Cactus Pears

Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, tenderly bonds with a local farmer who is struggling to stay unmarried. As the mourning ends, forcing his return, Anand must decide the fate of his relationship born under duress.

"This is the great modern love story. To say it’s an honor to award this tender film is an understatement. We cried, we laughed, and we wished to be loved in the same way. It is exactly what the world needs right now. This authentic point of view opens the door to an an intimate language we all understand. We feel the humming heartbeat of the main character’s inner life, and when it bursts, it wraps us with its sweetness. We award the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: to Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears)."

-Ava Cahen, Wanuri Kahiu, and Daniel Kaluuya (Jury, Sundance Film Festival 2025)