India’s short film ‘Toyaj’, directed by Abhijeet Srivastava, has won the third prize in the official short-film competition at the 12th Djerba International Festival of Women and Youth Cinema in Tunisia, marking a significant achievement for Indian cinema on the international stage.
Held from October 24 to 27, the four-day festival recognised India as the Guest of Honour, providing an opportunity to showcase the country’s cinematic talent and strengthen cultural ties between India and Tunisia.
The Embassy of India in Tunisia announced the achievement on social media platform X, congratulating the director and the film’s team on the award. The embassy’s post referred to the winning entry as ‘White Lotus’, while the press release identified the film as ‘Toyaj’.
The festival, dedicated to women and young filmmakers, featured 68 films from 38 countries, including Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Qatar, Croatia, the United States, France and Palestine.
India’s participation as Guest of Honour, alongside the recognition received by its short film, highlighted the potential of cinema to promote cross-cultural understanding and international artistic collaboration.
The festival is also expected to create opportunities for greater cooperation between Indian and Tunisian filmmakers, further strengthening cultural exchanges between the two countries.