KARACHI, Dec 24: The Karachi International Film Festival 2002, also known as Second KaraFilm Festival, concluded on Sunday with an impressive awards ceremony in which New Zealand’s film ‘A Small Life’ walked away with eight awards.

Out of the more than 75 films in competition at the festival, director Michael Heath’s haunting and moving musical “A Small Life” bagged the awards for best short feature, best director, best screenplay, best actor, best actress, best cinematography, best editing and best music.

According to the jury, whose vote was unanimous, the film was perfect. The film’s director, Michael Heath, who had flown in from New Zealand for the festival, seemed to be overcome by emotions at the critical acclaim heaped on his film.

Among other films that bagged awards were the Iranian film ‘A Girl Called Tondar’, which won both the best feature film award and the best supporting actor award. The jury cited the film as a representative of the new Khatami-led Iran.

The Russian short film ‘Tomorrow Is Birthday’ and the German animated short film ‘Something Always Happens’ won the awards for best shorts.

An Indian documentary which explored the lives of slum-dwellers in Mumbai won the best documentary award, and another Indian documentary ‘The Play Is on’ — on street theatre performers in Kashmir — won a special recognition award from the jury.

A Pakistani short feature film by veteran actor Faisal Rehman and first-time writer and director Bilal Minto, ‘World Ka Centre,’ won the special jurors’ selection award for its realistic portrayal of lower middle-class life in Lahore.

The film, set in September 2001, revolves around a day in the life of a group of young men, accompanying their friend, who is about to leave for the US.

The KaraFilm Festival also honoured three veteran Pakistani filmmakers with lifetime achievement awards. The honorees were famous actress Roohi Bano, veteran music composer Lal Mohammad and the late acclaimed actor Latif Kapadia, who received a posthumous award.

The jurors for the short feature and feature films categories included Hameed Haroon, Sahira Kazmi, Aslam Rashidi, Aftab Manghi and Talat Aslam. Other members of the jury included Durriya Kazi, Ajmal Kamal, Sania Saeed, Sheherbano Hussain, Saqib Malik, Mujahida Hasan and Tehmina Ahmed.

A total of over 80 films of all types — documentaries, features and shorts — from countries as diverse as the US, Canada, Germany, Iran, Bangladesh, Japan, Sri Lanka, Russia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan were shown during the festival. Thousands of people attended the eight-day festival.

The KaraFilm Festival is the only competitive international film festival in Pakistan and is organized by the KaraFilm Society, a non-profit entity. The sponsors included Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari, Dawn, PIA, Avari Hotels, WorldTel, Platinum Bank and Pak Apex Leasing.