IFFK 2022 inauguration: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan flags off the inaugural event in a historic way

The 27th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) commenced on Friday in Thiruvananthapuram, with the inaugural function taking place at the Nishagandhi open auditorium. As always, this year’s edition of the festival witnessed cinephiles from across the country coming together for the event that celebrates the best of cinema from across the globe. The inaugural ceremony was presided over by Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Thiruvananthapuram corporation mayor Arya Rajendran, Minister for General Education and Labour V Sivankutty, Minister for Transport Antony Raju and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies G.R Anil, among others.

This year’s edition of the festival saw a marked difference in the way that it was flagged off, compared to previous years. Instead of lighting a lamp, the CM inaugurated the event by switching on an arc light.

In his inaugural speech, the CM talked about how the festival, which has been celebrated for more than a quarter century now, showcased lives of people across the globe, and at the same time helped cinephiles from different countries take a part of Kerala with them as well.

The event was not just a celebration of cinema, but culture as well, as the CM stressed upon how the event also provided an opportunity for exchange of cultures. The CM then went on to briefly explain the history of Malayalam cinema, beginning with the mention of Vigathakumaran, the first Malayalam feature film.

The CM went on to speak about Mahnaz Mohammadi, the Iranian filmmaker and activist who was awarded the Spirit of Cinema award at the festival. Vijayan addressed the reasons for the filmmaker’s absence from the event, and spoke of how she became a criminal in her country because of her profession as a filmmaker. Applauding Mohammadi’s bravery, Vijayan spoke of how her films seemed to have shaken the authorities.

The CM spoke of how freedom meant having to live sans fear, and festivals like IFFK should hold true to values of liberty. “Where the mind is unafraid, the head is held high”, he declared.