News

EntertainmentCaught by surprise as she walks home from school, Thanmaya at first refuses to believe the news before breaking into smiles.A young girl in school uniform, walking along an unidentified road in Thiruvananthapuram, with a backpack on her and waving a lunch bag, stops suddenly to see people she knows in a car, waiting for her. Someone inside the car asks her, “Did you hear anything?” “What?” the girl asks, smiling. “You have won the Kerala State Award for Best Child Actor (Female),” a man in the car tells her. Her face breaks into a big wide smile but she refuses to believe it. “No, you are fibbing,” she says, and then asks, “seriously?”. It is true, the people in the car say. Thanmaya Sol has won the award for her performance in Vazhakku. Her family had gone in the car to wait for her when she came back...

Vazhakku (The Quarrel) is a Malayalam film directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, starring Tovino Thomas, Kani Kusruti, Sudev Nair and others. The film is set to be screened at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) from August 12 to 20, 2022.

The film revolves around Siddharthan (Tovino Thomas), a lawyer who cheats on his wife Lakshmi (Kani Kusruti) on the day of their mutual divorce. On his way back, he meets Sathi (Devaki Rajendran) and her mute daughter, who are fleeing from their abusive husband and father. This encounter changes Siddharthan’s perspective on life and relationships.

Vazhakk The Quarrel Trailer

Vazhakku is a film that explores the themes of morality, guilt, forgiveness and redemption. It also questions the patriarchal norms and values that govern marriage and family in Indian society. The film is shot in a realistic style, with minimal dialogues and music. The film relies on the performances of the...

Well-known Malayalam director Sanal K Sasidharan on Saturday announced that two of his films – ‘Ozhivudivathathe Kali’ (Odk) and ‘Sexy Durga’ – are to be screened at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Taking to Instagram, the director said: “I am so happy and excited to share this fantastic news that two of my films, ‘Ozhivudivathathe Kali’ and ‘Sexy Durga’ are being projected on the prestigious screens of The Museum of Modern Art, New York.”

“This is the second time ‘Sexy Durga’ is getting such an opportunity and for ‘Odk’, ironically this is the International premiere of the film after the long seven years of its production.”

“This is an absolutely incredible achievement for the film. Seven years is a long time for an indie film from Malayalam to get forgotten as an old film. But ‘Odk’ is slowly moving out and starting its journey, I hope.”

“If you are...

Well-known Malayalam director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, who is best known for his film ‘Sexy Durga’, on Friday, clarified that he had not signed any agreements with anyone regarding his rights in any of the films he had directed from ‘Oralpokkam’ to ‘Chola’ and its Tamil version ‘Alli’.

Taking to Instagram to make his stand clear, the well-known director wrote: “This is a public notice: I have not signed any agreements with anyone regarding my rights in any of the films I have directed from ‘Oralpokkam’ to ‘Chola’ and its Thamizh version ‘Alli’.

“As ‘Oralpokkam’ was made with crowd funding, it was decided at the time of production that the copyright would be left free after five years of its release and accordingly, the copyright of that film now belongs to the entire public.

“After the systematic violence against me and my films started in 2019, there have been moves to bury...

ControversyThe poster showed a depiction of goddess Kaali as smoking and holding an Lgbtqia+ flag.PTIUnder attack for a poster of her documentary Kaali showing the goddess smoking and holding an Lgbtqia+ flag, filmmaker Leena Manimekalai on Monday said that she will continue to use her voice fearlessly as long as she is alive. The poster has led to a social media storm with the hashtag 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai', allegations that the filmmaker is hurting religious sentiments and a member of a group called Gau Mahasabha saying that he has filed a complaint with Delhi Police. In response to the attacks, the Toronto-based director hit back to say she was willing to pay with her life. "I have nothing to lose. Till the time I live, I wish to live with a voice that speaks what I believe without fear. If the price for that is my life, it can be given,...

A Kerala court on Friday granted bail to Malayalam director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan who was arrested on a complaint by leading actress Manju Warrier who alleged she was being threatened and stalked by Sasidharan. Incidentally, even though the police were willing to grant him police station bail on Thursday night, he was not willing and […]...

In dramatic scenes on Thursday, award-winning Malayalam director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was arrested on a complaint from leading actress Manju Warrier that she was being threatened and stalked by him for a while. Sasidharan along with his relatives had come to a temple near his home town Parassala in the state capital district when three […]...

Update, 02/28, 05:30Am: Organizers of the Mumbai Film Festival (Mami) have responded to an open letter published last week by a collection of Indian filmmakers criticizing the decision to not hold physical screenings at this year’s event.

In a statement, the fest said they “feel the disappointment of the filmmakers” and that the move had been a “last resort”. They added that a key sponsor had pulled out of the event. Below is the statement in full.

