Malayalam film Appuram enters Iran’s prestigious Fajr International Film Festival
Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.Marking a historic moment for Malayalam cinema on the global stage, Appuram, a feature film directed by Indu Lakshmi, has been officially selected for the 43rd edition of the Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) in Iran. The film has been selected in the highly competitive Eastern Vista section, which showcases a curated selection of outstanding films from across Asia. With this, Appuram becomes the third Malayalam film to be selected at Fajr, in the festival’s 43-year history, and the only Malayalam entry this year. India has just one film, apart from Appuram, this year at Fajr– Pyre, directed by Vinod Kapri.Founded in 1982, the Fajr International Film Festival is one of the most influential and oldest film festivals in the Middle East. It is known for celebrating culturally rooted storytelling, discovering new cinematic voices and promoting dialogue through cinema. The Eastern Vista section is specifically curated to showcase bold, contemporary Asian films that reflect regional identities and innovative filmmaking approaches, making selection into the category a major international endorsement.Director and producer Indu Lakshmi will represent Appuram at the festival, to be held in Shiraz, Iran. The film is scheduled for a screening on November 29 at 2 pm, marking its international premiere before an audience of global filmmakers, critics and cinephiles.Told through the eyes of an adolescent girl, Appuram examines the fragile boundaries between belief, mental health and lived reality within a closely knit family. The film follows a mother grappling with depression and superstition, while her husband and teenage daughter attempt to anchor her away from emotional collapse.Appuram features Jagadish, Mini IG, and Anagha Maya Ravi in the central roles. The film was shot in and around Thiruvananthapuram, primarily inside a house in Vengannoor, and completed on a modest budget within nine days. Produced by Indu Lakshmi herself, along with Ravi Sreedhar under the banner of Indus Cinemas, the film has cinematography by Rakesh Dharan, editing by Appu Bhattathiri and music composed by Bijibal.Appuram marks an important phase in Indu Lakshmi’s filmmaking journey. A beneficiary of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation’s initiative to encourage women filmmakers, Indu is also the writer of the acclaimed film Daayam, which was showcased at the MAMI Film Festival and the 2023 edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala. She has previously directed three short films.
Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
MAKING a historic moment for Malayalam cinema on the global stage, Appuram, a feature film directed by Indu Lakshmi, has been officially selected for the 43rd edition of the Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) in Iran.
The film has been selected in the highly competitive Eastern Vista section, which showcases a curated selection of outstanding films from across Asia.
With this, Appuram becomes the third Malayalam film to be selected at Fajr, in the festival’s 43-year history, and the only Malayalam entry this year. India has just one film, apart from Appuram, this year at Fajr– Pyre, directed by Vinod Kapri.
Founded in 1982, the Fajr International Film Festival is one of the most influential and oldest film festivals in the Middle East. It is known for celebrating culturally rooted storytelling, discovering new cinematic voices and promoting dialogue through cinema.
The Eastern Vista section is specifically curated to showcase bold, contemporary Asian films that reflect regional identities and innovative filmmaking approaches, making selection into the category a major international endorsement.
Director and producer Indu Lakshmi will represent Appuram at the festival, to be held in Shiraz, Iran. The film is scheduled for a screening on November 29 at 2 pm, marking its international premiere before an audience of global filmmakers, critics and cinephiles.
Told through the eyes of an adolescent girl, Appuram examines the fragile boundaries between belief, mental health and lived reality within a closely knit family. The film follows a mother grappling with depression and superstition, while her husband and teenage daughter attempt to anchor her away from emotional collapse.
Appuram features Jagadish, Mini IG, and Anagha Maya Ravi in the central roles. The film was shot in and around Thiruvananthapuram, primarily inside a house in Vengannoor, and completed on a modest budget within nine days.
Produced by Indu Lakshmi herself, along with Ravi Sreedhar under the banner of Indus Cinemas, the film has cinematography by Rakesh Dharan, editing by Appu Bhattathiri and music composed by Bijibal.
Appuram marks an important phase in Indu Lakshmi’s filmmaking journey.
A beneficiary of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation’s initiative to encourage women filmmakers, Indu is also the writer of the acclaimed film Daayam, which was showcased at the MAMI Film Festival and the 2023 edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala. She has previously directed three short films.
