The small screen has given short films and documentaries a bigger stage.
Once considered a niche preserve, they are getting mainstreamed with increasing viewership.
That expanding audience is reflected in this year’s International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) — to be held in Thiruvananthapuram from September 25 to 30 — with 320 films across nearly 30 categories.
Centred on the theme ‘Traces’, the festival explores changing landscapes, the vulnerability of living beings and cinema’s ecological role.
The festival has grown in scale since its inception 18 years ago, when it was viewed as a curtain-raiser to the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).
“This year, over 800 delegates have already registered,” says Sajith C C, festival coordinator and secretary-in-charge of the Chalachithra Academy.
“A dedicated cell will function at the Kairali-Nila-Sree theatre complex to assist delegates.”
A launchpad for new voices
One of the biggest changes this year is the doubling of student delegate passes, from 250 to 500.
“The ‘Campus’ section is a reason the festival attracts students in creative streams of study. The fest is now seen as a vital launchpad for wannabe filmmakers,” says Chandrasekhar S, a graduating student of the South Indian Film Academy (SIFA). “Several voices of the new wave of Malayalam cinema started their journey from here.”
Among them is Krishand R, who screened his short documentary Waterbodies at IDSFFK in 2019 before going on to make award-winning features such as ‘Aavasavyuham’ and ‘Purusha Pretham’. Don Palathara too launched his short fiction ‘Guruti’ at the festival before making films such as ‘Shavam’ and ‘Family’.
The fest also screened Sanju Surendran’s documentary on Kutiyattam, ‘Kapila’, in 2015. He later moved on to feature films, with ‘Aedan’ winning the Rajathachakoram at IFFK.
“These examples have instilled a hope that IDSFFK can help newbies get noticed better,” says Chandrasekhar, who is attending the festival this year and hopes to explore the same route.
A world of shorts
The 2026 line-up includes exclusive packages such as ‘Nagari’ and ‘African Shorts-Crossings’, featuring 10 and seven films respectively. While ‘Nagari’ explores personal and existential dilemmas in urban India, ‘Crossings’ brings together diverse lived experiences from across Africa.
“We have been particular in putting together these packages, in addition to the regular ones including Campus movies, animations and mobile films,” says Bharat Jayakumar, IDSFFK programmer.
“The idea is to reflect the times we live in, the influence of social media that has made shorts more accessible now.”
Documentaries also have undergone a transformation, he says. “Take docu-fiction, for example. Real-life characters and incidents go on narrative that are interpretations of the original events or behavioural patterns. Such new genres also find space in our festival,” Bharat adds.
The sections include around 11 films in ‘Competition Long Documentary’, eight in ‘Competition Short Documentary’, eight in ‘Focus Long Documentary’ and 22 in ‘Focus Short Documentary’.
The 24 films in ‘Competition Short Fiction’ come from across India and explore subjects ranging from a courtroom drama over the cutting of trees by tribals in Jharkhand to traditional upbringing in a world ruled by social media and the experience of living alone in Goa.
The 17 films in ‘Focus Short Fiction’ explore everything from the paranoia of a man living a lonely life to the longing and separation between a mother and son.
Running through several of these films is an exploration of personal relationships against the backdrop of changing times — an angst often expressed through the pauses that punctuate emotional moments.
Malayalam, campus & beyond
The non-competition ‘Malayalam Long Documentary’ section offers a layered selection, from films exploring girls’ relationship with Kathakali to the portrayal of dharma over evil through a Mudiyettu performance.
The seven films in the ‘Short Documentary’ section similarly examine the tensions between life, convention and tradition. The seven films in ‘Short Fiction’, meanwhile, take a more eclectic route, ranging from murder mysteries and satire to innocent dilemmas and philosophical thrillers that ask elemental questions.
The ‘Campus’ section is equally diverse, with films portraying everything from post-mortem examinations to life in the ghost town of Dhanushkodi.
The ‘Music Video’ section, as usual, takes an experimental route, exploring themes and revealing their nuances through music. The experimental streak continues in the animation section, where striking visual styles are used to explore layered themes.
The festival will also screen five documentaries as a tribute to the late filmmaker R Sarath.
“Film screenings and masterclasses will be held at the Kairali-Nila-Sree theatre complex,” says Sajith. “About 200 guest filmmakers are expected to attend the festival. Eminent animation filmmaker Nina Sabnani will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.”
On the censoring controversy, Sajith says the festival has got permission to screen 291 films so far.
“We have applied for censor exemption for 31 more of the selected films. As per a recent official communication, there has been no denial of permission per se. All the applications are being perused. We hope to get the nod for all the films selected soon,” says Sajith.
IFFK on track
Preparations for IFFK are progressing well, says Chalachithra Academy secretary-in-charge Sajith C C.
He dismisses concerns that coordination has been affected as the Academy chairperson post and governing council still lay vacant.
“This is just a rumour. We had called for submissions from August 1 to September 10. Based on this, 830 films have been listed. Last year, this was 801 in four categories. We have prepared a draft, including the jury panel. The new council, once it takes charge, just needs to work on the draft we have prepared so that we can hold the IFFK as planned — from December 11 to 18,” Sajith says.
“We look forward to both IDSFFK and IFFK with a lot of hope and positivity, as both events are getting bigger by the year.”