Mira Nair

Noted filmmaker Mira Nair has been selected for the ‘Honorary Maverick Award’ scheduled to be presented at the Woodstock Film Festival on Oct. 16 for her “independent vision and social activism,” according to news reports.

The award was announced by the Woodstock Film Festival, which began on Oct. 13 with a collection of 120 films, panels, concerts and special events in Woodstock, New York, and neighboring towns of Rhinebeck and Hunter. The Maverick Award is the top prize at the festival which is given to an individual whose life and work is based on independent vision and social activism.

Festival director Meira Blaustein was quoted as saying in the report: “Nair’s work is honored because she fearlessly combines independence and risk-taking with social consciousness.”

The word Maverick — one who defies convention and succeeds — describes the Woodstock movement itself, which popularized anti-war and anti-establishment songs during the Vietnam War and now it has become a major movement. This year’s festival began with an evening of acoustic music by award-winner Bela Fleck and renowned bassist Edgar Meyer.

Past recipients of the Maverick Award include Woody Harrelson, Tim Robbins, D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus and Les Blank.

Nair recently directed the big-screen adaptation of ‘Vanity Fair,’ starring Reese Witherspoon. Her other films include ‘Salaam Bombay,’ which was nominated for Oscar for ‘Best Foreign Language Film,’ ‘Mississippi Masala’ and ‘Monsoon Wedding,’ which was a top grosser two years ago.

Other annual Woodstock Film Festival awards include the ‘Maverick Award for Excellence in Film Editing,’ the Bernstein Award’ for Best Film Score, the ‘Haskell Wexler Award’ for Best Cinematography, and awards for Best Narrative Feature, Best Feature Documentary, Best Short Narrative, Best Short Documentary, Animated Short, and Best Student Short.

The winners are scheduled to be announced on Oct. 17, the last day of the festival. This year’s festival is dedicated to legendary film composer Elmer Bernstein.

(Compiled from news dispatches by Sushweta Ghosh)