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EntertainmentPosted at: Dec 9 2024 3:12PM


Globally celebrated movies of 2024 to feature in 'Festival Favourite' package

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 9 (UNI) The 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), to be held from December 13 to 20, is ready to captivate film enthusiasts with its array of much anticipated movies under the ‘Festival Favourite’ package.
The lineup includes, ‘The Substance’, ‘Grand Tour’, ‘Caught by the Tides’, ‘The Room Next Door’ , ‘Anora’ , ‘Emilia Perez’, ‘Suspended Time’, ‘The Witness’, ‘I Am Still Here’ ,‘ The Girl with the Needle’, ‘Shikun’, ‘Vermiglio’ and ‘ Meeting with the Pol Pot’. As the title suggests, these films have been celebrated in major International film festivals by critics and audiences alike.

The Substance is a body horror movie written and directed by the French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat. It’s one of the critically acclaimed movies of the year.
This film has won the Best Screenplay award at Cannes Film Festival,European Film Award for Best Cinematographer, and European Film Award for Best Visual Effects.
The Substance explores themes ranging from female beauty standards, ageism, and self obsession. Portraying the conflicts between the central characters, Demi Moore and Margarete Qualley delivered outstanding performances.

The film, ‘Meeting with the Pol Pot’, set in Khmer Rouge is about three French journalists who are invited to conduct an exclusive interview of the infamous dictator, Pol Pot.
As the story progresses, the horrors of the movement start to unravel. The film is inspired by journalist Elizabeth Becker’s account in her book, ‘When The War Was Over’.
Having had a world premiere at the 2024 Cannes International Film Festival, ‘Meeting with Pol Pot’ has also been selected to represent Cambodia in the competition for Best International Feature Film at the 2025 Academy Awards. Rithy Panh, the director, predominantly focuses on the aftermath of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
‘Grand Tour’, a historical drama, was produced in collaboration between Portugal, Italy, and France. Set in 1918, the story revolves around a British civil servant, Edward, who following his fiance’s arrival in Burma, becomes anxious and embarks on a journey of self-realization. Miguel Gomes won the Best Director Award for this film at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024.
‘Caught by the Tides’ is a Chinese movie directed by Jia Zhangke. It tells the story of Qiao Qiao, a woman who embarks on a journey to find her lover. As Qiao Qiao travels through China, she witnesses the rapid changes and social upheaval taking place in the country.
The plot explores themes of love, loss, and the impact of modernization on individuals and society. The movie competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2024. Widely regarded as the leading figure of the ‘sixth generation’ movement of Chinese cinema, Zhangke dabbles as a film and television director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and writer.
The Room Next Door narrates the story of Ingrid, a novelist, and Martha, a war reporter, reconnecting years later. As they rekindle their friendship, they confront the complexities of their past and the choices they made, leading to a powerful exploration of female friendship, love, and the human condition.
The Room Next Door is the first English language feature of the acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. The movie is based on the novel, ‘What Are You Going Through' by Sigrid Nunez. It won the prestigious Golden Lion award at the 81st Venice International Film Festival and was also showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Sean Baker's 'Anora' is a 2024 romantic comedy-drama that follows the unexpected love story between a young sex worker and the son of a Russian oligarch. Their unconventional relationship faces challenges when his parents discover their marriage.
It explores the themes of class, culture, and complexities of love. The film won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Baker is known for his independent films that often focus on marginalized communities.
Emilia Perez, a film that depicts the physical and mental transformation of a ruthless cartel kingpin into a woman, is written and directed by Jacques Audiard.
The movie's musical approach that follows an opera background and the portrayal of the lives of trans people makes it a different watch for the audience.
The 2024 French musical crime comedy bagged the Cannes Jury prize with the leading female cast, Karla Sofia Gascon winning the Best Actress award. Karla thus became the first trans woman to win in this category.
Emilia Perez was named as one of the top 10 films of 2024 by the American Film Institute and is the official entry of France for the Best International Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Suspended Time, directed by Olivier Assayas, is a French drama about two married couples quarantining together in a country house.
Set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 lockdown, the film follows the rising tensions and the revelations about their relationships. Assayas drew inspiration from his own lockdown experience, spent in his parents’ country house in the south of Paris.
French actor and director Vincent Macaigne plays ‘Paul’, Assayas’s most explicitly autobiographical character yet. Narrated by the director himself, this quarantine chronicle revisits the lockdown era with nostalgia and humor. The film premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, and also competed in the Golden Bear category.
The Witness is an Iranian film directed by Nader Saeivar that explores the life of Tarlan, a retired dance teacher who witnesses a murder committed by a prominent government figure.
When the police refuse to investigate, Tarlan must choose between yielding to political pressure or risking her reputation and livelihood to seek justice.
The film won the Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival. Jafar Panahi is credited as co-writer, editor, and artistic consultant of the film.
The film marks Jafar Panahi’s first contribution to a film project since his imprisonment in 2022 for criticizing the Iranian government, and his jail release in 2023. Nader Saeivar had earlier won the Silver Peacock award at the 53rd International Film Festival of India for ‘No End’.
I Am Still Here, directed by Walter Salles is a painful exploration of resilience and identity, a theme which the director masterfully navigates with his signature style of blending intimate storytelling and powerful representation.
The film delves into the lives of individuals fighting with displacement and loss, presenting their struggles with a truth that connects with everyone, everywhere.
The film won the Jury Prize for Outstanding Artistic Contribution at the Berlin International Film Festival and received the Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival.
It was honored with a Special Mention at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Best International Film award at the São Paulo International Film Festival. Additionally, it earned a nomination for Best International Feature at the BAFTAs.
The Girl with the Needle is a haunting historical drama inspired by true events, set in post-World War I Copenhagen. Directed by Magnus von Horn, the movie follows the tormenting experiences of Karoline, a young factory worker who is unemployed, abandoned, and pregnant.
She is later taken in by a woman running an adoption agency where she discovers that things are not what they seem. Marked by its horrific tone and emotional depth, the movie showcases excellent performances by Vic Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm.
The movie was selected as Denmark's official entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. It was also screened in various prestigious International Film Festivals including Cannes, Toronto, and São Paulo International Film Festival.
Shikun, a film by Israeli artist and filmmaker Amos Gitai portrays the lives of heterogeneous people who live in a massive social housing project in the Nev Dessert.
The film explores the characters from different backgrounds as they struggle with intolerance and totalitarian thinking.
The film is inspired by Eugene Ionesco’s classic play Rhinoceros, a collection of theatrical episodes that portrays the rise of authoritarianism. Shikun was officially selected for the Berlin International Film Festival as well as São Paulo International Film Festival.
Vermiglio, an Italian movie written and directed by Maura Delpero, explores themes of self-discovery, the search for belonging, and the power of personal growth.
Set in Italy at the end of World War II, the film tells the life of three sisters in a small mountain village, their metamorphosis, and their growth after the arrival of a soldier.
The film has won the Grand Jury Prize at the 81st Venice International Film Festival and is also Italy’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
The ‘Festival Favourite’ package serves as a golden opportunity for the festival goers to explore these internationally celebrated films.
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