Natesh Hegde’s critically acclaimed Kannada film Vaghachipani has made history by becoming the first Kannada film to be featured in the prestigious Forum section of the 75th International Film Festival Berlin, also known as Berlinale. The festival will run from February 13 to 23, 2025.

Vaghachipani is one of the 30 films selected from five continents to be part of the Forum Main category, which showcases innovative and boundary-pushing cinema. This marks a significant achievement for Hegde, whose previous work, Pedro, gained recognition at film festivals globally but has not yet seen a theatrical release in India.

Pedro, produced by Rishabh Shetty, also served as a stepping stone for Hegde to find a producer for his latest project. It was through Pedro that Hegde connected with renowned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who, along with producer Ranjan Singh (producer of Kashyap’s Kennedy), backed Vaghachipani.

This selection at Berlinale highlights Hegde’s growing reputation in international cinema and showcases the evolving landscape of Kannada film industry on the global stage.