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{{Short description|Indian film maker}}
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{{Infobox person
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|imagesize =  
|imagesize =  
|name = Biju Viswanath
|name = Biju Viswanath
|occupation = [[Film Director]], [[Screenwriter]], [[Director of Photography]], [[Film Editor]]   
|occupation = [[Film Director]], [[Screenwriter]], [[Director of Photography]], [[Film Editor]]   
|website    = {{URL|www.bijuviswanath.com}}
|website    = {{URL|www.bijuviswanath.com}}
}}
}}


'''Biju Viswanath''' is a [[film director]], [[director of photography]] [[Film editor]] and [[screenwriter]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20130731/ARTICLE/307319910/1028|title=Filmmaker makes Kerala proud|work=[[Khaleej Times]]|date=2013-07-31|accessdate=2017-12-30}}</ref> who has directed movies in a variety of languages and genres.
'''Biju Viswanath''' is an Indian [[film director]], [[director of photography]], [[film editor]] and [[screenwriter]]. Across various genres, he has made numerous films in different languages, notably, English, Tamil, Malayalam, Irish, Swahili and Urdu.


Viswanath's directorial debut ''A Voyage'' won the Gold Medal for Best Short Film in India and Honorable Mention in [[Zanzibar International Film Festival]].<ref>[http://www.ziff.or.tz Zanzibar International Film Festival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321183805/http://www.ziff.or.tz/ |date=21 March 2019 }} Retrieved 2017-12-30.</ref> His Urdu film ''Parwaaz'' (The Flight) won Special Prize in Patras Film Festival.<ref name=independent>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.gr/awards2006-2008|title=Awards of 8th International Panorama of Independent Filmakers{{sic|hide=y}}|accessdate=2010-06-16|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411090953/http://www.independent.gr/awards2006-2008|archivedate=2010-04-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> Viswanath won two awards for Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay in New York Independent Film Festival for his feature film ''Marathon'' (2010).<ref name=independent/> Another Feature film ''Viola'' won Golden palm in the Mexico International Film festival.<ref>[http://www.mexicofilmfestival.com/ Mexico International Film Festival and Awards] Retrieved 2017-12-30.</ref> Swahili short film "The Shadow Tree" won the Special Award in Skepto Film Festival in Italy,<ref name="skepto">http://www.skepto.net/en/film/shadow-tree</ref> [[Signis]] Award and Best short Film Award in 2014 at Zanzibar Film Festival,<ref name="ziff">{{cite web|url=http://www.ziff.or.tz/2014/06/22/ziff-2014-winners/|title=ZIFF 2014: The Winners|date=2014-06-22|accessdate=2017-12-30}}</ref> and Special Mention award at the 4th Filmambiente international festival Brazil.<ref name="filmambiente">{{cite web|url=http://www.filmambiente.com/index.php/awards-2014.html|title=Awards - Feature Length Documentary|accessdate=2014-09-27|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109161904/http://www.filmambiente.com/index.php/awards-2014.html|archivedate=2014-11-09|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Viswanath's Canadian movie ''Living is Easy'' Received Gold award in Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque 2019. Best narrative short in Pinnacle Film Awards 2019. ''[[Chennai Palani Mars]]'' won two awards in USA: Grand jury prize in Los Angeles Motion Picture film festival<ref name="indiaglitz">{{cite web|accessdate=2021-02-27|title=Vijay Sethupathi's next movie wins International awards! - Tamil News|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/vijay-sethupathi-production-chennai-palani-mars-wins-awards-tamil-news-240894|date=23 July 2019|website=IndiaGlitz.com}}</ref> and Best narrative feature in Pinnacle film Awards.<ref name="indiaglitz"/>
He has also served as the jury member [[50th National Film Awards|50th National film Awards of India in 2003]] and [[Kerala State Film Awards|Kerala State Awards]] in 2003


==Career==
==Career==
Viswanath's directorial debut ''A Voyage'' is based on the works of Indian writer [[M. T. Vasudevan Nair]].
Viswanath's directorial debut ''A Voyage'' is based on the works of Indian writer [[M. T. Vasudevan Nair]], which was produced by veteran Malayalam screenwriter [[John Paul Puthusery]]. The movie premiered in [[Busan International Film Festival]], and won the gold medal for Best Short Film in India as well as an Honourable Mention in [[Zanzibar International Film Festival]].{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}


