The namesake – IFFK

It is not clear now that Meera Nair’s film, The Namesake, is part of “World Cinema” section International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) to be held in Thiruvananthapuram from December 7 to 14. But this year, when IFFK is at its 12th avatar, it has a namesake in the parallel universe of film festivals. The first International Film Festival of Kashmir (IFFK) was held in Srinagar this year on April 28-30. The event, held in the northern most state of India, did not attract as much media attention as the other one to be held in one of the southern most states. But from its website, it can be seen that the film festival triggered off passionate debates about the role of art in times of terrorism. Also it is not a high profile festival with international juries and lucrative prizes. But it is a good beginning and hope it will carry on like its elder brother in down south, which has become an annual spiritual centre of film devotees. Let the gods, Kurosawa, Bergman, Buñuel and the like, bless the festivals. Long live IFFKs.