Art blooms in the most difficult of times, in the most impossible of situations and places. Even when they were forced to remain indoors by a raging pandemic, filmmakers across the world worked wonders from within confined spaces. For that matter, even the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) was organised, albeit with limitations, spreading its wings out of its home city with four identical festivals, garnering a new set of audience.
As the 26th edition of the festival arrives, there is a sense of returning to normalcy in the outside world after more than two years, which is reflected in the festival too. The distance that separated the audience inside the cinemas has disappeared. From the reduced number of delegates last year, it has again gone up to over 10,000. When the festival officially opens at Nishagandhi on Friday evening, it will mark a return to the community viewing experience, which cannot be replicated even though many of the films having a festival run can now be watched in OTT (over the top) platforms from the cozy comforts at home.
As a symbol of the conflict-ridden times we are living in, the inaugural ceremony will have the presence of Kurdish filmmaker Lisa Calan, who lost both her legs in an IS bomb attack during an election rally. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will honour her with the Spirit of Cinema award. The current conflict zone of Russia-Ukraine will also have its representation at the festival, although the films from these regions do not have much to do with the ongoing conflict.