“We feel the disappointment of the filmmakers. The last two years have been very hard on the filmmaking community. Similarly, we as an academy, all our benefactors, collaborators, and partners have also suffered. Amongst many things, we have had an associate sponsor discontinue their partnership with us. While that has put accumulating pressure on us, we also understand the difficulties of our partners.

“For us, cancelling an edition of the festival is the last resort.

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is informing film and television works around the world and Malayalam-language film “Hawk’s Muffin” (“Prappeda”) – selected in this week’s International Film Festival Rotterdam – uses it as a starting point, and adds elements of war to tell a surreal tale set in a dystopian future.

After his plane drops an atomic bomb, a pilot is ordered into hiding by his commanders. The location is an isolated estate where his life intertwines with his daughter, granddaughter, a bodyguard, a priest and a policeman. Things get complicated when the granddaughter befriends a stranger.

“Hawk’s Muffin” is the feature debut of Krishnendu Kalesh, known for his 2017 short satirical noir thriller “Black Beast” (“Karinchathan”), a response to the Charlie Hebdo attack.

“The pandemic is used only as an opportunity to start off a story of century-long conspiracy in the film. I conceived the pandemic period as an occasion...

Cinema Samantha won 'Best Performance Female (series)' for 'Family Man 2' while Suriya picked up an award for 'Soorarai Pottru' and Nimisha for 'The Great Indian Kitchen'. Tnm StaffScreengrabs/ Amazon Prime Video The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) announced the winners for its 12th edition, which was held virtually at 12:00 noon on August 20, Friday. The list of winners included a number of recipients from the south Indian film industry. Actor Suriya, who played the lead role in the Sudha Kongara directorial Soorarai Pottru, won the award for Best Performance Male (Feature Films) and the movie was conferred with the Best Feature Film award, while actor Samantha Akkineni, who made her Over-the-Top (Ott) debut with Amazon Prime Video’s hit web series The Family Man 2 bagged the award under the category of Best Performance Female (series). The critically acclaimed web series, which started streaming on June 4 this year,...

The fifth edition of EstAsia, a film festival in Reggio Emilia, Italy, dedicated to Asian culture, will begin on June 14, after a year of break due to the covid-19 epidemic.

The series of screenings aims to address, from a different angle, the current problems linked to interculturality and integration. Not a festival aimed only at the fanbase and the professionals therefore, but a moment of involvement and dialogue with the foreign communities present in the provincial and regional area.

The Golden Kaiju, a prize created by the artist Hu-Be, will be assigned this year by a jury composed of Nicola Cupperi (film critic), Lara Ferrari (journalist) and Xu Ying (communication professor at Renmin University in Beijing and Chinese director of the Confucius Institute of the University of Bologna). Then there will be the Audience Award and the Youth Award, allocated by a jury made up of students from the Ariosto Spallanzani High School.

The 12th annual Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival has announced the lineup of events for its 2021 edition, and it looks fantastic. With films from festival favorites like A'hr from Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, current darlings like Pebbles from V.S. Vinothraj, and even genre offerings like Autohead's Rohit Mittal's new film Pop City, there's something for everyone. Add to those, a sprawling lineup of features, documentaries, shorts, and talks with luminaries like Gurinder Chadha, Asif Kapadia, Karan Johar, Shruti Haasan and more, and there's a lot to be excited about in this month long celebration of Indian cinema taking place from 17th June - 4th July. The London Indian Film Festival opens with Womb (Women of My Billion) and closes with Flight. Information regarding schedules...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The esteemed London Indian Film Festival is ready to entertain, inspire and make people think with their special line-up of films, and guests this June. Titled To India With Love, this year the festival will be presented in a special hybrid format!

In a challenging year for India and South Asia, the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival and its sister festivals in Birmingham and Manchester will be a love letter to the homelands, continuing to premiere the very best of new indie films from the Indian subcontinent and diaspora, from 17th June to 4th July 2021. As always it goes Beyond Bollywood!

Festival Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney MBE says: “Last year we grew our audiences quite substantially by going online and UK-wide. With the UK scene improving, we are delighted to not only offer a strong high definition online experience on LoveLIFFatHome.com, but to also welcome our audiences back...

MollywoodManju Warrier and Sunny Wayne play business partners in the film, directed by Ranjeet Kamala Sankar and Salil V.Digital NativeThe first look motion poster of Manju Warrier's upcoming film Chathur Mukham was presented by Dulquer Salmaan on Sunday. Directed by Ranjeet Kamala Sankar and Salil V, Chathur Mukham also has Sunny Wayne in an important role. Manju Warrier and Sunny Wayne play business partners in the film. With an intriguing music, the teaser shows Manju Warrier holding an hour glass. Touted to be a techno-horror thriller, which is the first of its kind in Malayalam, the shooting of Chathur Mukham was in Thiruvananthapuram. The film is currently in the post-production stage. In an interview to the Times of India, one of its directors, Salil V, said that Manju Warrier’s character in the film believes that a woman has to complete education and achieve financial stability before marriage.

