The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. This film festival started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. The festival is held in November or December every year and is acknowledged as one of the leading cultural events in India.
Several national and international films have their premiers at the IFFK each year. Competition section is limited to 14 selected films produced in Asia, Africa or Latin America. The festival also has a section devoted to Malayalam cinema. On the lines of the IFFK, the Chalachitra Academy also organises the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala. The Academy also organized a regional film festival in 2022, Regional International Film Festival of Kerala held in Kochi.
History The Indian Government's Directorate of Film Festivals held the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Thiruvananthapuram, in 1988. The festival cultivated an interest in serious films and led to creation of several film societies throughout the state. The activities of the societies included screening of classic films from around the world, conducting group discussions on various aspects of cinema and circulating pamphlets on renowned filmmakers. The film societies obtained copies of films from archives and from embassies of some countries as a part of culture-exchange programmes. The film society movement helped to raise film literacy among people and the need for an international film festival to the level of the IFFI came up.
The first International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) was held in Kozhikode in 1996. The festival was held on the 100th anniversary of cinema, and 100 films were screened as a part of the event.
The event was managed by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) till 1998, when the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy was formed and was bestowed with the responsibility of conducting IFFK, along with other activities for promotion of cinema. The Academy introduced IFFK as the competitive festival by filmmaker Shaji N. Karun, who became chairman and executive director of IFFK.
The FIAPF accredited the festival, and a competition section was added to the event in 1999.
Description
The competition is limited to films produced in Asia, Africa or Latin America. The FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique) and the Netpac (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) have recognised the festival.
The logo of IFFK and competition awards are designed by National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
Highlights of the Festival
Contemporary World Cinema, New Malayalam Cinema, Retrospectives of Major filmmakers, Homage and Tributes, Contemporary Indian Cinema, Short films and Documentaries are screened during the film festival. Film Market and Seminars on important issues concerning Cinema are also scheduled during the IFFK. The festival is now permanently held at various cinema halls in Thiruvananthapuram. The festival is always noted for its public support. The festival is perhaps the only one to have had screenings in a prison (Poojappura Central Jail, Thiruvananthapuram), a juvenile home and a poor home (Sri Chitra Poor Home).The Hindu-Film festival ends today
Festival Awards The Golden Crow Pheasant Award: (Suvarna Chakoram) and a cash prize of Rs 1,000,000/- (about US$20,000) to the best feature film to be shared equally by the director and the producer The Silver Crow Pheasant Award: (Rajatha Chakoram) and a cash prize of Rs 300,000/- (about US$6,000) to the best director The Silver Crow Pheasant Award: (Rajatha Chakoram) and a cash prize of Rs 200,000/- (about US$4,000) to the best debut director Audience Prize: (Rajatha Chakoram) and cash prize of Rs 100,000 (about US$2,000) to the Director of the most popular film voted by the festival delegates FIPRESCI Award: For the best film chosen by the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique NETPAC Award: For the best film in the competition section from Asia, chosen by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema
In 2007, the FIPRESCI and the NETPAC awards were introduced, to be awarded separately to the best Malayalam films at the festival.
Golden Crow Pheasant for Best Film – Winners Year Film English Title Director Country Ref. 1999 Hai shang hua Flowers of Shanghai Hou Hsiao-hsien 2000 Mayonnaise Yoon In-ho 2001 Ali Zaoua Nabil Ayouch 2002 Anyangde guer The Orphan of Anyang Wang Chao 2003 Abouna Our Father Mahamat Saleh Haroun 2004 Días de Santiago Days of Santiago Josué Méndez 2005 Sheng si jie Stolen Life Shaohong Li 2006 Melegin Düsüsü Angel's Fall Semih Kaplanoğlu 2006 Nirontor Forever Flows Abu Sayeed 2007 XXY Lucía Puenzo 2007 10 + 4 Mania Akbari 2008 Parque via Enrique Rivero 2009 Darbareye Elly About Elly Asghar Farhadi 2009 Jermal Fishing Platform Ravi Bharwani 2010 Retratos en un mar de mentiras Portraits in a Sea of Lies Carlos Gaviria 2011 Los colores de la montaña The Colours of the Mountain Carlos Cesar Arbelaez 2012 Sta. Niña Emmanuel Quindo Palo 2013 Parviz Majid Barzegar 2014 Refugiado Diego Lerman 2015 Ottaal The Trap Jayaraj 2016 Eshtebak Clash Mohamed Diab 2017 Wajib Wajib Annemarie Jacir 2018 Otagh-e-Tarik The Dark Room Rouhollah Hejazi 2019 Aru Sendo No Hanashi They Say Nothing Stays the Same Jō Odagiri 2020 This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese 2021 Clara Sola Nathalie Álvarez Mesén 2022 Utama Alejandro Loayza Grisi 2023 Aku wa Sonzai Shinai Evil Does Not Exist Ryusuke Hamaguchi 2024 Malu Malu Pedro Freire 2025 Tabi to Hibi Two Seasons, Two Strangers Sho Miyake
IFFK 2025 The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2025) was held from 12 to 19 December 2025.