His international English feature film ''Déjàvu'' with British actors premiered at the 54th [[Locarno International Film Festival]]. Only two other Indian films have made it to Locarno in its 54-year history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2001/film/markets-festivals/indian-pix-at-locarno-1117850810/|title=Indian pix at Locarno|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|accessdate=2017-12-30}}</ref>
His Urdu film ''Parwaaz'' (The Flight) won Special Prize in Patras Film Festival.<ref name="independent">{{cite web |title=Awards of 8th International Panorama of Independent Filmakers{{sic|hide=y}} |url=http://www.independent.gr/awards2006-2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411090953/http://www.independent.gr/awards2006-2008 |archivedate=2010-04-11 |accessdate=2010-06-16}}</ref>  


Viswanath's Tamil Feature film ''Orange Mittai'' is produced and co written by the Tamil actor [[Vijay Sethupathi]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/Vijay-Sethupathis-Maiden-Production-gets-International-Director/2014/02/11/article2049319.ece|author=Rinku Gupta|title=Vijay Sethupathi's Maiden Production gets International Director|work=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=2014-02-11|accessdate=2017-12-30}}</ref>
His English feature film ''[[Déjà vu (2001 film)|Déjà vu]]'', which was produced by editor [[A. Sreekar Prasad]], featuring various British actors, had its international premiere at Busan International Film Festival in 2001<ref>{{Cite web |title=Busan International Film Festival |url=https://www.biff.kr/ |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=Busan International Film Festival}}</ref> and at the 54th [[Locarno International Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |title='Deja Vu' selected for Locarno festival |url=https://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/musicworld/paris-still-searching-record-label-for-sophomore-album_17414.html/amp |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=zeenews.india.com}}</ref> Another feature film of his,''Viola,'' won Golden palm in the Mexico International Film festival.<ref name=":1">[http://www.mexicofilmfestival.com/ Mexico International Film Festival and Awards] Retrieved 2017-12-30.</ref>


''Marathon'' is based on the true story of American poet [[William Morris Meredith, Jr.]]<ref name=independent/>  
Viswanath made three Irish films based on the works on the poet writer [[Celia de Fréine]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Project |first=Happiness |date=2008-03-23 |title=Biju Viswanath's Irish Film based on Poems |url=https://njisacf.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/biju-vishwanaths-irish-film-based-on-poems/ |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=Bioscope |language=en}}</ref>
 
His first American feature film ''Marathon'' is based on the true story of American poet [[William Morris Meredith, Jr.]] Viswanath won two awards for the film: Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay in New York Independent Film Festival.<ref name=independent/>
 
Viswanath's venture in Swahili is ''Shadow Tree,'' a film which was shot in [[Zanzibar|Zanzibar, Tanzania]]. The film won the Special Award in Skepto Film Festival in Italy.<ref name="skepto2">{{Cite web |title=Shadow tree &#124; Skepto International Film Festival |url=http://www.skepto.net/en/film/shadow-tree}}</ref>
 
His Indian Tamil-language feature film ''[[Orange Mittai]]'' was co-written and produced by [[Vijay Sethupathi]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Rinku Gupta |date=2014-02-11 |title=Vijay Sethupathi's Maiden Production gets International Director |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/Vijay-Sethupathis-Maiden-Production-gets-International-Director/2014/02/11/article2049319.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305092118/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/Vijay-Sethupathis-Maiden-Production-gets-International-Director/2014/02/11/article2049319.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 March 2014 |accessdate=2017-12-30}}</ref> Another Tamil drama film ''[[Chennai Palani Mars]]'' won two awards in USA: Grand Jury prize at the Los Angeles Motion Picture Film Festival<ref name="indiaglitz">{{cite web |date=23 July 2019 |title=Vijay Sethupathi's next movie wins International awards! – Tamil News |url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/vijay-sethupathi-production-chennai-palani-mars-wins-awards-tamil-news-240894 |accessdate=2021-02-27 |website=IndiaGlitz.com}}</ref> and the Best Narrative Feature at the Pinnacle Film Awards.<ref name="indiaglitz" />


