THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 29th International Film Festival of Kerala will kickstart with an exciting lineup of films on Friday. On the first day, the festival will screen 10 films including six in the World Cinema category, two under Female Gaze, one in the Latin American package and a film directed by Ann Hui, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The opening movie of the 29th IFFK will be ‘I Am Still Here’ by acclaimed filmmaker Walter Salles, which will be screened after the inaugural ceremony at 6pm at Nishagandhi Auditorium. The movie is an exploration of resilience and human connection, making it a fitting start for the festival.
July Rhapsody directed by Ann Hui will be screened in Nila Theatre at 10 am. This movie is a masterpiece which deals with ‘a teacher’s complicated midlife crisis’.
The film talks about themes of abuse, love and emotional entrapment. Shahid by Narges Kalhor, to be shown at Kairali theatre at 10 am, is a bold, unconventional political comedy where the protagonist tries to remove ‘Shahid’ meaning ‘martyr’ from her name resulting in a clash with bureaucracy and personal identity.
Formosa Beach by Julia De Simone will be screened in Sree Theatre at 10:15 am. The movie talks about Muanza who escaped from slavery in Brazil in the 19th century. Waking up in current times, she finds herself in a time-twisting Rio de Janeiro.
When the Phone Rang by Iva Radivojevic will be screened under the Female Gaze category at 12:30 pm in Kairali Theatre. This Serbian-American film masterfully portrays fragmented memories and the impact of displacement, offering an emotionally rich experience.
Anna & Dante by Carlos Mares González, in the Latin American category , can be watched at noon in Kalabhavan Theatre. It explores human relationships and cultural aspects, connecting with audiences through its heartfelt narrative.
On the second day of the festival, IFFK will honour legendary writers of Malayalam cinema. The literary tribute will pay homage to writers Thoppil Bhasi, P Bhaskaran and Parappurath. Mooladhanam, scripted by Thoppil Bhasi and directed by P Bhaskaran will be screened on Saturday at 8 pm in Ariesplex-4. Aranazhikaneram written by Parappurath will be screened on Sunday at 8:30 pm at Nila.
Neelakuyil, jointly directed by P Bhaskaran and Ramu Kariat will be screened on Tuesday at 11:30 am in Nila Theatre. ‘Alliyaambal Kadavil’ and ‘Kadali Vaazha’ are remembered fondly by Keralites to this day. Neelakkuyil was the first Malayalam film to be awarded the Silver Lotus Award for Best Film in 1955. The film explores grave social themes such as caste-discrimination and untouchability.
Six books from the Kerala State Film Academy’s ‘Shraddanjali’ series will be released at the festival. A digital art exhibition titled ‘Cinema Alchemy: A Digital Art Tribute’ curated by filmmaker T K Rajeev Kumar will take place at Tagore Theatre from Saturday.
The cultural department will honour senior actresses in a programme titled ‘Marakkillorikkalum’ on Sunday at 6.30 pm at Manaveeyam Veedhi, followed by a musical programme featuring songs from their films. Cultural programmes will be organised at Manaveeyam Veedhi from Saturday to December 19 at 6:30 pm.
The festival will screen 177 films from 68 countries across 15 theatres in the capital city. These include 14 films in the international competition section. Other attractions are categories such as Malayalam Cinema Today, Indian Cinema Now, World Cinema, Festival Favourites, Country Focus, Retrospective, Female Gaze, Latin American package, Kaleidoscope, Midnight Cinema, Animation Films, Restored Classics and Homage.
More than 13,000 delegates and over 100 film professionals are expected to attend the gala.