This year, IFFI showcased works of filmmakers who have tackled the issues of environmental degradation, ecological imbalance and climate change in a thought-provoking and sensitive manner. Tamil-language drama film Koozhangal (Pebbles), directed by debutant P. S. Vinothraj and starring Chellapandi and Karuththadaiyaan, was screened at IFFI in the Indian Panorama (feature film) section. The film has been nominated for the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at IFFI 2021. It also happens to be India’s official entry for the 2022 Academy Awards in the international feature film category.
Praveen Krupakar’s Kannada film Taledanda featuring Sanchari Vijay, Mangala N., Chaitra Achar and Ramesh P had its World Premiere in the Indian Panorama (feature film) section. Praveen said, “In last 100 years, we have destroyed 50 per cent of nature and ecology. I have witnessed the love of my one disabled friend for nature for more than 30 years, and this inspired me to do this film. Climate change is real and not imaginary as some of us would like to believe, and if this story reaches even 0.1 per cent of the audience, I would think I have done my job.”
The opening film of the Indian Panorama section of IFFI 2021 was Aimee Baruah’s Semkhor is about the people of the Samsa community in Semkhor in Assam, their tryst with nature and their acute disdain for all things modern.
