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Meet the Director

Realising Dreams: Directors share their cinematic journeys

At the Meet the Directors session, moderated by eminent film director and writer Balu Kiriyath and held at the Tagore Theatre premises as part of the 30th IFFK, filmmakers spoke candidly about the behind-the-scenes efforts and financial constraints they encountered while realising their dream projects.

Thanthapperu , directed by Unnikrishnan Avala and filmed with the Cholanaikkan tribe—the only remaining cave-dwelling community in Asia—portrays the impact of the National Emergency on their lives. One of the film’s greatest challenges was that the cast consisted entirely of real members of the tribe, who traditionally remain confined to their own dwellings and are reluctant to engage with outsiders. The film narrates the story of a community that, despite a desire for marriage, is unable to find women within its own group.
Avala noted that it took him six years to accomplish the task of bringing before the camera people who were initially unwilling even to stand in front of him, transforming them into characters and ultimately crafting a film through their lived experiences.

Ishan Ghosh, director of Mirage, stated that although the film took a considerable amount of time to complete, his sole focus was on seeing the project through to completion. He also spoke about the criticism he faced for embarking on the film without a script, working instead with friends and using a small Sony camera.

Playwright and writer Mini I. G. spoke about the challenges she encountered while fulfilling her long-cherished dream of completing her film, Aadi Snehathimin Virunumeshayil, which explores contemporary social relationships. She noted that the film was completed within a short span of time, as it had no producer and several members of the crew worked without remuneration. She also shared that, since her earlier years as an IFFK delegate, she had nurtured the aspiration of one day screening her own work at the festival.

Debut director Rajesh Madhavan stated that his first directorial venture, Pennum Porattum, featured several new faces. He noted that dubbing was not feasible for the film, as the dialogues were not pre-written and the sound was recorded live during the filming of the scenes.

Sreekumar K. stated that he undertook Anyarude Akashangal driven solely by its theme. Directors Sreejith S. Kumar and Grito Vincent, who made Sheshipp based on life during the COVID-19 period, spoke about the challenges they faced in the early stages of the project, particularly in securing producers, as the film featured new faces.

The session was also attended by Soumyananda Sahi, director of Shadow Box, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, and Ravi Shankar Kaushik, director of Lapteen.