Jasmila Zbanic’s “Quo Vadis, Aida?,” the Bosnia and Herzegovina entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category, will open the 25th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk).

Mira Nair will deliver the annual G. Aravindan memorial lecture, an event named for the pioneering filmmaker from the south Indian state of Kerala who died in 1991. Auteur Jean-Luc Godard will receive the lifetime achievement award, and participate in an online Q&a.

Along with the Mumbai Film Festival, the International Film Festival of India, Goa, the Dharamshala International Film Festival and the Kolkata International Film Festival, Iffk is one of the most respected film festivals in India. It is organized by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the cultural department of the government of Kerala.

The festival was forced to move from its usual early December slot because of the coronavirus pandemic. It will now take place in Thiruvananthapuram,...

CinemaIf you haven’t watched the earlier films of these two talented actors, here’s a list of where you can watch them online. Tnm StaffJeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen had a quiet release on Neestream, an Over-the-Top platform for Malayalam content, on January 15. However, it didn’t take long for the film to become the talk of the town. With Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu in the lead, the film is about a young woman who marries into a prominent, upper caste, conservative family, and is expected to do all the housework with the men of the house being oblivious to her frustrations. The film also throws light on how religion sanctions misogyny. Not just in Kerala, the film has touched a chord with viewers from across the country, especially women. While Nimisha played the nameless wife, Suraj was the indifferent husband. Their performances have won them...

Sanal Kumar Sasidharan has previously explored the place of woman in the Keralan society quite intensely in “Sexy Durga”; however, it seems the comments he wanted to make did not reach his apogee in that film, since “Shadow of Water (aka Chola) is rather harsher in its pragmatism.

Janu is a teenager girl who has agreed to take a trip to the city with her boyfriend (he remains nameless throughout the movie), behind her mother’s back. When the day to travel comes, however, Janu finds out that her boyfriend has also invited his boss to drive them in his jeep, a bear-like man who does not seem particularly friendly from the get-go. Janu is scared and quite frustrated, but her boyfriend’s “teasing” eventually makes her relax. The three of them reach the city where the couple is left alone to enjoy the urban setting, shop for clothes for...

MollywoodThe film, directed by Rajeev Ravi, has Nivin Pauly and Nimisha Sajayan playing the lead roles.Digital NativeActor Joju George’s look in the upcoming Malayalam film Thuramukham has been released. He plays the role of Mymoo in the film, directed by renowned cinematographer-director Rajeev Ravi. Interestingly, Biju Menon was the initial choice to play the role but he was replaced by Joju for various reasons. Nivin Pauly and Nimisha Sajayan play the lead roles in the film, which was scheduled for release last year but had to be postponed due to the pandemic situation. The film will have its world premiere at the prestigious International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR). The theatrical release is scheduled for May 13 to cash in on the summer vacations and Eid holidays. Rajeev Ravi, who has made critically acclaimed movies like Kammattipadam and Njan Steve Lopez, wrote the script of Thuramukham, which is based...

MollywoodThe movie is directed by award-winning filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan.Digital NativeThe first look poster of Vazhakku, a Malayalam film with Kani Kusruti and Tovino Thomas in the lead, has been released. The intriguing poster shows a woman lying face down, perhaps murdered or attacked. From the title, it can be deciphered that Vazhakku – meaning fight -- may revolve around a murder mystery waiting to be solved. The film is directed by award-winning director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan. Kani, who recently won the Kerala state film award winner for best actor (female), plays the female lead. Sanal said in an interview to the Times of India that Vazhakku will deal with a socially relevant subject set in the present times. Besides Tovino Thomas and Kani Kusruti, the film will also have Sudev Nair, another state award winning actor, in an important role. Chandru Selvaraj has been roped in to play another crucial role.

MollywoodWhile his new film has started rolling, Sanal’s ‘Kayattam’ is awaiting theatrical release.Digital NativeAward winning director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s next will have Tovino Thomas and Kani Kusruti playing the lead. The film started to roll recently and is progressing well. In an interview with the Times of India, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan said that it will be a socially relevant subject set in the present times. Besides Tovino Thomas and Kani Kusruti, the film will also have Sudev Nair in an important role. Chandru Selvaraj has been roped in to play another crucial role. On working on a film in the current pandemic situation, the director said that he has always been comfortable working with a limited crew. He pointed out that his earlier films were also shot with limited crew and resources, so the situation is not new. Sanal Kumar Sasidharan added that the film will be...

