I am Kalam wins hearts and accolades at IFFI Goa

‘I am Kalam’, the feature film produced by Smile Foundation, was recently screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa. The film has received great response from the audience and the media present at the film festival. The leading cast and crew including veteran actor Gulshan Grover, protagonist and debutante child artist Harsh Mayyar, French theatre actress Beatrice Ordeix and director Nila Madhab Panda along with the Smile Foundation team were present at the film festival.

The film has already won the Best Feature Film award at the Lucas Film Festival and the Don Quijote Prize of the Fédération Internationale des Ciné-Clubs. The film was also screened at the Cinekid International Film Festival in Amsterdam, where it earned a “Special Mention”. Despite being a non-European film, it was nominated for the Audience Choice awards at two different film festivals in Europe, and has won “Audience Favorite” award at the Barbican London Children’s Film Festival.

‘I am Kalam’ has also been nominated for the Politiken Audience Award at the Buster Film Festival in Denmark and Cinekid Lion Award at the Cinekid Film Festival in Amsterdam.

Apart from the awards and nominations, the film has also travelled extensively to various film festivals and competitions across the globe such as South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF, USA), Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Giffoni International Film Festival (Italy), 54th BFI Times London Film Festival, 29th Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival (Finland), Kinder Festival (Vienna), Festicinekids (Columbia), New York International Children Film Festival, Estonia Children’s Film Festival, The Heartland Film Festival (USA), Youth and Children Film Festival, Poland, “Indian Frame Showcase” at Mumbai International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of Kerala.

The plot of ‘I am Kalam’ revolves around the trials and tribulations that a small boy faces yearning for education. It summarizes a fairy tale treatment to the dreams of the protagonist, Chhotu, and how he dares to achieve them in spite of all the odds. The central plot of the film is in sync with the recently enforced RTE Act and stands for thousands of such aspiring children of the country.

I Am Kalam Download