⭐ IFFK 2025 – Full Festival Article with International & Regional Film Lists

30th International Film Festival of Kerala – Celebrating Global & Regional Cinematic Voices

The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2025), held from 12–19 December in Thiruvananthapuram, marks a milestone year for India’s most influential people’s film festival. With over 200 films from 70 countries, this edition expands its cultural footprint with new venues, restored classics, daring new voices, and a powerful commitment to world cinema.

One of the biggest highlights of IFFK 2025 is the dynamic blend of International Competition films, regional Indian cinema, and retrospectives that honour the roots of filmmaking. This year also pays homage to the legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak on his birth centenary, bringing four restored masterpieces back to the big screen.

Another prominent attraction is the Country Focus: Vietnam, adding Southeast Asian vibrancy to Kerala’s cinematic landscape.

🌍 INTERNATIONAL FILMS – IFFK 2025

A curated selection of bold, diverse, emotionally resonant films from across the world.
These films examine identity, politics, relationships, myth, and modern life through daring storytelling.

1. Young Mothers (Belgium)

A layered drama exploring the challenges and emotional vulnerabilities of young women entering motherhood too soon.

2. The Secret Agent (France)

A tense political thriller examining espionage, fractured loyalties, and hidden motives.

3. The President’s Cake (USA / Qatar)

A satirical tale about symbolism, power, and the absurdities that arise during a national celebration.

4. The Master Mind

An intense character journey following a brilliant strategist navigating the morality of power.

5. Sirat

A moving portrait of identity and self-discovery against societal expectations.

6. Sentimental Value

A quiet, emotional meditation on memory, loss, and the things we hold dear.

7. No Other Choice

A gripping drama where individuals are forced into impossible moral decisions during a crisis.

8. It Was Just an Accident

A psychologically deep study of guilt, fate, and the unpredictability of life.

9. Bugonia

A visually strong, myth-inspired eco-surrealist film about transformation and nature.

10. Father, Mother, Brother, Sister

A powerful ensemble story on family ties, hidden pains, and unresolved histories.

11. If I Had Legs to Kick You

Dark humour meets metaphor in this quirky narrative about emotional frustration.

12. A Poet

An introspective film portraying the solitude, yearning, and torment of an artist.

13. Dreams, Sex, Love

A bold, modern exploration of desire, imagination, and the grey areas of emotional truth.

🎥 REGIONAL & INDIAN FILMS – IFFK 2025

Indian cinema continues to be one of the defining pillars of IFFK. This year, the regional line-up includes Malayalam gems, pan-Indian independent films, and new voices discovering fresh cinematic language.

A. INDIAN CINEMA NOW (7 Films – Confirmed)

A showcase of standout films representing the diversity of contemporary Indian storytelling.

1. Songs of Forgotten Trees (Hindi)

A poetic journey through memory, nature, and interconnected human stories.

2. Full Plate (Hindi)

Actress–filmmaker Tannishtha Chatterjee’s sharp look at hunger, dignity, and survival.

3. Flames (Laptein) (Hindi)

A character-driven drama about inner conflict and emotional healing.

4. Hearth and Home (Alaav) (Hindi)

A philosophical reflection on belonging, warmth, and fractured families.

5. Mirage (Morichika) (Bengali)

A psychological tale about illusions, identity, and emotional disappearance.

6. Don’t Tell Mother (Kannada)

A coming-of-age drama filled with humour, rebellion, and familial secrets.

7. Theatre (Tamil–Malayalam)

A cross-cultural story exploring performance, politics, and personal truth.

B. KALEIDOSCOPE SECTION

Indian independent filmmakers bring bold voices to the screen.

1. Homebound (Hindi – Neeraj Ghaywan)

An intimate, socially rooted film about returning home and confronting past wounds.

2. Bad Girl (Tamil)

A gritty narrative on survival and the harsh realities faced by young women.

3. Tiger’s Pond (Kannada)

A rural-set drama blending folklore, realism, and community dynamics.

Additional titles to be added as the festival updates the line-up.

🎞 RETRSPECTIVE – RITWIK GHATAK CENTENARY

IFFK honours the filmmaker who redefined Indian cinema.

• Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960)
• Komal Gandhar (1961)
• Subarnarekha (1962)
• Titash Ekti Nadir Naam (1973)

These restored classics return to the big screen, reminding audiences of Ghatak’s unparalleled expression of loss, identity, and displacement.

COUNTRY FOCUS: VIETNAM

With five films portraying war memories, cultural shifts, and poetic realism, this segment marks a powerful Asian presence at IFFK.

🏆 CONCLUSION – A PEOPLE’S FESTIVAL AT 30

IFFK 2025 stands tall as a cinematic bridge betwepreferred format!

SICA is proud award winning Cinematographer Alagappan is active member in Organizing IFFK

Article by

CJ Rajkumar

Author/ Cinematographer