FilmApart from this, 12 films have been selected in the ‘Malayalam Cinema Today’ category and seven in the ‘Indian Cinema Now’ category.Tnm StaffLijo Jose Pellissery’s Churuli and Jayaraj’s Hasyam have been selected for competition at the 25th edition of the prestigious Iffk (International Film Festival of Kerala) in Thiruvananthapuram. The two Malayalam films have been selected for competition in the International category and will be screened at the Iffk, which will be held from February 12 to February 19 next year. Filmmaker Mohit Priyadarshi’s Hindi film Kosa and Akshay Indiker’s Marathi film Chronicle of Space or Sthalpuran have also been selected in this category. Further, 12 Malayalam films have been selected to compete in a category named ‘Malayalam Cinema Today’. These are: Gramavrikshathile Kuyil (Cuckoo on the Village Tree) by Kp Kumaran, C U Soon by Mahesh Narayan, Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam (The First Secret to Happiness) by Don Palathara,...

MollywoodManju wished her fellow actor and friend a happy birthday with the photo, made on Faceapp.Tnm StaffIn an adorable photo created on Faceapp, actors Manju Warrier and Samyuktha Varma look like children, girls posing together for a photo. The photo is a fan made picture that Manju liked and posted. She posted the photo on the occasion of Samyuktha's birthday, calling her the funniest, classiest, loveliest, prettiest and honestest soul. "I love you @samyukthavarma," Manju added with emoticons.  The two are known to be friends for long, often appearing in casual photos together. Although Manju Warrier is very active in cinema, with back to back movies and quite a few pending for release, Samyuktha has not been acting since her marriage to fellow actor Biju Menon many years ago. Manju had in fact been on a break when Samyuktha began her acting career in late 1990s. By the time...

MollywoodThe film is directed by renowned cinematographer-filmmaker Santosh Sivan.Digital NativeThe first song from Jack and Jill, a Malayalam film directed by renowned cinematographer-filmmaker Santosh Sivan, will be released on November 27. This track has been sung by actor Manju Warrier, who plays the lead role in the film. Jack and Jill’s cast comprises Manju Warrier in the lead, with Kalidas Jayaram, Esther Anil, Nedumudi Venu, Basil Joseph, Aju Varghese and Shaylee Krishen forming the rest of the cast. Bk Harinarayanan has penned the lyrics for which Ram Sunder has composed the tunes. Sources in the know say that Jack and Jill will be a bilingual releasing in Malayalam and Tamil. The film is bankrolled by the Dubai based company, Lensman Studios. Besides directing it, Santosh Sivan is cranking the camera for this venture. Renjith is roped in for editing. Reports are that Jack and Jill is a sci-fi film...

MollywoodNayanthara and Kunchacko Boban will play the lead in the film which marks the directorial debut of editor Appu Bhattathiri.Tnm StaffWith a mask on his face, much like Batman, Kunchacko Boban looks straight at the camera in the first poster of the upcoming film Nizhal or Shadow, released on Monday. He will act opposite Nayanthara in the Malayalam film that will mark the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu Bhattathiri. All Appu said about the film in an interview to Tnm was that it is a thriller and every one of the few characters in it would have equal importance. Rony David and Divya Prabha play two other important roles. Kunchacko Boban’s fearless expression behind the masked face adds mystery, while the plasters glued to his nose and forehead suggest action. The film is written by S Sanjeev and produced by five people -- Anto Joseph, Abhijith M Pillai,...

MollywoodDhinil Babu will be making his debut as a director with this film.Digital NativeMalayalam actor Manju Warrier made a stunning comeback with How Old Are You a few years ago and since then has been signing project after project. Recently, she has inked the deal to star in the Malayalam film 9 Mm, which will be her landmark 50th film. Dhinil Babu will be making his debut as a director with this flick and it will be bankrolled by Visakh Subramaniam and Aju Varghese under the banner Funtastic Films. The technical crew of this film includes Dhyan Sreenivasan for scripting with Sam Cs to compose the tunes and Vetri Palanisamy to crank the camera. The stunts for this entertainer will be choreographed by Yannick Ben. Dhyan, Sunny Wayne and Dileesh Pothan will be acting in the film along with Manju Warrier, Aju wrote in a post. Sit tight and buckle...

InterviewThe award winning Malayalam editor talks about why it's taken him so long to direct a film when that was his dream all along.CrisAt 10 minutes to 2 pm, Appu Bhattathiri picks up the phone for a short interview. He has half an hour before work begins again. The shooting of the first film he directs is happening in Ernakulam and Appu has not a moment to lose. This is a dream he has harboured for years, before he accidentally became an editor, did that work so well and won awards for it. It is finally the lockdown resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic that gave him the time to pick up his own film and begin directing it. It’s called Nizhal – meaning shadow – and it has got a stellar cast. Nayanthara, the Malayali actor who became a superstar in Tamil cinema, and Kunchacko Boban, who has been having back to back success in recent years.

