The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), one of the premier film festivals of India is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. Over the years, the IFFK has earned a reputation as Asia’s best managed and potentially the world’s most people-centred film festival. The Festival is recognized as among the leading cultural events in India, featuring the best films, renowned directors, technicians and spectators from across the globe.
The festival aims at exhibiting a competition section reserved for films from Asian, African and Latin American countries and a selection of the finest of World Cinema. The Best of Malayalam Cinema is also screened in IFFK for world-wide auidience.
The first IFFK was held in Kozhikode in 1996. Incidentally, the Festival was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of cinema and as part of the event 100 films were screened. Till the Kerala state Chalachitra academy was established in1998, the festival was managed by Kerala State Film Development Corporation. The Academy was entrusted with the conduct of IFFK together with other activities for promotion of cinema. Later, the FIAPF accredited the festival and a competition section was added to the event in 1999.
The Festival is held annually in the first week of December in Trivandrum city, approximately 10000 delegates from and outside the country register to be a part. The eight-day fest conducts the screening of films among different categories like International Competition, Malayalam Cinema Today, Indian Cinema Now, World Cinema, Country Focus, Retrospectives of major filmmakers, Contemporary Focus, Homages and various curated packages. In addition to film screenings, platforms like Open Forum and workshops are also organised for the delegates to interact with film fraternities from all over the world. The annual Aravindan Memorial Lecture is a notable event of the Festival.
Golden Crow Pheasant (Suvarna Chakoram) for the Best Film and Silver Crow Pheasant (Rajata Chakoram) for Best Director, Best Debut Director, Audience Prize in the International competition section and NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Awards for the Best Asian Film and Best Malayalam film, FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique) awards for the Best Film and Best Malayalam Film of a Debut Director, FFSI KR Mohanan Award for the Best Indian Debut Director are the accolades given in the festival. Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed upon a filmmaker who made substantial contributions to the art of cinema during his career.