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
=== Feature films ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%"
!Year
!Year
!Film
!Film
!Director
!Cinematographer
!Editor
!Language
!Language
!class=unsortable| Notes
!class=unsortable| Notes
|-
|-
|1995||[[Peter Scott (film)|Peter Scott]]||[[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]
|1995||''Peter Scott''
|{{yes}}
|
| ||[[Malayalam]]||
|-
|-
|1998||A Voyage (silent)||||
|2001||''[[Déjà vu (2001 film)|Déjà vu]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| ||English||<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-12-13 |title=Indiainfo: Malayalam: Movie Review -An Indian director's experiment in world cinema |url=http://movies.indiainfo.com/malayalam/reviews/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011213224551/http://movies.indiainfo.com/malayalam/reviews/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2001-12-13 |access-date=2024-02-16 }}</ref>
|-
|-
|2000||O. Henry Stories||[[Malayalam]]||
|2002||''[[Phantom (2002 film)|Phantom]]''
|
|{{yes}}
| ||[[Malayalam]]||
|-
|-
|2001||Dejavu||English||
|2005
| ''[[Sulanga]]''
|
|{{yes}} ||
| Sinhala ||
|-
|-
|2003||Music Videos MTV||[[Hindi]]||
| rowspan="2" |2006
|-
|''Grand Festival''
|2004||Second Coming||English||
|{{yes}}
|-
|
|2005||Zodiac Tales||English||
| ||Hindi<br>English||
|-
|-
|2006||Sign of Four||English||
|''[[Poi (film)|Poi]]''
|
|{{yes}} ||
| Tamil ||
|-
|-
|2006||Grand Festival||Hindi<br>English||
|2010||''Marathon''
|{{yes}}
|
| || rowspan="3" |English||
|-
|-
|2007||Lorg||[[Irish language|Irish]]||
|2011||''Viola''
|{{yes}}
|
| ||
|-
|-
| 2008 || Parwaaz||[[Urdu]]||
| 2012||''The Nail''
|{{yes}}
|
| ||
|-
|-
|2008||Rian||Irish||
| 2013||''Mafiosi''
|{{yes}}
|
| ||Italian||
|-
|-
|2009||Oshizemi ||[[Japanese language|Japanese]]||
|2015||''[[Orange Mittai]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}} || rowspan="2" |Tamil||
|-
|-
|2010||Marathon ||English||
|2019||''[[Chennai Palani Mars]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}} ||
|-
|-
|2011||Viola||English||
|2021||''Transcendental Layover''
|{{yes}}
|
| || rowspan="3" |English||
|-
|-
| 2012||The Nail||English||
| rowspan="2" |2022||''How to make F**kd Up Movies''
|{{yes}}
|
| ||
|-
|-
| 2013||Mafiosi||Italian||
|''Covid Karma''
|{{yes}}
|
| ||
|-
|-
|2013||Shadow Tree||[[Swahili language|Swahili]]||
| 2025 || ''Pakuthi Kadal Kadannu''
|-
| {{yes}}
| 2014||Thief and Wind chime||[[Tamil language|Tamil]]||
|
|-
| || Malayalam ||
|2015||[[Orange Mittai]]||Tamil||
|-
|2017||Living is Easy||English||
|-
|2019||[[Chennai Palani Mars]]||Tamil||
|}
|}


==Film festivals/awards==
=== Short films ===
{{BLP refimprove|section|date=February 2021}}
 
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
!colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" |
|-
!Year
!Year
!Film
!Film
!Language
!Language
!Festivals
!class=unsortable| Notes
|-
|1998||''A Voyage''||Silent||
|-
|2004||''Second Coming''|| rowspan="3" |English||
|-
|-
|2019
|2005||''Zodiac Tales''||
|Chennai Palani Mars
|Tamil
|Grand Jury Prize. Los Angeles Motion Picture Film festival<ref name="indiaglitz"/> <br> Best Narrative Feature. Pinnacle Film Awards<ref name="indiaglitz"/>
|-
|-
|2006||''Sign of Four''||
|-
|-
|2019
|2007||''Lorg''||[[Irish language|Irish]]||
|Living is easy
|English
|Golden Award. Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque <br> Best Narrative short. Pinnacle Film Awards
|-
|-
|2014
| rowspan="2" | 2008 || ''Parwaaz''||[[Urdu]]||
|''Shadow Tree''
|Swahili
|Special Award.Skepto Film festival Cagliari Italy<ref name="skepto"/> <br>Special Mention Award.Filmambiente film festival<ref name="filmambiente"/> <br>Signis Award,Best Short Film Award.Zanzibar film festival.<ref name="ziff"/> <br>Green Film Festival South Korea<br>River film festival.Padova.Italy<br>Kansk video Festival.Russia<br> Fuencaliente Ruralfilmfest.Spain<br>Matsalu Film festival Estonia<br>Sir Charles Darwin film festival U.K<br> Festival Cinema Africana De Verona Italy
|-
|-
|2011
|''Rian''||Irish||
|''Viola''
|English
|Golden Palm  Award  2011 Mexico International Film Festival<br>2011 Lucerne international Film Festival
|-
|-
|2009
|2009||''Oshizemi''||[[Japanese language|Japanese]]||
|''Marathon''
|English
|Award for Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay,New York Independent Film Festival 2010<br>
|-
|-
|2009
|2013
|''Oshizemi''
|''Shadow Tree''||[[Swahili language|Swahili]]||
|Japanese
|Sadho Poetry Festival<br>Dhaka International Film Festival
|-
|-
|2008
| 2014||''Thief and Wind Chime''||[[Tamil language|Tamil]]||
|''Lorg''
|Irish
|Dublin Film Festival<br>New Jersey Film Festival<br>Atlanta Film Festival
|-
|-
|2008
|2017||''Living is Easy''||English||
|''Parwaaz''
|Urdu
|Best Short Film Award, Patras Film Festival Greece<ref name=independent/><br>Official Selection Stuttgart Film Festival<br>Official Selection Indian Panorama<br>Bosnia Film Festival<br>Zimbabwe Film Festival
|-
|-
|2006
|}
|''Grand Festival''
 
|Hindi/English
=== Television ===
|Pusan International Film Festival<br>New York South Asian Film Festival<br>New Jersey Independent Film Festival<br>Manila Film Festival<br>Baja California Film Festival
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
!Year
!Film
!Language
!class=unsortable| Notes
|-
|-
|2001
|2000||''O. Henry Stories''||[[Malayalam]]||
|''Dejavu''
|English
|Locarno Film Festival<br>Pusan International Film Festival<br>Florence Film Festival<br>Indian Panorama<br>IFFK
|-
|-
|1998
|A Voyage
|silent
|Honorable Mention Zanzibar Film Festival<br>Berlin Film Festival<br>Hummadruz Los Angeles Film Festival<br>Calcutta Film Festival
|}
|}
==Awards==
* 2009: Best Cinematography at New York City International Film Festival: ''Marathon''{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
* 2011: Golden Palm Award at [[Mexico City International Film Festival|Mexico International Film Festival]]: ''Viola''{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
* 2014: SIGNIS Award for Best Short Film at [[Zanzibar International Film Festival]] and Avant-guarde & Experimental Special Award at Skepto Film Festival: ''Shadow Tree''{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
* 2019: Gold Award for Best Feature Film at Pinnacle Film Awards: ''Chennai Palani Mars''{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
* 2022: Best of Show and Best Feature Documentary at Pinnacle Film Awards: ''How to make F**ked Up Movies''{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{Official website|www.bijuviswanath.com}}
* {{Official website|www.bijuviswanath.com}}
*{{IMDb name|id=1078209|name=Biju Viswanath}}
*{{IMDb name|id=1078209|name=Biju Viswanath}}
 
* https://www.deccanchronicle.com/150802/entertainment-mollywood/article/i-don%E2%80%99t-make-films-film-festivals-biju-viswanath
* https://www.nowrunning.com/news/malayalam/raghuvaran-could-have-become-an-international-star-biju-viswanath/14518/story.htm
* https://www.theindiapost.com/nation/chandigarh/popularizing-literature-cinema-biju-viswanath/
* https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/cinema-in-write-direction/story-0z6qITdR25mqYM6v3G9AOO.html
* https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-director/biju-viswanath/orange-mittai-director-biju-viswanaths-interview-on-the-film-vijay-sethupathi-and-many-more.html
* https://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130303/ttlife1.htm#2
{{Biju Viswanath}}
{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Viswanath, Biju}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Viswanath, Biju}}
[[Category:English-language film directors]]
[[Category:English-language film directors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Latest revision as of 06:25, 24 January 2026


Biju Viswanath
OccupationFilm Director, Screenwriter, Director of Photography, Film Editor
Websitewww.bijuviswanath.com

Biju Viswanath is an Indian film director, director of photography, film editor and screenwriter. Across various genres, he has made numerous films in different languages, notably, English, Tamil, Malayalam, Irish, Swahili and Urdu.

