Golden Globe Awards 2025: Payal Kapadia creates history, scores two nominations for ‘All We Imagine As Light’

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia created history December 9, after being nominated in the Best Director (Motion Picture) category for ‘All We Imagine As Light’ at the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards.

‘All We Imagine As Light’ has also received a total of two nominations, with the other one being for Best Motion Picture – (Non-English Language).

Notably, this marks the first time an Indian director has been nominated in this category.

Starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam, the film is an official Indo-French co-production between petit chaos from France and Chalk & Cheese and Another Birth from India.

The film follows Prabha, a troubled nurse who receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, and Anu, her young roommate seeking intimacy with her boyfriend. A trip to a beach town allows them to confront their desires. The film stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Hridhu Haroon, all hailing from Kerala.

Earlier this year, the film created history by winning the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

‘All We Imagine As Light’ premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in its much-feted ‘competition section’ on May 23. It was the first Indian film to feature in the festival’s main segment in 30 years. The last Indian movie to make it to the competition section was Shaji N Karun’s Swaham in 1994.

Earlier, Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’ also won the Best International at the New York Film Critics Circle, and the Best International Feature trophy at the reputed Gotham Awards 2024.

The nominations for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards were announced on December 9, by Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut across 27 categories The other nominees against whom Kapadia is competing, include Jacques Audiard for Emilia Perez; Sean Baker, for Anora; Edward Berger for Conclave; Brady Corbet for The Brutalist; and Coralie Fargeat for The Substance.

Kaling, known for her work on shows like ‘The Mindy Project’, ‘Never Have I Ever’ and ‘The Office’, currently serves as a writer and executive producer for the Max series ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’, which she co-created. She’s also writing and executive producing the upcoming Netflix comedy series Running Point, starring Kate Hudson, set for release in 2025.