SIIMA, the Biggest and the most viewed South Indian Film Awards is back with its Sixth Edition and VIVO is roped in as the Title Sponsor. The awards ceremony will be hosted in Abu Dhabi on June 30th and July 1st and will see in attendance the biggest names from the South Indian Film Industry. Vivo SIIMA hosted its first ever Short Film Awards for the Tamil languages in Hyderabad. The awards ceremony was a glittering affair and saw in attendance the who’s who of the South Indian film industry who had turned up to support the budding talent.
Since the awards were announced, there was a huge enthusiasm which was seen amongst the short film makers who had sent in their films for nominations. The jury had a tough time going through hundreds of short films and were amazed at the talent which had remained untapped.
With the digital revolution which India is going through, SIIMA thought this would be the right time to encourage and give the right platform to short filmmakers and recognize their talent. Over the last two years more and more aspiring filmmakers are taking to internet to show their talent and we have observed a trend of short film makers becoming highly successful film makers.
The awards ceremony saw in attendance Rana Daggubati, Suhasini Maniratnam, Ambika, Nikki Galrani, Manjima Mohan, Aishwarya Rajesh, Mrs.Brinda Prasad - Chairperson SIIMA and Mr. Vivek Zhang – CMO VIVO India. The awards were judged by a highly distinguished jury and awards were given away in 6 categories. The awards for short filmmakers in Telugu and Kannada language was hosted on May 14th in Hyderabad.
Talking about the first SIIMA Short Film Awards, Adusumilli Brinda Prasad Chairperson SIIMA said “We at SIIMA are very happy to launch SIIMA SHORT FILM AWARDS. The awards ceremony held in Hyderabad last week was a huge success and saw the participation of a lot of young short filmmakers .This opens up a special platform to award young talent from the digital space. With digital entertainment growing leaps and bounds it cannot get better than this. The SIIMA SHORT FILM AWARDS will be an annual event. .”
Delighted at the association, Vivek Zhang, CMO, Vivo India, said, “We are thrilled to have partnered with the most coveted platform representing South Indian cinema globally. As a global smartphone brand, we constantly try to connect closely with our target audience in different parts of the country. We believe that the popularity of South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) is a splendid opportunity for Vivo to strengthen connect with the right audience and create a strong brand recall. Our latest offering in the Indian market is a step ahead in our endeavor to revolutionize the selfie phenomenon.”
Actor Rana Daggubati whose talent management firm KWAN is also supporting the Awards said “Short Filmmakers have started moving closer to the mainstream, and large studios have started capitalizing on their success with films like Ghazi, Kshanam and Pellichoopulu. SIIMA Short Film Awards promises to support independent films and filmmakers to return to rebellious risky filmmaking”
Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director Promotions and Overseas Offices for TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “After seeing the huge success SIIMA’s Short Film Awards enjoyed in Hyderabad, we are delighted that Abu Dhabi was chosen as the Official Host Destination for this year’s main SIIMA event. We are looking forward to welcoming some of the biggest names in the South Indian film industry, as well as their legions of fans, to our wonderful emirate, as we build awareness of our destination and get to showcase Abu Dhabi’s multitude of offerings, including fantastic family attractions, some of the best retail outlets on the planet, and world-class entertainment options. We are sure our famed hospitality and our world-class facilities will ensure the event is a resounding success.”
SIIMA 2017 is supported by its title sponsor Vivo Mobiles, Official host destination- Abu Dhabi, Airlines Partner – Etihad Airways, Lot Mobiles, Honer Homes and overseas partner Era Entertainment.
Here’s the list of the short film Award Winners
Tamil:
1. Best Short Film: Mudhal Kanave
2. Best Director: Dwarakh (Tanglish)
3. Best Actor: Akilan (Chennaiyil Oru Mazaikalam)
4. Best Actress: Nakshathra (En Iniya Pon Nilave)
5. Best Supporting Role: Akash (Angry Birds)
6. Best Music Director: Rakesh Krishna (Sollanum Thonachu)
