prix at the 14th Andrei Tarkovsky Zerkalo International Film Festival, Russia.

This feel-good film about the bond that an elderly man forms with a street-smart orphan is a delightful journey filled with laughs, sadness, love, fear, and even the odd angry moment. It won the Jury Award at the Singapore South Asian Film Festival, the Best Director award (for Madhumita) at the UK Asian Film Festival, and the Best Child Actor award (Nagavishal) at the Asian American International Film Festival. It was also screened at the UK Asian Film Festival among other fests internationally.

An uncompromising, hard-hitting and spine-chilling account of abuse of power, Visaaranai had Vetri Maaran in prime form. It was the first Tamil film to premiere at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival, where it won two awards — Orizzonti Prize (Horizons Award for Best Film) and Amnesty International Italia Award.

Revolving around a partially deaf man and his love for a vintage radio that was a gift to him from his father, this poignant drama, by Hari Viswanath, was among ther first Tamil films to released directly on OTT platform. It won the Audience Award at the well-known Busan International Film Festival, where it was also nominated under the New Currents category.

This delightful film about two kids and their simple desire to taste a pizza also offers a biting commentary on the class divide in our society. The debut film of M Manikandan, which premiered at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, was also screened at the Rome Film Festival, the Dubai International Film Festival, the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival, and the Gold Coast Film Festival. It won the NETPAC Award at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.