Victor banerjee wins best actor in a secondary role for josef: born in grace at the ontario international film festival

Jyothi Venkatesh

The veteran 74 year old actor Victor Banerjee has made India proud by winning the award for the Best Actor in a secondary role for his performance of an aging Christian priest in the film Josef: Born in Grace at the Ontario International Film Festival recently. The film, directed by Susant Misra, has also bagged the award for the Best Cinematography for Sudheer Palsane.

“The film was almost entirely shot in Ranikhet and nearby areas in Uttarakhand. It has been adapted from a short story, Joseph, written by Umakunta Mahapatra”, says Banerjee.The film, set between 1960 and 1980, in the foothills of the Himalayas, narrates the humanist take of a priest Father O Hara, who looks after an alcoholic young man Josef. Through static mise-en-scenes, the narrative of the film reflects the all encompassing nature of cinema, pre-empting and repeating itself in allegorical hues, according to director Susant Misra.