Art of Living, a documentary film initiative by a Kolkata-based NGO - The Cancer Foundation of India - won the best personal story award in the first of its kind, Reel Lives Film Festival. The film recounts the story of Sambhu Das, a painter who was diagnosed with cancer of the Larynx in 1998 and overcame all hurdles to tell his story. Despite financial and physical limitations Sambhu Das never lost focus of becoming a successful painter.

Reel Lives: The cancer chronicles film festival was organized by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), the leading international non-governmental organization dedicated exclusively to global cancer control, and was held in parallel with the World Cancer Congress in Geneva. The festival aims to raise awareness of the complex realities of cancer globally, to shatter taboos and myths surrounding the disease, and to challenge stigma. Reel Lives pays tribute to those whose lives have been impacted by cancer, and provides them with the opportunity to tell their story to a global audience through the medium of film.

"The success of Reel Lives was truly remarkable," commented Isabel Mortara, UICC executive director. "All finalists brought adversity and courage to the big screen in their own unique way. We congratulate all entries to the festival; they championed the idea of celebrating the art of life through their battle with cancer."

Reel Lives Film Festival was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Plc. "It gives me great pleasure to see that Reel Lives has been such an exceptional event and we are proud to be the lead sponsor of this unique initiative." said Dr Paolo Paoloetti, senior vice president of GlaxoSmithKline Oncology Medicine Development Center. "These intensely personal stories have opened up borders in our perception and understanding of cancer across the world and that can only help us all in the ongoing battle to find new and better ways of fighting the disease."