Thiruvananthapuram: Kazhakhisthan, a land of nomadic tribes, has recently been discussed for its films in festival circuits. Kazhakh films are going to be one of the many interesting features of the 21st International Film Festival of Kerala, according to Bina Paul, artistic director of the festival. Kazhakh filmmaker Serik Aprymov will be coming to the festival. “Kazhakh filmmaking is very rooted in their culture, which is nomadic,” she said. “One doesn’t normally get to see those films. Films like Student and Stranger have been noted,” she says. The festival also brings to Kerala giants like Michele Khleif and Haile Garema, she said.
“We also look at a lot of small, undiscovered films. It is a journey of discoveries, which I think is what the delegates like. They discovered Kim-ki-Duk here.” The Korean director is prolific, she said. “His last film is connected to the festival’s broad theme of migration. The obsession... The audience loves heroes. And why not?” asks Ms Paul, who makes a comeback to IFFK after a gap of two years. The registration had to be closed in three days, she said while responding to a question if the festival is becoming elitist. “If 15,000 people registered within three hours, it is proof that it is not elitist. That perhaps is one of the weaknesses of the festival.”
