The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, on Monday, announced the list of Malayalam films selected for the 23rd International Film Festival Of Kerala which is scheduled to take place in Thiruvananthapuram from December 7 to 13.
Debut director Sakhariya’s Sudani From Nigeria and Lijo Jose Pallissery’s Ee Ma Yau will be screened in the competition section of the festival, while 12 films – Soubin Shahir’s Parava, Jayaraj’s Bhayanakam, Unnikrishnan Avala’s Udalazham, Aashiq Abu’s Mayanadhi, Vinu AK’s Bilathikuzhal, Vipin Vijay’s Prathibhasam, B Ajithkumar’s Eeda, PK Bijukutan’s Oath, Binu Bhaskar’s Kottayam, Sumesh Lal’s Humans Of Someone, Gautham Soorya’s Sleeplessly Yours, and Vipin Radhakrishnan’s Ave Maria – have been selected under Malayalam Today category.
Of the 14 films, 10 are directorial debuts, and six have had a theatrical release. Sudani From Nigeria, Parava, Mayanadhi and Ee Ma Yau were commercial successes. Meanwhile, VC Abhilash’s Aalorukkam which won a National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues this year has found no place in the IFFK line-up.
Udalazham and Bilathikkuzhal are also a part of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival’s India Gold section.
This year, the IFFK will be a low-key affair, due to the floods that devastated the state in August. The budget for IFFK has been brought down to Rs 3.50 crore from last year’s Rs 6.35 crore. AK Balan, Minister for Cultural Affairs in the State, announced earlier this month that the funds for the festival will be raised by increasing the delegate fee and from sponsorships. The delegate passes will cost Rs 2000, while students will get a 50 per cent discount; no free passes will be issued this year.
The registration of delegates for the film festival will begin on November 1 at the regional centres of Chalachitra Academy in Kannur, Kozhikkode, Thrissur, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram. Online registration will be opened on November 10. The number of delegate passes this year has been limited to 12,000.