MollywoodThe film’s first look poster was released by actor Fahadh Faasil on Sunday.Tnm StaffAward-winning Malayalam editor Appu N Bhattathiri is turning director with Nizhal (Shadow), a film that will star Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara in the lead. Actor Fahadh Faasil released the first look poster, which showed a swamp at night with lighted buildings in the distance. “Unveiling the first look title poster of #Nizhal starring Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara! Directorial debut of Appu N Bhattathiri, produced by Anto Joseph Film Company and Melange Film House in association with Tentpole Movies! Best wishes to the entire team!!” Fahadh wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday. The film, as revealed by Fahadh, is produced by Anto Joseph along with Abhijith M Pillai, Badusha, Felini Tp and Ginesh Jose. The film is written by S Sanjeev. Cinematography is by Deepak D Menon and music by Sooraj S Kurup. Appu Bhattathiri...

FilmThe film was directed by Rosshan Andrrews who also made his acting debut in it by playing the antagonist.Digital NativeManju Warrier starrer Prathi Poovankozhi, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, will reportedly be remade in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada. Sources in the know say that the deal has been sealed for the Kannada and Telugu remakes and talks are on for the remake in Hindi and Tamil. The film that released last year showed the revenge of a woman against a man who assaults her on a moving bus. Rosshan Andrrews, the director, made his acting debut with the film, playing the antagonist. The film was based on a story by Unni R. Other actors in the film included Anusree, Saiju Kurup, Grace Antony, Alencier Ley Lopez, Sp Sreekumar, Divya Prabha, Sekhar Menon and Chali Pala. Gokulam Gopalan bankrolled the film under his banner. The technical crew of this film included G Balamurgan for cinematography,...

MollywoodThe film is directed by award winning filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and is a musical fantasy that revolves around a female trekker. Digital NativeManju Warrier starrer Kayattam has been selected for the prestigious Busan International Film Festival in South Korea. This year, the event is scheduled to take place from October 21 to 30. However, due to the pandemic, the event has been scaled down and no foreign guests would be invited to the fest, stated a press note. Kayattam, directed by award winning filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, uses a made-up language they call Ahr Samsar. All ten songs of the film are in this language. In an interview to the Times of India, Sanal has earlier said that his films are not strictly scripted but based on a concept, which is developed during the shooting. Everyone including the cast and crew have a role in that. Kayattam is a musical fantasy...

MollywoodThe film is directed by Mahesh Vettiyaar who wrote the script with Sarath Krishna.Digital NativeThe first look poster of the upcoming Malayalam film Vellarikka Pattanam is out and shows its lead actors Manju Warrier and Soubin Shahir sporting the Kalaripayattu costume. Sharing the first look online, Manju Warrier wrote: “#VellarikkaPattanam Very happy to share the first look poster of my next ! Can't wait to join this super fun team with dearest @soubinshahir !!! Directed By Mahesh Vettiyaar @maheshvettiyaar.” The film is directed by Mahesh Vettiyaar and he wrote the script with Sarath Krishna. The technical crew of this film includes Jayesh Nair for cinematography, Sachin Shankor Mannath for music and Appu N Bhattathiri and Arju Benn for editing. The shooting of Vellarikka Pattanam was planned to commence earlier this year but could not take off due to the lockdown forced by the spread of Covid-19. Reports are that the team...

The Ananth Narayan Mahadevan directorial, Bittersweet, has been nominated for the Jiseok Award at the Busan International Film Festival this year. Bittersweet, an official selection, will also have its world premiere at the festival, and is among seven Indian films at a toned-down festival this year, to be held from October 21 to 30.

Chaitanya Tamhane's Venice award-winner "The Disciple", Shyam Madiraju's "Harami" starring Emraan Hashmi, Suman Mukhopadhyay's Bengali film "Captive" featuring Tanmay Dhanania, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan's "A'hr" starring Manju Warrier and Gaurav Ravi, Ivan Ayr's "Meel Patthar", and Prithvi Konanur's Kannada-language "Pinki Elli?" are the other Indian films at the prestigious Korean film festival in 2020.

Mahadevan is naturally happy. "It is indeed a great honour to be recognized at a top A-lister festival like the Busan International Film Festival, the biggest and most prestigious in the Asian continent. The concerted efforts to make a film...

MollywoodWhile Bhavana and Manju are active in the film industry, Samyuktha has stayed away from the silver screen since 2002.Digital NativeManju, Bhavana, SamyukthaPictures of three popular women actors in Malayalam cinema -- Manju Warrier, Samyuktha Varma, and Bhavana – have gone viral after the latter posted it on Instagram. The actor shared the pictures of them hanging out together with the caption, “Best Friends are the Siblings God forgot to give us ......?? #FriendsLikeFamily #SoulSisters #MandatoryMBSKoodals #MineForever #NothingButFun.” While Bhavana and Manju Warrier are active in the film industry, Samyuktha Varma has stayed away from the silver screen since 2002, after marrying actor Biju Menon. View this post on Instagram Best Friends are the Siblings God forgot to give us ...... #FriendsLikeFamily #SoulSisters #MandatoryMBSKoodals #MineForever #NothingButFun A post shared by Mrs June6 ‍♀️ (@bhavzmenon) on Sep 3, 2020 at 3:08am Pdt Manju Warrier currently has a slew of films in various stages of production. She plays...

