A quiet walk through a byroad triggers a memory. A woman remembers a night she spent afraid on the 'high range'. A group of people quietly climb the hill on the horizon. Don Palathara's trailer for 1956, Central Travancore seeks to trigger the deep impulse for stories through its images. The film, based on the journey of a group of migrants to Idukki, had its international premiere at the Moscow International Film Festival in 2020 and its Indian one at the International Film Festival for Kerala in February.
Visually captivating, the trailer moves with a slow, unhurried pace that hints at the director's method of storytelling. Set in 1956, before land reforms in Kerala, the film is based on the journey of two brothers who migrate to Idukki in the hopes of improving their prospects. On a chance, they set out on the hunt for gaur (Indian bison), which is the backdrop for the film.
The trailer is an intriguing but beautiful work that drags you into the story. As the migrants set out on the hunt, they discover others who share stories. The film is shot in black and white.
Written and directed by Don Palathara, 1956, Central Travancore features Assif Yogi, Jain Andrews, Kani Kusruti, Shaun Romy, Sherin Catherine and Krishnan Balakrishnan.