LUCKNOW, Oct. 27 -- The Lucknow Short Film Festival (LSFF) 2023 concluded its grand finale on Sunday with special screenings of ten compelling short films by FTII students and independent filmmakers. Thunai, directed by Vignesh Paramasivam, won the best film award, while Ganga Putra, directed by Jai Prakash, was named the best documentary. The films were selected for their strong storytelling and alignment with the festival's theme of peace and harmony, exploring issues such as dementia, spiritual awakening, child labor, social stigma, hierarchy, identity, migrant perseverance, and everyday compassion. Actress Huma Qureshi and actor-director Sunny Singh attended the finale and joined a session moderated by Renuka Tandon, founder of the Emeran Foundation. The panel discussed evolving roles of women in Indian cinema, the growing impact of short films in the industry, and the media's role in supporting independent filmmakers. Screenwriter Jyoti Kapur Das engaged with former LSFF winners to share insights on the filmmaking process and its challenges. Katyayani Kumar, LSFF 2023 winner, offered tips on crowdfunding for independent projects during the discussions. The festival concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing films that contributed to the theme of peace and harmony. Winners received cash prizes, selected by the jury for their storytelling impact and innovation....