3rd edition of the Kazhcha-Niv Indie Film Festival to begin on 6 December

The 3rd Kazhcha-Niv Indie Film Fest (KIFF) is all set to begin at Lenin Balawadi, Thiruvananthapuram. The four-day festival, to be held from 6–10 December, will be inaugurated by Natesh Hedge, a 24-year-old first-time filmmaker from North Karnataka. The festival is held in parallel with the official International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), which also begins on 6 December.

This year, KIFF will feature some of the finest films from the country. Keeping to its mandate of only screening 12 films during the four-day festival, this year’s lineup includes five Malayalam films, of which two are by first-time filmmakers.

Biriyaani, directed by Sajin Babu, Sherry Govindan’s Ka Kha Ga Gha Nga, Humania by Mithun Murali, Gokul and Vaishnav’s Domestic Dialogues, and Oru Raathri Oru Pakal by Prathap Joseph are the five.

Two films from the Northeast will be screened – Nimtoh, a Nepali-language film by Saurav Rai, and Bhaskar Hazarika’s Aamis (2019). Runanubandha by Amartya Bhattacharyya and Riddhi Majumdar’s Pariah are films from Bengal. Gamak Ghar, a Maithili-language film from Bihar by first-timer Achal Mishra, Gurvindar Singh’s Bitter Chestnut in the Pahari language, and Eeb Allay Ooo! by Prateek Vats complete the lineup.

This year, KIFF has introduced the ‘Best Film KIFF 2019’ award that will go to the most deserving film.

Besides the screenings, the festival will be organizing a series of panel discussions, chats and sessions to discuss pertinent issues in cinema today.