Kerala Film Festival Kicks Off in Thiruvananthapuram, India, With Politically Charged Ceremony
The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) got underway on Friday in Thiruvananthapuram, India, with a highly anticipated and politically charged ceremony. Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, German Ambassador Philipp Ackerman, and Canadian director Kelly Fyffe-Marshall were among the notable guests.
The event was formally inaugurated by Kerala's Minister for Culture Saji Cherian, who highlighted the festival's three-decade legacy and its significance in promoting film culture in the state. The ceremony also featured a tribute to Palestinian filmmaker Ebraheem Al-Khudary, who recently passed away.
Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín praised India's cinema culture, calling it "open" and "curious". He emphasized the importance of staying curious and open-minded in order to look at the past, present, and future through cinema. German Ambassador Philipp Ackerman commended Kerala's film culture, highlighting the presence of 25 German productions or co-productions in this year's festival.
Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh delivered a powerful speech, thanking Kerala for its "unequivocal support to the cause of Palestine". He spoke about the significance of the Palestinian feature film "Palestine 36", which was screened at the opening ceremony. The film is a reflection of reality and represents an essential correction of historical record.
The Spirit of Cinema Award went to Canadian director Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, who delivered a passionate speech, emphasizing the importance of solidarity and standing up against injustices faced by marginalized communities. She urged audiences to make ripples in their own communities and create safety and dignity for all.
Other notable events included the felicitation of filmmaker Bùi Thạc Chuyên, the release of several official books and publications, and a screening of the Palestinian feature film "Palestine 36", which set a political and humanistic tone for the week ahead.
The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) got underway on Friday in Thiruvananthapuram, India, with a highly anticipated and politically charged ceremony. Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, German Ambassador Philipp Ackerman, and Canadian director Kelly Fyffe-Marshall were among the notable guests.
The event was formally inaugurated by Kerala's Minister for Culture Saji Cherian, who highlighted the festival's three-decade legacy and its significance in promoting film culture in the state. The ceremony also featured a tribute to Palestinian filmmaker Ebraheem Al-Khudary, who recently passed away.
Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín praised India's cinema culture, calling it "open" and "curious". He emphasized the importance of staying curious and open-minded in order to look at the past, present, and future through cinema. German Ambassador Philipp Ackerman commended Kerala's film culture, highlighting the presence of 25 German productions or co-productions in this year's festival.
Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh delivered a powerful speech, thanking Kerala for its "unequivocal support to the cause of Palestine". He spoke about the significance of the Palestinian feature film "Palestine 36", which was screened at the opening ceremony. The film is a reflection of reality and represents an essential correction of historical record.
The Spirit of Cinema Award went to Canadian director Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, who delivered a passionate speech, emphasizing the importance of solidarity and standing up against injustices faced by marginalized communities. She urged audiences to make ripples in their own communities and create safety and dignity for all.
Other notable events included the felicitation of filmmaker Bùi Thạc Chuyên, the release of several official books and publications, and a screening of the Palestinian feature film "Palestine 36", which set a political and humanistic tone for the week ahead.
and gotta say, it's always inspiring to see people from all over the world coming together to celebrate cinema 
pablo larraín's speech about staying curious and open-minded really resonated with me 
but what i find really powerful is when ambassadors like abdullah m. abu shawesh use their platforms to raise awareness about important issues like palestine 
also, can't wait to see more films like "palestine 36" that challenge our perspectives and spark conversations 
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! i've been following kelly fyffe-marshall's work for ages and it means everything to me that she got the spirit of cinema award 
. and can we talk about philipp ackerman's comments on german productions in kerala? 25+ co-productions is a huge deal! 
but what really caught my attention was abdullah m. abu shawesh's speech... i'm not gonna lie, it made me feel all the emotions 
. india's support for palestine is something we need more of, and i'm so grateful that kerala is leading the way 
. let's keep celebrating cinema and solidarity! 
. ambassadors and directors and all that, speaking about solidarity and standing up against injustices... it's cool to see them using their platforms for good 
. like, can't we just appreciate some good movies without all the politics 
?
I mean, come on... people gotta chill out. Pablo Larraín is just tryna spread some positivity about Indian cinema culture. No need to get all worked up about it. And let's be real, Canadian director Kelly Fyffe-Marshall's speech was fire 
- she brought the feels and got everyone pumped up for change. Don't @ me about politics, folks... let's just enjoy the films and celebrate our diversity 
. I'm all for promoting film culture and celebrating the arts, but not when it turns into a soapbox fest 
. Give me some thought-provoking indie flicks any day over these scripted speeches 
️ Kelly Fyffe-Marshall's speech was everything and more – so passionate and inspiring