The penultimate day of the International Film Festival of Kerala’s (IFFK) Palakkad edition on Thursday witnessed a presentation of the traditional temple art form of tholpavakkoothu (shadow puppetry), which shares similarities with the art of cinema.
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In fact, the IFFK had adopted an imagery from the temple art form as its logo. Cinema lovers who enjoyed the tholpavakoothu presentation said it was the “destiny” of the IFFK to be also held in Palakkad on its silver jubilee year.
Padma Sri awardee Ramachandra Pulavar and team presented the puppet show based on the theme of the festival logo, which depicts the tholpavakkoothu character Lankalakshmi. It was the late noted filmmaker G. Aravindan who selected Lankalakshmi for the festival’s logo 23 years ago. Tholpavakkoothu exponent Krishnankutty Pulavar helped Aravindan with its selection.
Kerala State Chalachithra Academy chairman Kamal felicitated Mr. Pulavar at the function. Vice-chairperson Bina Paul, secretary Ajoy Chandran and general convener T.R. Ajayan were among those present.
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Women in cinema
An open forum organised as part of the IFFK raised the demand for stronger presence of women in cinema. Women’s voice and responses should occupy a wider space in cinema, it pointed out.
Actor Sajitha Madathil, who led the discussion, said that although there were many women working in the field of cinema, only a few were enjoying the freedom of action. Author Anu Pappachan said that women were still working in a world of male supremacy in spite of having wider representation in cinema, while Sangeetha Chennampally was of the opinion that women’s voices should be heard louder in cinema.