The events depicted are those that evoke sadness and rage: the Kiss Of Love protest in Kozhikode, the agitation over the ‘S Durga’ screening, the Gauri Lankesh murder, Sunny Leone's visit to Kochi…

The post Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Unmadiyude Maranam on Mubi: An Experimental Story About Dreams That Says We Are Living In A Nightmare appeared first on Film Companion.

Festival plans to still announce its official selection of Indian films for this year’s edition later this month.

The Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (Mami), organisers of the Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival, have confirmed that this year’s edition of the event will be postponed to 2021, due to the worsening Covid-19 outbreak in India.

However, Mami also said it would still be announcing its official selection of Indian films for this year’s edition later this month. It will also continue with its on-going digital programmes, including Dial M For Films and Mami Year Round Programme Home Theatre.

The 22nd edition of the Mumbai film festival has been postponed to 2021 in light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis in India, the organizers announced Tuesday.

The festival, run by the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (Mami) and sponsored by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s telecommunications giant Jio, was originally scheduled for November. The festival will release its official selection of Indian films later this month.

“It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to postpone the Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival 2020 to next year,” said Isha Ambani of the Mami board of trustees. “It is our responsibility to do everything we can to keep our communities safe during this crisis.”

“2020 is about survival, introspection and humility,” said festival director Anupama Chopra. “We have decided to prioritise healing this year and hold the festival in its full splendor next year.

For this year, the festival will focus on its year-round program of films,...

We can reveal exclusively that Uncork’d Entertainment has taken North American rights to horror feature Demigod for North America. Writer-director Miles Doleac (The Dinner Party) is behind the film, which reunites much of the team behind horror The Dinner Party and is aiming to shoot in late 2020 in Mississippi for Doleac’s Historia Films and Artist Vodka Films. The film will trace the journey of a young woman who travels with her husband to Germany’s Black Forest upon the death of her huntsman grandfather. Soon after arriving at his secluded cabin, she realizes that the inheritance left her is far more macabre than she had bargained for. James V. Bulian, Lindsay Anne Williams and Wesley O’Mary produce with Doleac, who co-wrote the script with Michael Donovan Horn. Uncork’d President Keith Leopard struck the deal with Doleac. Cast will include Doleac and Lindsay Anne Williams. Meanwhile, Doleac teased about...

MollywoodThe film is produced by actor Sunny Wayne and has actors Nivin Pauly and ‘Aruvi’ fame Aditi Balan playing other lead characters. Digital NativeSunny Wayne, Manju Warrier, Nivin PaulyActor Manju Warrier has joined the sets of Padavettu, which has Nivin Pauly playing the male lead. The film is produced by actor Sunny Wayne under his banner Sunny Wayne Productions. Liju Krishna will be debuting as director with this flick and he has scripted it as well. Sunny Wayne has earlier produced the play Moment Just Before Death, directed by Liju. The shooting of Padevettu commenced in Kannur some time ago with Aditi Balan joining the cast as Nivin Pauly’s pair. Aditi made her debut as a heroine with the critically acclaimed Tamil movie Aruvi. Padavettu will be her debut in the Malayalam film industry. Manju Warrier, playing another important role, has joined the sets, making it the first time...

MollywoodManju Warrier plays the lead role in the film along with Biju Menon.Digital NativeMadhu Warrier is directing a film titled Lalitham Sundaram, which has his sister Manju Warrier in the lead role along with Biju Menon. The title of this film was revealed a few days ago by two icons of the Malayalam film industry – Mammootty and Mohanlal. Lalitham Sundaram will be a feel-good family entertainer in which Manju Warrier will be playing a businesswoman. The director has roped in P Sukumar to crank the camera, Lijo Paul to do the edits, and Bijibal to compose the tunes. The project is scripted by Pramod Mohan. Lalitham Sundaram will be bankrolled jointly by Manju Warrier Productions and Century Films. On directing a film for the first time, Madhu Warrier has told in an interview to the Times of India, “I have always wanted to direct. It’s just that things...

