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My wish to watch my film with an audience materialised at IFFK: Kakavand

“My long-cherished wish to watch my film with a vibrant audience has finally come true in Kerala, thanks to IFFK,” said Iranian filmmaker Pourya Kakavand at the Meet the Director session on the sixth day of the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).

Kakavand, director of The Daughter, was speaking at the session moderated by Meera Sahib, alongside filmmaker Sanju Surendran and Argentine screenwriter-director Louis Zorraquin.

Although The Daughter premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival, Kakavand was unable to attend due to the ongoing conflict in Iran. “It was my ardent wish to watch the film in a theatre with an audience, and that finally happened in Kerala,” he said. Describing the film as a psychological exploration of imagined parenthood, Kakavand also reflected on the challenges of filmmaking in Iran, noting that directors often work under intense scrutiny and censorship.

Filmmaker Sanju Surendran, whose film Kidki Gaav is being screened in the International Competition category, spoke about the film’s setting in a low-income suburb of Delhi and its portrayal of youth experiences in such environments. He added that the film received post-production support from the Busan International Film Festival.

Argentine filmmaker Louis Zorraquin discussed his coming-of-age thriller Kissing Bug. While the film has travelled to several international festivals, he said IFFK stood apart because of Kerala’s deeply rooted film culture. He also noted that Argentine film institutes typically fund around 30 per cent of a film’s budget, expressing concern over recent restrictions on public funding.

Moderator Meera Sahib observed that Argentine cinema has been an integral part of IFFK since 1999. Renowned director Balu Kiriyath was also present at the occasion.