Sho Miyake’s Two Seasons, Two Strangers bags Suvarna Chakoram
As the curtains came down on the 30th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala, the spotlight fell on cinema that speaks across borders. Japanese filmmaker Sho Miyake’s Two Seasons, Two Strangers was awarded the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant) for Best Film at the closing ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram, along with a trophy and ₹20 lakh in prize money.
Adapted from a ...
Freedom of expression must prevail- Kerala CM
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan delivered a firm message on creative freedom at the closing ceremony of the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala, held at Nishagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, 19 December 2025. Speaking to the assembled audience, he asserted that any attempt to stifle freedom of expression would not be tolerated, signalling a strong stance against censorship ...
Capturing the Festival: Celebrating Media Excellence
Cinema took centre stage, but the 30th IFFK 2025 also celebrated excellence in media coverage through its annual Media Awards, recognising outstanding contributions across print, television, online, and radio, and highlighting the crucial role of journalists in documenting and promoting the festival.
In the print category, The New Indian Express was honoured for its overall coverage, while Arav ...
Sissako honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at 30th IFFK
The 30th IFFK honoured Mauritanian filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his enduring contribution to world cinema. Presented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the accolade carries a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, along with a statuette and citation.
Accepting the honour, Sissako described it as a defining moment in his life, situating the recognition with ...
Rajatha Chakoram for Karina Piazza and Lucia Brasilis
The 30th edition of the IFFK drew to a close on a note of quiet triumph and global resonance. As cinephiles and filmmakers bid farewell to a week of immersive cinema, the festival’s coveted Rajatha Chakoram (Silver Crow Pheasant) Award for Best Director crossed continents to Argentina. Karina Piazza and Lucia Brasilis were honoured for Before the Body, a film cited by the jury for its assure ...
Cinema is an expression of intense desire — Garin Nugroho
“Silence in cinema plays a vital role in witnessing human struggle. Communication goes far beyond words. When confronting history, silence and restraint often speak with greater truth than speech,” said renowned Indonesian filmmaker Garin Nugroho in an exclusive interview held as part of the 30th IFFK.
Cinema, he believes, has long served as a direct witness to human suffering. Thro ...
30th IFFK Media Awards – Entries Invited
Applications are now open for the Media Awards in connection with the 30th IFFK.
Entries are invited from print, visual, audio, and online media for coverage of the festival. An award has also been instituted for media institutions, with the Comprehensive Coverage Award recognizing overall excellence in festival reporting. Separate entries must be submitted for each award category.
Submissio ...
Chief Minister to inaugurate Closing Ceremony of 30th IFFK
As the 30th IFFK draws to a close, the spotlight shifts to the Nishagandhi Open Air Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram, where the festival’s closing ceremony will take place on December 19, 2025, at 6 pm. The evening, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and presided over by Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian, promises a celebration of cinematic excellence and enduring legaci ...
The Maker of Filmmakers released at IFFK
There are figures in cinema who shape films, and then there are those who shape filmmakers. The Maker of Filmmakers, released at the 30th IFFK, belongs firmly to the latter tradition.
Unveiled by acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan at a function held at Hotel Hycinth, the book traces the life and legacy of Jagat Murari-documentary filmmaker, producer and one of the key architects behind th ...
Choices were driven by Emotional Truth rather than Intellectual Symbolism: Anuparna Roy
Following the screening of Songs of Forgotten Trees, filmmaker Anuparna Roy interacted with the audience during a Q&A session on Day Two of the 30th IFFK at Kalabhavan Theatre on 13 December 2025.
The screening received an enthusiastic response from viewers, who were drawn to the film’s restrained storytelling and emotional depth. Songs of Forgotten Trees, which won the Orizzonti Award ...
Green is innovative; Suchitwa Mission with exemplary ideas
The Suchitwa Mission has launched an inspiring awareness and idea campaign at the Tagore Theatre, the main venue of the 30th IFFK, transforming the festival into a Green Festival (Haritha Mela). The theatre and its surroundings have been reimagined as an ethereal world crafted entirely from waste, radiating the vibrant colors of creativity. The centerpiece of the event is the striking installation ...
Need to decode the Grammar of Modern Cinema- Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Marking a significant moment for collective filmmaking, the Chitralekha Film Cooperative Society was formally relaunched at a function held at Nila Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram, as part of the 30th IFFK.
Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, inaugurating the event, said that cinema should not be judged solely by the profits it generates or the number of film festivals it enters, but by how ef ...
Goutam Ghose on Censorship and calls for Accreditation
Renowned filmmaker and the sole Indian recipient of the Vittorio De Sica Award, Goutam Ghose, a special invitee at the 30th IFFK, has called for the replacement of censorship with accreditation. Ghose expressed his views in an exclusive interview conducted on 15 December 2025 as part of the festival.
