The International Film Festival of Kerala is an event the film buffs of the State will never miss, for it is simply a week-long universe of movies, directors and experiences. Every year, the IFFK brings together the best of Indian and world cinema under one roof. This year 74 films from 31 countries across the world are grouped together under the World Cinema section of the 16th IFFK.
Many of these films have made their rounds at the international festival circuits and have won awards and accolades before making its appearance in India.
The film Pina , directed by Wim Wenders is a tribute to the Tanztheater artiste Pina Bausch, who died in 2009, before the completion of the film. It features some of the most noted pieces of the dance form by Pina Bausch.
A Separation , directed by Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi is a sophisticated tale of a disintegrating relationship between a husband and wife, who cannot agree on whether to stay back in the country to look after the husband’s father or move to Iran, where there is more possibility for their daughter.
Andrei Zvyagintsev’s Elena speaks about the moral impact of personal choices within a family system. The Russian film depicts the life of Elena, and the intricacies caused by a much older husband, an estranged daughter and a son from previous marriage.
Faust directed by Aleksander Sokurov is the final part of the series and is loosely based on German writer Goethe's take on the myth about an unsatisfied man, who sells his soul to the devil.
Brazilian film Stories That Exist Only When Remembered directed by Julia Murat relays the life of senior citizens, who compromise the entire population of a tiny community in a forgotten corner of South America.
The Sleeping Beauty is a French film directed by the controversial director, who mainly explores women’s sexuality. Catherine Breillat is loosely based on the old fairytale of the same name.
Other films that will be screened at the festival include Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen, August Drizzle by Aruna Jayawardana, In the Name of Devil by Barbara Sass, Hanezu by Naomi Kawaze, The House under Water by Sepideh Farsi and Man without a Cell Phone by Sameh Zoabi.
And of course, there is India’s very own entry Urumi , which tells the story of Chiraikal Kelu Nair, who wanted to kill the Viceroy of Portuguese Empire in India, Vasco da Gama.
