Noted Tamil film-maker Vetrimaaran’s next, Visaranai, will compete in the Orizzonti section at the Venice International Film Festival (la Biennale di Venizia), which will begin in September. This is the first time a Tamil film has been selected for the competition section, which showcases trends in world cinema.
Reacting to the official announcement, Vetrimaaran said that the film would be showcased in as many international film festivals as possible.
“It is really a big thing for our film. I knew that the film will have a chance at festivals across the world even as I was writing it,” he said.
The trailer of the film, which is based on Chandra Kumar’s novel, Lock Up , prompted a debate on police brutality and high-handedness when it was uploaded on video-sharing sites a few months ago.
It coincided with the killing of 20 Tamil wood cutters, allegedly red-sanders smugglers, by the Andhra police.
Awaiting certification
The film-maker has refused to talk about the film until certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), but said that there would not be much difference between the version that will be played at the festival and the one to be screened in cinemas across Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Vetrimaaran said that he would attend screening at the Venice festival along with the actors and producer of the film.
The trailer of the Vetrimaaran movie had triggered much debate on social media as it coincided with the killing of alleged red-sanders smugglers