“Cinema is an individual’s freedom, inseparable from art, and embodies a multitude ...
Audience Poll opens at 10:00 AM on December 18, 2025
Voting for the Audience Poll Award at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, will commence on Wednesday, December 18, 2025. The polling will remain open from 10:00 am on December 18 until 2:00 pm on December 19.
Delegates can cast their votes by logging into the official IFFK website, registration.iffk.in, or through the IFFK mo ...
Her Frame, Her Story: Women filmmakers reflect on gaze, struggles and creative freedom
The panel discussion “Her Frame, Her Story: Women Rewriting Cinema,” held on the fifth day of IFFK, offered an insightful exploration of the male and female gaze and the systemic challenges faced by women in the film industry. The engaging session brought together a diverse group of voices—Canadian filmmaker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, this year’s Spirit of Cinema Award recipient ...
Kerala Government ensures screening of 19 controversial films
The state government has taken a decisive stance following the controversy caused by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s refusal to grant 'Censor Exemption' to 19 films selected for the 30th edition of the IFFK. Saji Cherian, Kerala’s Minister for Culture, announced that the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy has been instructed to ensure that all films are scree ...
Every street in Kolkata holds a Story- Ishan Ghose
Kolkata, with its streets teeming with stories, comes alive on screen in Morichika (Mirage), directed by Ishan Ghose. The film, showcased under the ‘Indian Cinema Now’ category at the 30th IFFK, received an overwhelmingly positive response from audiences.
Ishan Ghose, son of acclaimed director Goutam Ghose and also the film’s cinematographer, editor, writer, and production des ...
Our skies belong to none today- K. Sreekumar
Director K. Sreekumar reflects on his film Anyarude Akashangal, screened at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), in a candid conversation on politics, identity, and personal truth.
Q: Anyarude Akashangal engages deeply with contemporary social systems and individual conscience. To whom does the film most powerfully speak, society or politics?
A: More than addressing society ...
Malayalam Cinema reflects diversity and depth of themes – Fernando Brenner
Fernando Brenner, an Argentine film critic, curator, and consultant for the 30th IFFK, who curated the Latin American section, is also a passionate football enthusiast. In an exclusive interview held as part of the festival, he shared his views on Argentine and Malayalam cinema, his second passion football and the enduring legacy of Lionel Messi.
Reflecting on the evolution of Latin American ci ...
IFFK Day 4: The Big Screen Unfolds
The fourth day of IFFK 2025 promises a vibrant cinematic experience, with 74 films scheduled for screening across multiple theatres in the capital city on December 15, 2025. Featuring a rich mix of contemporary cinema, restored classics, and special events, the day offers something for every film enthusiast.
A major highlight of the day will be the prestigious Aravindan Memorial Lecture, to be he ...
30th IFFK to kick off with 206 Films from 82 Countries
The 30th edition of IFFK is all set to begin this evening with a grand inauguration ceremony at the Nishagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram. The highly anticipated eight-day festival will open at 6 PM today, marking the start of a cinematic celebration that will run through December 19. Featuring 206 films from 82 countries across 26 categories, the festival will be held in 16 theatres around ...
IFFK redefined the aesthetics of Malayalam Cinema- K Jayakumar
The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) has played a transformative role in shaping the aesthetics and sensibilities of Malayalam cinema, said former Chief Secretary K Jayakumar while inaugurating the Media Cell for the 30th IFFK at Tagore Theatre on 11 December 2025.
He added that the vibrant and ever-growing participation of young audiences has greatly strengthened the festival, cont ...
Thirty lamps lit the 30th IFFK with grandeur
Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan inaugurated the 30th IFFK at a resplendent ceremony held at the Nishagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram. In his address, he reaffirmed the festival’s enduring commitment to championing women in cinema, recalling the previous edition’s Female Gaze section and the spotlight it cast on women directors. He also reiterated the state government&rs ...
When Morning Comes—A Love Letter to Jamaica: Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
Canadian filmmaker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, winner of the Spirit of Cinema Award at the 30th IFFK, describes her latest film When Morning Comes as a deeply personal tribute to her homeland, Jamaica.
“When Morning Comes is the story of people who were forced to flee their homeland. The film seeks to go beyond assumptions about Jamaica. It is an attempt to bring my memories, my family, and peo ...
Cinema Savari offers free rides to cinephiles at IFFK
In an effort to enhance the festival experience and provide convenient transportation for audiences attending the 30th IFFK, Kerala Savari, the Government of Kerala’s taxi service, has introduced a special initiative titled Cinema Savari.