He has also served as the jury member 50th National film Awards of India in 2003 and Kerala State Awards in 2003

Career[edit | edit source]

Viswanath's directorial debut A Voyage is based on the works of Indian writer M. T. Vasudevan Nair, which was produced by veteran Malayalam screenwriter John Paul Puthusery. The movie premiered in Busan International Film Festival, and won the gold medal for Best Short Film in India as well as an Honourable Mention in Zanzibar International Film Festival.[citation needed]

His Urdu film Parwaaz (The Flight) won Special Prize in Patras Film Festival.[1]

His English feature film Déjà vu, which was produced by editor A. Sreekar Prasad, featuring various British actors, had its international premiere at Busan International Film Festival in 2001[2] and at the 54th Locarno International Film Festival.[3] Another feature film of his,Viola, won Golden palm in the Mexico International Film festival.[4]

Viswanath made three Irish films based on the works on the poet writer Celia de Fréine.[5]

His first American feature film Marathon is based on the true story of American poet William Morris Meredith, Jr. Viswanath won two awards for the film: Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay in New York Independent Film Festival.[1]

Viswanath's venture in Swahili is Shadow Tree, a film which was shot in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The film won the Special Award in Skepto Film Festival in Italy.[6]

His Indian Tamil-language feature film Orange Mittai was co-written and produced by Vijay Sethupathi.[7] Another Tamil drama film Chennai Palani Mars won two awards in USA: Grand Jury prize at the Los Angeles Motion Picture Film Festival[8] and the Best Narrative Feature at the Pinnacle Film Awards.[8]

Filmography[edit | edit source]

Feature films[edit | edit source]

Year Film Director Cinematographer Editor Language Notes
1995 Peter Scott Yes Malayalam
2001 Déjà vu Yes Yes English [9]
2002 Phantom Yes Malayalam
2005 Sulanga Yes Sinhala
2006 Grand Festival Yes Hindi
English
Poi Yes Tamil
2010 Marathon Yes English
2011 Viola Yes
2012 The Nail Yes
2013 Mafiosi Yes Italian
2015 Orange Mittai Yes Yes Yes Tamil
2019 Chennai Palani Mars Yes Yes Yes
2021 Transcendental Layover Yes English
2022 How to make F**kd Up Movies Yes
Covid Karma Yes
2025 Pakuthi Kadal Kadannu Yes Malayalam

Short films[edit | edit source]

Year Film Language Notes
1998 A Voyage Silent
2004 Second Coming English
2005 Zodiac Tales
2006 Sign of Four
2007 Lorg Irish
2008 Parwaaz Urdu
Rian Irish
2009 Oshizemi Japanese
2013 Shadow Tree Swahili
2014 Thief and Wind Chime Tamil
2017 Living is Easy English

Television[edit | edit source]

Year Film Language Notes
2000 O. Henry Stories Malayalam

Awards[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Awards of 8th International Panorama of Independent Filmakers". Archived from the original on 11 April 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  2. ↑ "Busan International Film Festival". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "'Deja Vu' selected for Locarno festival". zeenews.india.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Mexico International Film Festival and Awards Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  5. ↑ Project, Happiness (23 March 2008). "Biju Viswanath's Irish Film based on Poems". Bioscope. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Shadow tree | Skepto International Film Festival".
  7. ↑ Rinku Gupta (11 February 2014). "Vijay Sethupathi's Maiden Production gets International Director". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Vijay Sethupathi's next movie wins International awards! – Tamil News". IndiaGlitz.com. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Indiainfo: Malayalam: Movie Review -An Indian director's experiment in world cinema". 13 December 2001. Archived from the original on 13 December 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

External links[edit | edit source]

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