Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s maiden production Girls Will Be Girls won the John Cassavetes Award at the 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards at a ceremony held in Santa Monica, California on Saturday.
The Shuchi Talati-directed coming-of-age drama was one of five contenders for the John Cassavetes Award, which honours the best film made with a budget under USD 1 million. The other nominees included Big Boys, Ghostlight, Jazzy, and The People’s Joker.
Produced under Chadha and Fazal’s banner, Pushing Buttons Studios, Girls Will Be Girls revolves around the life of an 18-year-old girl, Mira (Preeti Panigrahi), whose exploration of romance and rebellion is met with resistance from her school and her mother (played by Kani Kusruti). The film is streaming on Prime Video.
Winning an award for her debut production was an emotional moment for Chadha, who described the achievement as a dream come true. “To see it recognised on such a grand stage is humbling. As the first Indian actor and producer to win an Independent Spirit Award, I feel like this is not just my victory, but a victory for all of us working to make diverse, authentic stories,” she said in a statement, as per PTI.
Fazal echoed her sentiments, emphasising the importance of independent filmmaking in storytelling. “This win is a momentous one for us, and for Indian cinema as a whole. The spirit of independent filmmaking is about taking risks and telling the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or challenging that may be. Girls Will Be Girls does exactly that,” he said.
Director Shuchi Talati described the film as a labour of love. “This is more than just an award for me – it is a powerful affirmation of the story we set out to tell... to have it resonate with audiences and critics alike is beyond amazing,” she said in a statement.
Girls Will Be Girls premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024 where it won two awards: World Cinema Dramatic (Audience) and World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting for Preeti Panigrahi.