MollywoodMadhu, who is the elder brother of actor Manju Warrier, has roped in Biju Menon and Manju to play the lead roles in the film.Digital NativeActor-producer Madhu Warrier will step into his maiden directorial venture. Madhu, who is the elder brother of actor Manju Warrier, has roped in Biju Menon and his sister to play the lead roles in the film. The film’s title has been revealed online by the two icons of the Malayalam film industry – Mohanlal and Mammootty – as Lalitham Sundaram, through their social media accounts. Taking to his social media, Mammooty posted, "Happy to share with you the title poster of "Lalitham Sundharam" best wishes to Manju Warrier ,Madhu Warrier, Biju Menon and entire team." The director has roped in P Sukumar to crank the camera, Lijo Paul to do the edits, and Bijibal to compose the tunes. The project is scripted by Pramod Mohan.

Independent Cinema The 79-minute film won the Netpac Award for the best Asian film premiering at the festival.Tnm StaffPicture courtesy: Samir Sarkar Tamil Nadu-based indie filmmaker Arun Karthick’s Nasir has won the Netpac Award for the best Asian film premiering at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (Iffr), 2020. Netpac, awarded to the best Asian feature film, was founded in 1995. Based on Dilip Kumar’s short story Oru Gumasthavin Kathai (A Clerk’s Story), the film is produced by Stray Factory, Harman Ventures, Magic Hour Films, Cent Percent Films, Uncombed Buddha and Netherlands-based Rinkel Film. Koumarane Valavane, theatre director of Pondicherry-based Indianostrum Théâtre, plays the lead in this film. Others in the cast include Sudha Ragunathan, Yasmin Rahman, Sabari and Bakkiyam Sarikar. Nasir is the story of a Muslim man working in a textile shop in Coimbatore, set against the backdrop of the communal riots in the city in...

MollywoodRecently, reports had emerged that Manju Warrier or Parvathy will be sharing the screen space with Suraj in the film.Digital NativeDigital Native Award-winning actor Suraj Venjaramoodu will be doing a film that is based on Mukundan's short story Autorikshakkarante Bharya. M Harikumar will be directing the film and he is currently in the process of roping in the cast. Recently, reports had emerged that Manju Warrier or Parvathy will be sharing the screen space with Suraj in the film. In an interview with Times of India, Harikumar said, “Those reports are all fake. We haven’t approached either of them; I think people are making up these rumours based on how they have perceived the role of Radhika from the novel and who they want to see play her. We will, however, be finalising the cast soon.” Autorikshakkarante Bharya is about a lazy auto driver who lives his life by incurring heavy debts.

Mollywood The actor shared pictures of her look on her social media page.Digital NativeA few days ago we had reported that the shooting of the Manju Warrier starrer Chathur Mukham is nearing completion. Recently, Manju Warrier shared some pics from the movie on her social media page and it is going viral among her fans. The actor is seen sporting a trendy outfit with a modern look making movie buffs wonder what her role would be in the film. Directed by Rajeet Kamala Sankar and Salil V, Chathur Mukham has Sunny Wayne in an important role. Renji Panicker, Niranjana Anoop and Alancier form the supporting cast of this flick. Dawn Vincent is composing the tunes for this flick with Abinandhan Ramanujam cranking the camera and Manoj doing the editing. Reports are that the shooting will be wrapped around January 23rd and it will then go into the post production mode.

4th edition of Arthouse Asia Film Festival has ended on January 11, 2020 in Kolkata with a grand ceremony. The week-long festival has been arranged by Arthouse Film Foundation and has acquired the reputation of being the most prestigious industry focussed independent film festival in South Asia.

Shapath Das, the festival director has said that Arthouse Asia Foundation will continue to work for the encouragement and growth of Arthouse Independent Cinema. The team will focus on schools and colleges to spread awareness and nurture new talent. The journey has just started and sky is the limit.

Arthouse Asia Foundation has partnered with Festival des 3 Continents and has played a crucial role in bringing ‘Produire au Sud’ lab in India for the first time. Produire au Sud workshop for screenwriters and producers is known for mentoring international film projects worldwide. Seven projects from India, SriLanka, Bhutan and Nepal have been selected for the first time.

Kolkata– January 7, 2020 – In its fourth edition, Arthouse Asia Film Festival is establishing a reputation as a relaxed, boutique event, with strong focus on independent cinema and a productive industry programme partnered with prestigious ‘Produire Au Sud’ for screenwriters and producers from South Asia.

“Weihai”

The day began with the screening of Chinese film ‘Weihai‘ directed by Liang Huan. The film has been shot beautifully in black and white and tells the story of a film screenwriter who went to a seaside town for ten days.

The day progressed with an insightful discussion about the landscape of independent film production in South Asia. Renowned Bangladeshi producer Arifur Rahman(Live from Dhaka, Kingdom of Clay Subjects) and Chennai based producer Mathivanan Rajendran (Nirvana Inn) have taken part in the session and shared their experience in the film circuit.

The session turned out extremely important and valuable to the film school students and...

