The Goan short film Rishi, directed by Anlisa Rodrigues and Mario Pimenta, has marked a major international breakthrough by winning eight awards at the International Parallel Cinema Film Awards, organised by The Festival Stage. Chosen from a pool of over 7,879 entries from across the world, the film emerged as one of the most celebrated works of the season, earning widespread recognition for its storytelling and craft.
At the awards, Rishi received top honours including Best Short Film and Best Story. The film’s directors, Anlisa Rodrigues and Mario Pimenta, were jointly awarded Best Director, while Mario Pimenta also won Best Editing for his work on the film. Anlisa Rodrigues was recognised with the Best Cinematography award, highlighting the film’s strong visual language. Cyrus Fernandes earned both Best Producer and Best Actor (Male) for his performance, while Best Actor (Female) was awarded to 20-year-old Roshni Maurya, making her the youngest Goan woman to win the category at the international level.
The film features Cyrus Fernandes and Roshni Maurya, both mass communication students from Don Bosco College, Panjim. Voiceover narration is provided by Sneha Fernandes, a mass communication student from St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa. Cyrus Fernandes portrays Rishi, the childhood friend of Zoya, played by Roshni Maurya, a young woman navigating loneliness and emotional turmoil following the death of a close friend. Sneha Fernandes lends her voice as Zoya’s conscience, adding a layered psychological depth to the narrative.
Shot by Anlisa Rodrigues and edited by Mario Pimenta, Rishi is an experimental, dialogue-free short film that relies entirely on visual storytelling and internal narration. The film offers an intimate and sensitive exploration of grief, mental health, and human connection, using silence and imagery as its primary emotional tools.
The recognition at the International Parallel Cinema Film Awards marks the film’s seventh international selection or accolade. Prior to this, *Rishi* has been acknowledged at Manodaya 2025 by Cognisoul in Nagpur, Bokomorebi in the United Kingdom, Films That Move in Jamaica, Vision Film Festival in Campania, Italy, Cinephilia Flair, and Roopantor, where it was screened at the prestigious Satyajit Ray Film Institute.
This achievement represents a significant moment for Goan independent cinema, underscoring the potential of young storytellers and student filmmakers to create narratives that resonate beyond regional boundaries. With its growing international presence, Rishi reinforces the rising voice of Goan cinema within the global parallel cinema landscape and points toward a promising future for emerging filmmakers from the region.