KoCo Film Fest begins in Kozhikode

Kozhikode celebrates its UNESCO City of Literature status with a 7-day film festival featuring classic & Malayalam movies with Kozhikode as theme.

Noted actor and Vice Chairman of Kerala Chalachitra Academy Premkumar said that cinema has served as a catalyst for social change. Good cinema can turn its viewers into good human beings. “It also documents a world where people run for their lives amidst bomb blasts,” he said opening the KoCo Film Fest organised by Kozhikode Corporation in celebration of the city’s newfound status as the UNESCO City of Literature on Friday.

Film society activist Chelavoor Venu was honoured on the occasion. Mayor Beena Philip who presided over the event highlighted the need to revive the film-society culture and the need to educate current generation on how to appreciate films. Deputy Mayor Musafir Ahamed, film makers V.M. Vinu, Shajon Karyan were present.

The seven day festival organised in association with the Kerala Chalachitra Academy, Kerala State Film Development Corporation and Information and Public Relations Department, features a variety of classic movies and Malayalam movies under the theme ‘Kozhikode’. The theme includes movies by film makers, script writers and actors from Kozhikode as well as those featuring Kozhikode either as a prominent element or a location.

Mathilukal directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan based on the fictional work by Vaikom Mohammed Basheer was the inaugural film of the festival. Throne of Blood, a Japanese movie by Akira Kurosawa, Vastuhara by G. Aravindan and Olavum Theeravum by P.N. Menon were also screened on the first day.

This is not a burial, it’s a resurrection by South African director Lemohang Mosese, Clara Sola, a spanish movie by Nathalie Aluvarez Mesen, Charulata, a Bangla movie by Satyajit Ray, Vidheyan by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, 1921 by I.V. Sasi and Ottaal by Jayaraj are to be screened on Saturday.

The movies are being screened on two screens including the Sree theatre and Vedhi Mini theatre. Open forums on various topics will be held at every day at 4.45 p.m. The festival concludes on January 11.