30th edition of IFFK set to open on Friday with Palestinian film

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 11 (PTI) The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala will begin here on Friday with the opening film 'Palestine 36' by Annemarie Jacir, a historical drama set during the 1936 Palestinian uprising.

The festival, to be held from December 12 to 19, is set to offer an eight-day visual feast of contemporary and historical cinema, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (KSCA), the organiser of the event, said in a release on Thursday.

The landmark 30th edition will feature 206 films from 82 countries across 26 categories, promising a rich cinematic experience for festivalgoers.

The Academy is yet to announce details of the official inaugural function.

The opening film, 'Palestine 36', has earned wide acclaim and won the Best Film award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

A major highlight of this edition is the conferring of the Lifetime Achievement Award on Abderrahmane Sissako, the Mauritanian filmmaker and influential voice in African cinema.

Five of his notable works, including 'Timbuktu' and 'Black Tea', will be screened as part of the special package titled 'The Global Griot: Sissako’s Cinematic Journey', recognising his explorations of globalisation, displacement and identity.

A retrospective section will honour the cinematic legacy of Egyptian maestro Youssef Chahine on his birth centenary, featuring seminal films such as 'Cairo Station', 'Alexandria Again and Forever' and 'The Other'.

Indonesian auteur Garin Nugroho will be the Contemporary Filmmaker in Focus, with five of his major works included in a dedicated segment.

The extensive World Cinema category will present 57 films from various global contexts, including critically acclaimed titles such as 'The Little Trouble Girls', 'Enzo', 'Mirrors No. 3', 'The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo', 'Amrum' and 'Cotton Queen'.

The Special Screening section will feature a 4K restored version of Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic 'Pulp Fiction'.

The Restored Classics category will celebrate cinema history with screenings of Krzysztof Kieślowski's 'Blind Chance', Sergei Eisenstein’s 'Battleship Potemkin' and Charlie Chaplin’s 'The Gold Rush'.

Films from various countries will compete for the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant) and Rajatha Chakoram (Silver Crow Pheasant) awards in the International Competition section.

The Malayalam Cinema Now and Indian Cinema Now sections will showcase the current landscape of filmmaking in the state and the country, respectively.

Five films directed by jury members—'Santosh', 'Iron Island', 'Moonlight Shadow', 'They Will Be Dust', and 'Tunnels: Sun in the Dark'—will be screened under the Jury Films segment.

Additional curated packages include Female Focus, Latin American Package, Country Focus: Vietnam, Festival Favourites and Kaleidoscope.

The 'past LTA winners' section will screen films by previous lifetime achievement award recipients, while 'The Suvarna Legacy' package will revisit past Suvarna Chakoram-winning films.

A homage section will pay tribute to legendary film personalities.

The official distribution of delegate cards was inaugurated in the day by Cultural Affairs Department Director Divya S Iyer.

National award-winning actor Lijo Mol Jose received the first delegate kit.

Speaking at the function, Jose shared her memories of attending earlier editions of IFFK and expressed hope that the festival would continue to provide viewers with a platform for discussion, discovery and exposure.

KSCA Vice Chairperson Cuckoo Parameswaran presided over the event. PTI MVG SSK