Even as the inclusion of three more venues for the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) has kicked up a controversy, film enthusiasts in Kozhikode, which was the first venue of the festival, are vying for an additional venue in the city.
“The silver jubilee of IFFK is an occasion to commemorate the first edition of the festival. Kozhikode, with a large chunk of festival goers, has every right to be one of the venues,” said K.J. Thomas, secretary of the Bankmen’s Film Society that has been organising film festivals in the city for decades, even online festivals during the COVID times.
Their demand is not to shift the venue from Thalasseri to Kozhikode as many had perceived. “Thalassery is an ideal venue, which is quite accessible to people from Kasaragod and Kannur, besides parts of Wayanad district too. We are asking for a fifth venue in Kozhikode, which has hosted the regional edition of IFFK in the past,” said Mr. Thomas who was the festival director then.
He assumed that the non-availability of Kairali and Sree theatres under the Kerala State Film Development Corporation could have been the reason for neglecting Kozhikode. However, the theatres will be ready for use by March, when the festival is scheduled to be held. The Bankmen’s Film Society, among other film enthusiasts, has written to the Minister concerned about the issue. “We have time till March to sort it out,” Mr. Thomas said.
Meanwhile, the controversy regarding the change in venue is unnecessary, he said. “This is a special circumstance and should be excused. The festival venue is not being shifted. Only additional venues are being set up for the convenience of the public and to avoid crowds in the backdrop of the pandemic. It is inconvenient for people from all over the State to travel to Thiruvananthapuram for the festival in these circumstances,” Mr. Thomas said.
The Culture Department had announced a couple of days ago that Ernakulam, Thalasseri and Palakkad would also be venues of the festival in its silver jubilee year.
