Payal Kapadia's film All We Imagine As Light has garnered admiration from Italian director Alice Rohrwacher. In a recent discussion with Chalchitra Talks, Payal referred to Alice's 2018 film Happy As Lazzaro as the ‘best film of this century,’ expressing her appreciation for its sound design. In response to this commendation, Alice has shared her thoughts on the experience of watching All We Imagine As Light.

Alice Rohrwacher discusses Payal Kapadia's film All We Imagine As Light.

In a roundtable discussion with Alice Rohrwacher and JR regarding their short film An Urban Allegory, I mentioned that Payal Kapadia had described her 2018 feature film Happy As Lazzaro as the 'best film of the century.' This prompted a bright smile from Rohrwacher, who expressed her delight by stating, “I am truly honoured and thrilled because I admire her work immensely! Watching her film was a significant revelation for me. It has left a lasting impression, and I will always cherish it.”

About Happy As Lazzaro

Happy As Lazzaro marked Alice's third feature film, premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018, where it received the Best Screenplay award. This fantasy drama serves as a satirical commentary on the exploitative feudal lords of rural Italy, presented through a captivating lens of magical realism.

In further discussion about Happy As Lazzaro, Alice expressed that the film requires time to establish its significance in the world. "I am also pleased because Lazzaro is a film that needs time to develop. It resembles a tree that requires time to flourish; initially, it appears small and does not grow rapidly due to various adversities. My intention in creating Lazzaro was to give life to a character that holds great importance to me. Observing how, after several years, this little tree is beginning to thrive brings me immense joy. I now realize that her film represents another tree growing within me,” she concluded with a smile.

Alice has now returned with An Urban Allegory, a short film that she co-directed alongside French filmmaker JR.

More details

All We Imagine As Light made a significant impact at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Grand Prix. Recently, Payal has been nominated for Best Director in the Motion Picture category at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards 2025 for her work on All We Imagine As Light.

All We Imagine As Light narrates the experiences of Prabha, a nurse grappling with personal challenges, who unexpectedly receives a gift from her estranged spouse. Alongside her is Anu, her young roommate, who is in pursuit of a deeper connection with her boyfriend. Their trip to a coastal town serves as a backdrop for them to explore their innermost desires and feelings. The film features performances by Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Chhaya Kadam, and it premiered in theatres across the nation on November 22.

An Urban Allegory can be streamed on MUBI.

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