“I have participated in multiple editions of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in many avatars: as jury member of selection committees to select films for different sections, as a filmmaker when my films were being screened in different packages and as an office-bearer of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. But this is the first time as Chairperson,” says filmmaker Kamal with a smile, as he settles down for a talk in his office at the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy in Thiruvananthapuram. Excerpts from the conversation.
Twenty one years…What is the place of the IFFK in the cultural scenario of India?
It has undoubtedly become the largest film festival in Asia with more than 11,000 registered delegates. The special place IFFK has in the hearts of filmmakers and viewers is what makes this festival special. I joined in July this year, but even by then filmmakers, Indian and international, had begun to send in their entries for the festival. Now that is encouraging. As you know, films being screened in the competition section cannot be sent to other competitions. We were happy to find that there were film directors who specifically wanted their films to be included in the IFFK competition and not elsewhere. Moreover, there was Mexican filmmaker Jack Zagha whose movie Warehoused was selected for the IFFI competition. But he withdrew from that and chose to participate in the IFFK. Amongst the films that we selected for the competition, the only film that we lost to IFFI was Daughter by Reza Mirkarimi. The film is being screened in the world cinema section. That speaks volumes for the way the IFFK has evolved as a major platform for good cinema.
Do cinema-literate viewers have a role to play in the way IFFK has evolved as a favourite venue of filmmakers? And has the profile of the average delegate changed?
Certainly. Over the years, thanks to our film societies, all over Kerala there are several festivals, big and small. That has honed a population of film buffs who know their cinema quite well. It also made the IFFK mandatory for anyone who is connected with movies in some way or the other. In between, for a short while, there was a lull in the activities of film societies but they outlived that and are in full flow now. Moreover, these societies democratised film festivals and removed the film festival’s image of exclusivity and made it accessible to women and students.
A decade or two ago, film festivals were seen as the exclusive domain of a group of so-called intellectuals. However, those images have been erased from the popular mind and the IFFK has become a festival that welcomes all movie buffs.
IFFK has been sensitive to events that dominate intellectual and cultural landscapes...
That ability to empathise and understand the significance and relevance of contemporary happenings is certainly one of the strengths of the IFFK. For instance, the package called ‘Gender Bender’ is one that empathises with the struggle of the transgender community to gain a distinctive identify for themselves. They were able to register as transgender while applying for delegate passes and we are even arranging separate rest rooms for them at three venues where the films are being screened.
Another package that is on the same page as recent events that caught the attention of the world is the section of films on migration. It is an issue that is traumatising the world, whether it be in Mexico, Europe or West Asia. Our package highlights the lives of the displaced, of thousands of people on a quest for a safe place to live.
That is why our opening film Raftan (Parting) from Afghanistan is also on the same theme.
In fact, talks are on to dedicate the festival to the memory of those battling the seas and wars to reach a sanctuary; to that toddler, Alan Kurdi, whose body was found washed ashore.
In addition to movies, what is on the menu for a delegate of the IFFK?
A delegate participating in the festival for a week is exposed to a kaleidoscope of experiences. They attend open forums, have impromptu discussions on cinema, seminars and get a ringside view of protests and so on.
In addition, the Government and the Chalachitra Academy and officials have let the IFFK become a democratic platform to air various concerns. We have seen how different activists have seen the IFFK as an ideal space to air their grievances. Every year, there are protests, meetings and poster wars. Nevertheless, the government has not interfered to stamp out such events with a heavy hand.
For instance, the only place where the Kiss of Love, organised by youngsters to protest against moral policing, did not raise storms of protest was in Thiruvananthapuram when it was held on the sidelines of the IFFK. But it turned into a stand-off between the activists and the authorities in Kozhikode and Kochi.
More than 16,000 people tried to become delegates for this edition.
Do you think YouTube and the Net have changed the way people watch movies?
What is happening now is that delegates are aware about the kind of films that they want to see. Many of them read it up on the Net and know about the filmmaker, the theme and the cast. That has been due to technological advances. It has only helped to bring in informed viewers for the festival.
Any memorable moments of IFFK?
Several and for many reasons. When my films were part of the IFFK in different categories, it was a proud moment to watch it along with eminent filmmakers and delegates.
Each of the Chairpersons has done a great job but I feel that it was Adoor Gopalakrishnan sir who elevated it from a regional festival and gave it an international look. When I was a committee member, it was satisfying to watch the festival go without a hitch.
But I have been happiest when I was a delegate, all set to watch as many films as possible without any kind of responsibility.
