From Vietnam to Palestine and rare classics: How IFFK 2025’s line-up was shaped

The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), in its 30th edition, has continued to serve as a forum for politically relevant cinema and rare restored classics at a time when the role of cinema in society, as entertainment alone or as a political art form, is being widely debated. Marking three decades of the global film festival, the edition is also showcasing 17 films under the Suvarna Chakoram Films category, titles that won the Suvarna Chakoram Award in previous years.

Vietnam has been chosen as the Country Focus to commemorate 50 years since the Vietnam War, a decision that Kerala Chalachithra Academy Programme Assistant Bharath Jayakumar described as historically and politically significant.

“This is not a celebration, but a commemoration,” Bharath told Onmanorama. “The Vietnam War remains one of the most significant conflicts in world history, and in today’s global context, Vietnam felt like the most relevant and meaningful choice.”

Five Vietnamese films — Cu Li Never Cries, Don’t Cry Butterfly, Glorious Ashes, Once Upon a Love Story and The Tree House — are being screened as part of the Country Focus package, following the selection pattern adopted in previous editions.

The festival has also included a significant number of Palestinian films, including productions and co-productions from the region. Bharath said the selection emerged from collective discussions within the programming team and reflected the festival’s long-standing political consciousness.

“Festival politics and our own social politics are not separate,” he said. “IFFK has always taken a stand. This year’s selections are based on that shared understanding.”

Among the major highlights is the Indian premiere of the 4K-restored version of Jaws, screened as part of the film’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Originally released in 1975, the Steven Spielberg classic was screened at Nishagandhi in Thiruvananthapuram.

“This is the first time the 4K-restored version of Jaws has been screened in India,” Bharath said. “Families, older audiences, and cinephiles turned up in large numbers.”

The festival also features restored versions of other classics, including Pulp Fiction, adding to what organisers describe as one of the strongest line-ups in recent years.

Bharath noted that curating a festival of this scale requires months of preparation, negotiations with distributors and studios, and navigating challenges related to premieres, screening rights, and the availability of prints.

“Not all films are easy to access, especially older titles,” he said. “But we try to ensure audiences do not leave disappointed. IFFK is the last major festival of the calendar year, and many people wait for it to watch acclaimed films of the year and titles they may have missed elsewhere.” The issue of access has come into focus at this year’s IFFK following protests by delegates over the Union government’s denial of screening permission to around 19 films.

Bharath added that IFFK, in every sense, is a festival closely watched by cinephiles across the world.