As part of this initiative, free transportation will be provided to IFFK delegates and film enthusiasts between various festival theatres. The service i ...
IFFK should continue to be the Voice of the Voiceless: Abdullah Abu Shavesh
Palestine’s Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shavesh, expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity provided by the 30th IFFK to screen films such as Palestine 36, which portray the lived realities of the Palestinian people and allow their stories to reach a global audience.
In an exclusive interview given on 13 December 2025, the Ambassador noted that for Palestinians, cinema is not m ...
MACTA Pavilion Inaugurated at Tagore Theatre Premises
The Malayalam Cinema Technicians Association (MACTA) Pavilion was inaugurated at the Tagore Theatre premises, the main venue of the 30th IFFK.
The pavilion was inaugurated by Chalachitra Academy Vice Chairperson Cuckoo Parameswaran. The pavilion is envisioned as a vibrant space for communication, collaboration, and professional development, while drawing attention to the vital role played by fi ...
KFM offers new International Cinema Trade Openings
The third edition of the Kerala Film Market (KFM), organised by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), was inaugurated by Dr. Rajan Khobragade, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Kerala, as part of the 30th IFFK. The Market is being held at South Park Hotel from December 14 to 16, offering a dynamic platform for filmmakers, producers, distributors, and industry profess ...
Lijomol Jose receives the first Delegate Kit
“IFFK is not just the pride of Thiruvananthapuram, but that of the entire world,” said Dr. Divya S. Iyer, Director, Department of Culture, Government of Kerala, while inaugurating the official opening of the Delegate Cell and the distribution of delegate kits for the 30th edition of IFFK at Tagore Theatre on 11 December 2025. 2024 Kerala State Film Award winner and actress Lijomol Jose ...
Experienzia: Unveils 30 years within four walls
The IFFK Experienzia, a timeless memorabilia exhibition of 30 years of cinema legacy—IFFK, was officially inaugurated at the Tagore Theatre on the third day by prominent African director Abderrahmane Sissako, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Over these 30 glorious years, Thiruvananthapuram loved patiently standing in queues, enjoying debate-filled midnights, distant languages, and ...
MACTA Year Planner 2026 Released
The MACTA Year Planner 2026 was officially released at MACTA’s stall at the Tagore Theatre premises as part of the 30th IFFK. The Year Planner was released by acclaimed filmmaker Dr. Biju, who handed over a copy to noted producer Baby Mathew Somatheeram.
The event was attended by MACTA Chairman Joshi Mathew, General Secretary Sreekumar Arookutty, Treasurer Sajinlal, and Executive Committe ...
The invisible battles of women, captured on screen
The 30th IFFK showcased Shadow Box, a poignant Bengali drama co-directed by Tanushree Das and Soumyananda Swahi, that delves into the often-overlooked mental struggles of women. In a candid discussion about their directorial journey, the filmmakers described the film as an intimate exploration of family dynamics, resistance, and the quiet turmoil women endure within patriarchal structures.
At t ...
Living Landscapes: Sketches by Artist Namboothiri
As part of the birth centenary celebrations of the legendary artist Namboothiri, whose distinctive illustrative work and visual imagination transformed contemporary painting in Kerala, an exhibition of his selected film location sketches has opened at Kairali Theatre. The exhibition was inaugurated by acclaimed filmmaker and former Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Chairman, T. K. Rajeev Kumar.
...
Marginalised communities must be portrayed with dignity: Dr. Biju
As part of the 30th IFFK, Dr. Bijukumar Damodaran’s Papa Buka was screened, after which the director shared his experiences and creative insights into the making of the film.
Question: Why did you choose the events in Papua New Guinea as the backdrop for a story set during the Second World War?
Answer: During World War II, many Indian soldiers served with the British Army in Papua ...
Homage to the Legend: Ritwik Ghatak Exhibition at Tagore Theatre
An exhibition honouring the legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak, organised as part of his birth centenary celebrations, was inaugurated by acclaimed Bengali director Gautam Ghosh at the Tagore Theatre premises. The venue serves as the main hub of the 30th IFFK, and the exhibition will remain open to visitors until the conclusion of the festival.
The exhibition showcases a curated collection of st ...
T. V. Chandran receives FIPRESCI Lifetime Achievement Award
Renowned filmmaker T. V. Chandran was presented with the FIPRESCI Lifetime Achievement Award by Gautam Ghosh in recognition of his remarkable contributions to Indian cinema over several decades. Ghosh lauded Chandran for his rich and nuanced body of work, which thoughtfully explores social issues and human experiences with subtlety and depth.
...
Download Mobile Apps:
