Washington [USA], December 21: Every year, former US President Barack Obama shares his favorite books, music, and movies as recommendations for art enthusiasts. For 2024, Obama’s list includes Payal Kapadia’s critically acclaimed film All We Imagine As Light, which has earned a prominent spot at the top of his movie recommendations.
The Golden Globe-nominated Indian film struck a chord with Obama, who praised it as one of the best films he watched this year, alongside notable titles such as Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, Sean Baker’s Anora, Edward Berger’s Conclave, and Malcolm Washington’s The Piano Lesson. Obama shared the list with his followers on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Here are a few movies I’d recommend checking out this year.”
The complete list of recommended films includes: All We Imagine As Light, Conclave, The Piano Lesson, The Promised Land, Dune Part Two, Anora, Didi, Sugarcane, The Complete Unknown, and The Seed of the Sacred Fig.
All We Imagine As Light, starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Chhaya Kadam, is an official Indo-French co-production between Petit Chaos (France) and Chalk & Cheese and Another Birth (India). The film tells the story of Prabha, a troubled nurse who receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, and Anu, her young roommate seeking intimacy with her boyfriend. Their journey to a beach town allows them to confront their desires and emotions.
Earlier this year, the film made history by winning the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Indian film in 30 years to be featured in the competition section. The last Indian film to achieve this was Swaham by Shaji N Karun in 1994.
In addition to its success at Cannes, All We Imagine As Light won the Best International Feature award at the 2024 Gotham Awards and was also named Best International at the New York Film Critics Circle. The film has earned two nominations for the upcoming 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards.