From Malayalam hits to global perspectives: Highlights of IFFK day 2

The second day of the IFFK unfolded as a spectacular event, featuring numerous movie screenings and engaging open forum discussions. The day commenced with screenings of films such as Don Palathara's ‘Family’, Harshad Nalawade's ‘Follower’, and Jee-Woon Kim’s ‘Cobweb’, drawing an enthusiastic response. ‘Family’ received resounding appreciation from the audience, leading to an interactive session with the cast and crew engaging with media personalities.

Actors Nilja K Baby and Abhija expressed their delight in collaborating with the highly talented director Don Palathara. However, the popularity of Malayalam movies resulted in overwhelming crowds, preventing some individuals from attending shows. For the film ‘Adrishya Jalakangal,’ conflicts arose between organisers and attendees over seating arrangements. Despite audience members offering to sit on the floor, authorities did not permit it, causing unrest among those eager to watch the movie.

In the afternoon, an open forum discussion featuring Portuguese filmmaker Rita Gomez took place at Nila Theatre. Later in the evening, the cast and crew of the films 'Family' and 'Paradise' gathered at Tagore Theatre for a dialogue with the media about their cinematic endeavours. Roshan Mathew, the principal actor in 'Paradise,' conveyed to Onmanorama that filming in Sri Lanka presented substantial challenges. Despite these difficulties, he expressed the perspective that even productions classified as 'art movies' are presently met with widespread appreciation from audiences.

Kenyan director Miss Wanuri Kahiu, recipient of the 'Spirit of Cinema' award, engaged in an open forum discussion on film festivals during times of war and genocide. Minister Saji Cherian, in attendance, also honoured Kahiu during the event. In the discussion, Miss Kahiu shared with Onmanorama her perspective that cinema serves as a global representation, amalgamating influences from various countries. She emphasized the significant impact that the collective presence of diverse cultures has on the world of movies. The dynamic second day continued to exude vibrancy, with participants converging at venues throughout Thiruvananthapuram.