Mollywood Directed by Rajeet Kamala Sankar and Salil V, the film has Sunny Wayne in an important role. Digital NativeManju Warrier has been very selective with her roles ever since her comeback with How Old Are You are a few years ago. The actor has been bagging heroine-centric roles and the latest to add to her filmography will be Chathur Mukham. Directed by Rajeet Kamala Sankar and Salil V, the film has Sunny Wayne in an important role. Renji Panicker, Niranjana Anoop and Alancier form the supporting cast of this flick. The shooting of Chathur Mukham is currently in progress in Thiruvananthapuram. In an interview to the Times of India, one of its directors, Salil V had told about this film thus: “In our society, many women want to get married and have kids and Manju’s character is someone who isn’t averse to all that but believes that...

The Arthouse Asia Film Festival, presented by Arthouse Film Foundation and Doab Uncut Motion will continue its tradition of celebrating and encouraging Arthouse cinema in 2020. This is the 4th edition of A2FF and the event has gone global in true sense in recent past. More than 50 films will be screened during the festival which include acclaimed shorts and full-length feature films. Out of these 12 films are premiering first time in Asia and 4 are Kolkata premiere. For the first time in India, a screenwriting and producers’ workshop has been arranged collaborating with internationally renowned Produire au Sud. 7 projects from South Asia have been selected for this workshop on 11th January.

Masterclass by eminent filmmakers, film talks, panel discussions and industry meet will also be organized during the event. For example a Masterclass by Buddhadeb Dasgupta in conversation with Aseem Chabra, festival director of New York Indian Film Festival, a Masterclass by Sanal Kumar Sashidharan,...

ReviewSanal Kumar Sasidharan gives you a disturbing film which falters towards the end.CrisPerhaps because the scary trailer came much earlier or else it is the general remoteness of the whole place that Chola begins with, you expect something horrible to happen from the moment the title goes up the screen. But the sad part is, what you witness goes beyond the worst that you already expected -- that comes later. Sanal Kumar Sasidharan gives us a really disturbing film, told through some great performances – Joju George especially, and Nimisha Sajayan too – and an eerie presentation. It is a black screen at the beginning except for a flickering flame. Kpac Lalitha’s voice tells a little child an old grandma’s tale about a prince who goes in search of a virgin to get a treasure from her. You don’t see them but you know this is an inkling...

MollywoodDr Sajish, Dr Rajesh and Dr Manoj run a production house called Doctors’ Dilemma, and their first film ‘Udalazham’ is about a tribal trans woman.CrisFrom left: Dr Sajith, Dr Rajesh and Dr ManojIf you start counting from Pre Degree, theirs is a thirty-year-old friendship. Doctors now, and practicing in different corners of Kerala, Dr Sajish M, Dr Rajesh Kumar and Dr Manoj KT had been friends for three decades when they decided to produce a film called Udalazham. Unnikrishnan Avala, the director of the film, had come to consult Dr Manoj once when he spoke about the project. The three doctors, passionate about movies, jumped right in when they heard the subject – the story of a tribal trans woman. The film releases on December 6. “We formed a production house some years ago. It’s called Doctors’ Dilemma, named so by actor-director Joy Mathew. He has been close to Manoj...

MollywoodA song from the film was presented as a stage show, rendered by the two singers, as the actors in the film – Nimisha Sajayan, Joju George and Akshil Vishwanath – remain in the audience.Digital NativeAward-winning director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan is busy promoting his upcoming film Chola, scheduled to hit the marquee on December 6. Recently, the director released a song from the film by presenting it as a stage show. The melodious song, written and composed by Basil Cj, is rendered by Harish Sivaramakrishnan and Sithara Krishnakumar on stage, both of them dressed in an old-fashioned way. The stage show has actors Joju George, Nimisha Sajayan and her Akhil Vishwanath among the audience watching the song. Nimisha and Akhil are shown enjoying the show until she spots Joju among the audience and looks uneasy. Both Nimisha and Joju have won state awards for their performance in the film. Chola was premiered...

MollywoodIt features a feisty looking Manju Warrier with three cocks masking her face partially. Digital NativeThe first look poster of Manju Warrier’s Prathi Poovankozhi is out online! The poster was unveiled by Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and is going viral among the movie buffs. It features a feisty looking Manju Warrier with three cocks masking her face partially. Rosshan Andrrews is directing the film with Gokulam Gopalan bankrolling it under his banner. The technical crew of this film includes Unni R, who has written it, G Balamurgan for cinematography, Jyotish Shankar for art direction and Gopi Sunder for music. Manju Warrier is playing the main role in Prathi Poovankozhi. Interestingly, the actor’s comeback film, How Old Are You? was directed by Rosshan Andrrews. Prathi Poovankozhi is based on Unni R’s short story with the same title. In the film, Manju Warrier will be playing a salesgirl working in a textile shop.