THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Director K M Kamal’s success story with his debut movie ‘I.D.’ would surely be an inspiration for budding filmmakers on how to tap the immense possibilities of various digital platforms to reach a larger audience.
The movie, being screened under the ‘Migration Films’ category in the ongoing International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), earned rave reviews from the audience and the critics alike. It was made on a shoestring budget of Rs 12 lakh which was pooled in by acclaimed technicians Resul Pookkutty, Rajeev Ravi, Madhu Neelakantan, Sunil Babu and B Ajithkumar.
Making Its Own ‘I.D.’
“After making the movie in 2012, we did not opt for the conventional way of running after distributors to get the film theatrically released as it would have entailed huge marketing costs which we could not afford. Instead we waited till the movie earned a name for itself,” Kamal told ‘Express’ on the sidelines of IFFK.
The world premiere of ‘I.D.’ was held at the Busan International Film Festival in October 2012. The movie also won the award for best Asian Film in IFFK the same year. ‘I.D.’ which was adjudged the Best Film at the Deauville Asian Film Festival, was also screened at the international film festivals at Abu Dhabi, Torino, Marrakech, Mumbai, Goa, Three Continents and Rotterdam.
‘Wait For The Right Moment’
“I am of the view that independent films made by aspiring filmmakers should reach the audience for free. With that view in mind, we waited for the opportune moment. Of course, that luxury cannot be had by filmmakers who are under pressure to get return from their movies. Since we did it as part of a collaborative effort born out of the passion for cinema, we were unmindful of the money it would generate,” he added.
Kamal’s belief in the ultimate success of ‘movies with integrity’ did bear fruit. After a gap of three years, Netflix, a multinational company that provides movies on demand, approached Kamal evincing interest in the movie after hearing about the rave reviews it generated.
“Through a two-year subscription contract with Neflix, the movie was able to fetch thrice its investment. Though the ideal place for screening a film is always the movie hall, we should not be oblivious of the immense possibilities of reaching out to audience in whichever way possible,” Kamal said.
The young director feels there is a need to initiate similar movements for the growth of independent cinema, at least by the beginners. Digital platforms are an additional marketing possibility that any film maker should definitely explore,” he added.