The 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), held in December 2024, witnessed a record-breaking attendance of 13,000 delegates—arguably the highest for any film festival in India. The book by V. K. Cherian, “Noon Films & Magical Renaissance of Malayalam Cinema” published by Atlantic Publishers & Distributors in 2025, examines the renaissance of Malayalam cinema […]
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Taking Stock of Seven Decades of Fostering Film Culture: Musings on V. K. Cherian’s book “Celluloid to Digital — India’s Film Society Movement” India’s film society movement mirrors the nation’s own journey, as captured in V. K. Cherian’s comprehensive 2016 book, “India’s Film Society Movement: The Journey and its Impact.” A revised edition by Atlantic Publishers & […]
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Aattam: Astonishingly tense chamber drama that rises above its influences to deliver an incisive, intricate, and nuanced story The choice to focus the lens on a theatrical troupe feels very intentional: it provides a crucible wherein an assortment of characters from varied backgrounds of economic and social strata can accumulate under one roof, sharing a […]
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At the perspective pith of Photo (Kannada, 2023) is an evocative parable of humanism and human foibles. Set in the time of, and shot during, the sudden and unexpected imposition of the nationwide lockdown, it is an ironic, touching tale of a boy in a village who wishes to go and take an up, close […]
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12th Fail: A done to death template elevated such that the cream rises from the crop, due to a distinctive directorial voice and a fantastic lead performance. 12th Fail belongs to a genre of films dealing with the underdog narrative. In a country as populated as ours, the sheer number of aspirants who are after […]
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“Nostalgia is meant to give rise to an emotional connection between artist and consumer. The art itself being the canvas on which this connection can be heightened and explored. Sometimes, an artist will use traditional motifs and themes, as opposed to reinterpreted characters and stories, to communicate a sense of ease and familiarity.” -Mike Burdge, […]
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Balekempa transcends the story of a simple, quiet, and hardworking bangle seller. The supporting characters bring their own radiance to the narrative, illuminating the otherwise routine activities in the village, where the residents engage in their daily tasks with regimented regularity.
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We are a family, and the loyalty of the family must come before anything and everyone else. For if we honour that commitment, we will never be vanquished – but if we falter in that loyalty we will all be condemned. –Mario Puzo, The Family If a body catch a body coming through the […]
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The Malayalam filmmaker Don Palathara’s first three films – Shavam: The Corpse (2015), Vith: Seed (2017) and 1956, Travancore (2019) – are marked by the Syrian Catholic setting and the style of slow cinema movement in which they’re shot. Shavam is about a sudden death of a young man in a family. Vith revolves around […]
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