The Awards The Golden Crow Pheasant Award for the Best film – Two Seasons, Two Strangers directed by Sho Miyake from Japan The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Director – Carina Piazza, Lucía Bracelis for Antes del cuerpo The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Debut Director – Tanushree Das, Saumyananda Sahi for Baksho Bondi Lifetime Achievement Award – Abderrahmane Sissako from Mauritania Special Jury Mention for Performance – Tillottama Shome Special Jury Mention for Technical Excellence – Black Rabbit, White Rabbit FIPRESCI Award: Best International Film – Khidki Gaav by Sanju Surendran FIPRESCI Award: Best Malayalam Film of a Debut Director – Moham by Fazil Razak NETPAC Award: Best Asian Film – Cinema Jazireh by Gözde Kural NETPAC Award: Best Malayalam Film – Khidki Gaav by Sanju Surendran, തന്തപ്പേര് by Unnikrishnan Avala FFSI KR Mohanan Award for Best Debut Director from India – Tanushree Das, Saumyananda Sahi for Baksho Bondi Jury Prize – തന്തപ്പേര് by Unnikrishnan Avala Audience Poll Award – തന്തപ്പേര് by Unnikrishnan Avala
IFFK 2024 The 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2024) chose Swapnaayanam, directed by K. O. Akhil and starring Abhirami Bose as first Malayalam actress P. K. Rosy, as its signature film. The film that uses animation to show the development of Malayalam cinema and honouring the role of Rosy.
IFFK 2023 The 28th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2024) was held from 8 to 15 December 2023 in Thiruvananthapuram. The festival concluded with a grand valedictory function at Nishagandhi Auditorium, where distinguished guests and filmmakers gathered for the closing ceremony.
Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Zanussi was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by veteran Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan. The Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant) for Best Film was awarded to the Japanese film Evil Does Not Exist, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. The award was received by cinematographer Yoshio Kitagawa on behalf of the director.
IFFK 2022 The 27th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2022) was held from 9 to 16 December 2022. Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by Kerala's Minister of Culture V. N. Vasavan.This edition of the IFFK witnessed a change at the helm, as Deepika Suseelan took over as artistic director from Bina Paul.
Bolivian film Utama directed by Alejandro Loayza Grisi was awarded the Suvarna Chakoram for Best Film. Tayfun Pirselimoglu was awarded Rajata Chakoram for Best Director for his film Kerr.
IFFK 2021
The 26th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2021) was held from 18 to 25 March 2022. The festival was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan. Kurdish film maker Lisa Calan was awarded with the Spirit of Cinema award at the inaugural function in Thiruvananthapuram. The Awards NETPAC Award: Best Malayalam Film – Musical Chair directed by Vipin Atley
IFFK 2020 The 25th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2021) was held in four legs from 10 February 2021 to 5 March 2021. It was held in four locations unlike its predecessors; Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Palakkad and Thalassery.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan received the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Jean-Luc Godard, who pioneered the French New Wave film movement.
IFFK 2019 The 24th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2019) was held over eight days, from 6 December 2019 to 13 December 2019. The opening film was by Serhat Karaaslan. The international jury was chaired by Egyptian director Khairy Beshara.
The Awards The Golden Crow Pheasant Award for the Best film – Aru Sendo No Hanashi directed by Jōe Odagiri from Japan Lifetime Achievement Award – Fernando Solanas from Argentina Audience Prize for Best Film – Jallikattu by Lijo Jose Pellissery The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Director – Allan Deberton for Paquerette Special Mention, in the Category 'Best Director' – Lijo Jose Pellissery for Jallikattu The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Debut Director – Cesar Diaz for Nuestros Madres (Our Mothers) FIPRESCI Award: Best Film – Camille directed by Boris Lojkine FIPRESCI Award: Best Malayalam Film – Pani directed by Santhosh Mandoor NETPAC Award: Best Asian Film – Aani Maani by Fahim Irshad from India NETPAC Award: Best Malayalam Film – Veyilmarangal directed by Dr. Biju NETPAC Award: Malayalam Film (Special Mention) – Kumbalangi Nights by Madhu C Narayanan K R Mohanan Award for Best Debut Director from India – Aani Maani by Fahim Irshad
IFFK 2018 The 23rd IFFK was held from 7 December 2018 to 13 December 2018. This edition was initially cancelled due to heavy flooding across parts of Kerala. However, it was later decided to conduct the festival on a limited scale. The opening film was Todos lo Saben by Asghar Farhadi. The international jury was chaired by Iranian director Majid Majidi.23rd Film Festival of Kerala
The Awards The Golden Crow Pheasant Award for the Best film – Otagh-e-Tarik directed by Rouhollah Hejazi from Iran The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Director – Lijo Jose Pellissery for Ee. Maa. Yau. The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Debut Director – Anamika Haksar for Taking the Horse to eat Jalebis (Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon) FIPRESCI Award: Best Malayalam Film – Sudani from Nigeria directed by Zakariya Mohammed NETPAC Award: Best Asian Film – Ee. Maa. Yau. directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery from India K R Mohanan Award for Best Film – Manohar and I by Amitabha Chatterjee
IFFK 2017 The 22nd IFFK was held in December 2017.22nd Film Festival of Kerala
The Awards The Golden Crow Pheasant Award for the Best film – Wajib directed by Annemarie Jacir The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Director – Anucha Boonyawatana for Malila: The Farewell Flower The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Debut Director – Sanju Surendran for Aedan The Silver Crow Pheasant Award for the Best Feature Film (Audience Prize) – I Still Hide to Smoke