30's International Film Festival of Kerala opened Friday in Thiruvananthapuram, India, with a politically charged and international ceremony led by the Chilean director. Pablo Larrainthe Palestinian and German ambassadors, and Canadian director Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, who received this year's Spirit of Film Award.
Kerala Culture Minister Saji Cherian officially inaugurated the festival, which marked three decades of the festival's legacy with film launches, book launches and tributes.
Festival Executive Director K. Ajoy welcomed the guests by recounting IFFK's journey from its beginnings to what he called “Kerala's strongest cultural edifice”. He acknowledged the many “unknown names” that shaped the festival and reaffirmed Kerala's solidarity with global struggles, including Palestine.
Delivering the inaugural address, Minister Saji Cherian highlighted the festival's magnitude and social purpose, highlighting the participation of 82 countries and over 200 films. He highlighted the role of cinema in resisting oppressive trends and named the much-loved Malayalam actress, a survivor of sexual violence, as a symbol of this spirit and called her a symbol of courage. Cherian described IFFK's identity as an organization based on solidarity and creative freedom, calling it “the most important advancement of the Kerala film ecosystem.”
Larraín, attending IFFK for the first time, praised the selection and the audience. “I've never been to India before. I'm very happy. I'm very impressed to see all of you wonderful people here,” he said. After reviewing the festival's catalog, he highlighted the region's defining openness: “the curiosity you have about different cultures around the world.” He urged the festival to “stay curious… because cinema is probably the only way to look at the past, the present and, ultimately, the future.”
German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann praised the status of the festival and the film culture of Kerala. Calling IFFK “one of the greatest festivals right now,” he highlighted the presence of 25 German productions or co-productions on this year's program, including Fatih Akin's new World War II film “Amrum” and the German-Czech-Polish biographical drama “Franz,” Germany's Oscar nominee. He recalled Kerala's previous honors to Werner Herzog and Wim Wenders and linked the state's nickname of “God's own country” to the German missionary Hermann Gundert, who developed the first dictionary in Malayalam.
The most emotional speech of the evening came from Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, who spoke about the importance of opening IFFK with a Palestinian aspect.”Palestine 36” “Tonight, through cinema, a small window will open into the soul of my people,” he said, thanking Kerala for its “unconditional support for the Palestinian cause.” He described a long history in which Palestinians have “never been given a platform,” arguing that the film represents a significant corrective to the historical record. “This is not fiction and not just memories. This is a reflection of the reality that my people have experienced,” he said, calling the audience’s attention and sympathy “an act of solidarity.”
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall received the Spirit of Film Award and gave one of the most impassioned speeches of the night. “Standing here at the Kerala International Film Festival is an honor that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” she said. She described her work as rooted in “confronting the injustices faced by the black community around the world,” adding that “an injustice for one community is an injustice for all communities.” She emphasized that “our struggles are interconnected and our liberation is intertwined,” and encouraged audiences to “make waves” by creating safety and dignity in their communities. Calling solidarity a “daily choice,” she said the honor was “one of the greatest” of her life and thanked IFFK “for giving me space for stories like mine.”
The ceremony also featured felicitations from director, writer and IFFK international competition juror Bui Toc Chuyen, representing Vietnam as the festival's country focus, as well as several official releases: Karunayude's Camera, a book about the late director Shaji N. Karun, one of the pillars of the festival. who died earlier this year; Festival guide produced by jury member, Spanish actress Angela Molina; Daily Bulletin by Indian author Adoor Gopalakrishnan; and a special edition of the Chalachitra Samiksha festival. Veteran filmmaker Rajeev Nath was honored for his 50 years of work in cinema, followed by the release of Tanal, a book on his career.
Also present at the opening were members of the international competition jury, Malaysian director Edmund Yeo and British-Indian director Sandhya Suri. Jury President, exiled Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulofwas not present due to flight delay.
The evening ended with the screening of the film Palestine 36, which set the political and humanistic tone for the coming week.
