International Film Festival of Kerala


The International Film Festival of Kerala 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 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 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 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 and the Netpac 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, a juvenile home and a poor home.

Festival Awards

  • The Golden Crow Pheasant Award: and a cash prize of Rs 1,000,000/- to the best feature film to be shared equally by the director and the producer
  • The Silver Crow Pheasant Award: and a cash prize of Rs 300,000/- to the best director
  • The Silver Crow Pheasant Award: and a cash prize of Rs 200,000/- to the best debut director
  • Audience Prize: and cash prize of Rs 100,000 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

IFFK 2025

The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala 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 chose Swapnaayanam, directed by K. O. Akhil and starring Abhirami Bose as first Malayam 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
  • 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 – 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.

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
  • 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