For a small film from Kerala, this feels amazing: Sivaranjini on ‘Victoria’s Excellence Award at SIWFF

For director Sivaranjini, the film ‘Victoria’ has been more than just a project—it has become her gateway to international recognition and a lens through which the world is discovering fragments of Kerala’s culture. Currently pursuing a PhD in Visual Communication at IIT Bombay, Sivaranjini has always seen filmmaking as her true calling. That passion has now earned her the Excellence Award in the Discovery Section at the 27th Seoul International Women’s Film Festival.

‘Victoria’ is a quiet, observational film set entirely inside a women’s beauty parlour. Through the interactions of six women, the film delicately explores themes of gender, caste, class, and faith. The seed of the story came from an everyday moment: a visit to a beauty parlour in Angamaly, where Sivaranjini noticed a rooster wandering inside. The image stayed with her. Later, when the Kerala State Film Development Corporation launched a funding initiative for women filmmakers, she submitted a synopsis built around that memory. After a rigorous three-stage selection process, the project was approved, and over a year, it grew into the layered narrative that became ‘Victoria’.

The film has already had a remarkable festival journey. It was the only Indian entry selected for the Asian New Talent competition at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival, and now its Seoul win has placed it firmly on the global stage. “I never really expected it,” Sivaranjini said, recalling how thrilled she was when ‘Victoria’ first got shortlisted. “Among the films were titles I had always looked up to, so for mine to be recognised alongside them feels amazing.”

The audience reception has also been rewarding. In Shanghai, viewers were intrigued by the cultural nuances of the film, while in Seoul, she felt the audience was already more aware of Indian traditions and norms. “It was heartening to see so many people approach me afterwards, telling me how much they loved the film. Even those who thought it might not win said it touched them deeply,” she said.

For Sivaranjini, part of the excitement has been seeing how a small film from Kerala could resonate with an international jury. She believes the film’s dialogue-heavy nature posed a challenge but was glad to see that its emotions carried through even in translation. “Now I understand why many films that travel to festivals minimise dialogue, but at the same time, it was wonderful that the audience still connected with ‘Victoria’,” she said.

She also feels the film’s themes aligned with this year’s festival motto, “Reimagining F,” which focuses on imagination, solidarity, and fresh perspectives in women’s storytelling. That resonance, she believes, may have helped the jury recognise the film.

Reflecting on her journey, Sivaranjini says she largely navigated it on her own—researching festivals, understanding requirements, and planning submissions carefully. “For most international festivals, your film needs to have been screened elsewhere, but I began with the International Film Festival of Kerala since that wasn’t a requirement. From there, I slowly found my way,” she said.

To aspiring filmmakers, she advises proactiveness and careful research. “If you start planning from the writing stage itself, opportunities do open up,” she said.
As for what lies ahead, Sivaranjini is in no rush. “This whole journey has been a learning curve—from assembling the right crew to figuring out the festival circuit. For now, I plan to finish the festival run, look for work, and then slowly begin my next film with proper research and care,” she said.