30th edition of IFFK to begin in Thiruvananthapuram today

In celebration of cinema and its enduring charm, the city is preparing to host the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). An eight-day transformation, where every corner of the city will breathe cinema. Buses and autorickshaws shuttling between theatres, conversations about cinema spilling over café tables, and long queues of delegates waiting to experience world cinema on Kerala’s big screens, the festival spirit is set to take over Thiruvananthapuram.

Beginning on December 12, this year’s edition will present 206 films from 82 countries across 26 categories. The much-awaited global festival will open with 'Palestine 36', a historical drama by Annemarie Jacir. Set against the backdrop of the 1936 Palestinian uprising, the film recently won the Best Film Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

A key highlight this year is the Lifetime Achievement Award (LTA) being presented to Abderrahmane Sissako, the acclaimed Mauritanian filmmaker known for his insightful representations of identity, displacement and globalisation. Five of his celebrated works, including 'Timbuktu and Black Tea', will be screened under the special tribute package titled 'The Global Griot: Sissako’s Cinematic Journey'.

The festival’s retrospective section will commemorate the centenary of Egyptian icon Youssef Chahine by screening some of his most influential pieces, such as 'Cairo Station', 'Alexandria Again and Forever' and 'The Other'. In parallel, three prominent films by Saeed Mirza, a central figure in India’s parallel cinema movement, will also be featured.

Indonesian master Garin Nugroho has been selected as the Contemporary Filmmaker in Focus, with five of his films forming a dedicated segment.

World Cinema remains one of the festival’s largest categories, with 57 titles that explore varied global perspectives. Notable additions include several queer cinema entries: 'The Little Trouble Girls', 'Enzo', 'Mirrors No. 3', 'The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo', 'Amrum' and 'Cotton Queen'.

Special screenings this year include a 4K restored print of Quentin Tarantino’s cult favourite 'Pulp Fiction'. The Midnight Screening lineup features Steven Spielberg’s 'Jaws and The Book of Sigyn' and 'Illiyn', directed by Hadrah Daeng Ratu.

The Restored Classics package celebrates cinema’s heritage with films such as Krzysztof Kieślowski’s 'Blind Chance', Sergei Eisenstein’s 'Battleship Potemkin', Charlie Chaplin’s 'The Gold Rush' and the Malayalam classic 'Padatha Painkili' directed by P Subrahmanyam.

In the International Competition, films from different regions will vie for the Suvarna and Rajatha Chakoram awards. The Malayalam Cinema Now and Indian Cinema Now sections will spotlight current trends in state and national filmmaking. Seven films—'Songs of Forgotten Trees', 'Full Plate', 'Don’t Tell Mother', 'Hearth and Home', 'Theatre', 'Flames and Mirage'—will represent the Indian Cinema Now category.

Five films by members of the festival jury will be shown under Jury Films, while several curated packages such as Female Focus, Country Focus: Vietnam, Latin American Package, Festival Favourites, Kaleidoscope, Past LTA Winners and The Suvarna Legacy will add thematic depth to the schedule.

IFFK will also commemorate filmmaker Rajeev Nath’s five decades in cinema with a special screening of 'Janani', marking his 50-year milestone in filmmaking.

On opening day, December 12, 11 films will be screened, including 'Palestine 36' at 6 pm at Nishagandhi Open Theatre. Directed by Ameenah Jaleel, the film “presents an intimate yet powerful portrayal of Palestinian life under occupation,” exploring endurance, memory and resistance through intersecting personal stories.

The programme also features Pauline Lequesne’s Nino under Female Focus, Laura Citarella’s The Virgin of the Quarry Lake in the Latin American segment, and Chahine’s Alexandria Again and Forever as part of the homage section.

With its distinctive mix of genres, voices and cultural viewpoints, the opening day sets a compelling and vibrant tone for the 30th IFFK.