IDSFFK logo | Photo credit: Special Arrangement
Minister for Local Self Government MB Rajesh said the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) is part of the State’s democratic model, which has a free space for opposing views. Inaugurating the 16th edition of the festival at the Kairali Theatre Complex here on July 26, he said a conducive and tolerant atmosphere is important for the free exchange of divergent views in contemporary India.
Highlighting the package ‘An Ode to Resilience: Tales from Palestine’ that showcased documentaries and short films related to Palestine, he said the festival is also an expression of Kerala’s solidarity with Palestine.
He said, “People across the world who believe in humanity and justice stand in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza. Kerala too stands firmly with the people of Palestine. The festival has also screened documentaries on the historic farmers’ struggle as well as many other important issues of our times. I still remember how during our student days, documentaries like Anand Patwardhan’s Ram ke Naam and Rakesh Sharma’s Final Solution were used to organise people in the struggle against communalism.”
Mr Rajesh presented the Festival’s lifetime achievement award to wildlife filmmaking pioneers Naresh Bedi and Rakesh Bedi (Bedi brothers). After the ceremony, Ernest Cole: Lost and FoundOn this occasion, a documentary made by Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck was screened, based on the work of the great photographer whose photographs exposed the horrors of the apartheid years in South Africa.
335 films from 54 countries will be screened during the six-day festival at the Kairali Sree Neela theatre complex. The focus categories will include 31 documentaries and 18 fiction short films.
The Focus Short Documentary category will feature 24 films in various languages ​​such as Marathi, Bengali, Hindi, Santhali, Odia, Kannada, Tamil, Assamese and Sylheti. These films highlight several issues such as women’s lives, drought, mining, people’s movements, etc.
