High noon films: Highlight attraction of Malayalam representation


As if time dissolves the sting, the box office flops that were once shrouded to the off-time shows in theatres have now garnered a reputed space in the 15th IFFK. The High noon section, devoted exclusively to the non-commercial Malayalam movies that didn’t fare well at the time of its release have been given a curious nick name and has now reached the delegates in an attractive package.

Five movies are included in the ‘High Noon Malayalam Cinema’, as the section is titled. K.G.George’s directorial debut Swapnadanam, the 1976 film will be one amongst them. With Mohandas, Venukuttan Nair and Rani Chandra as the popular cast, the film that had received much critical acclaim failed to be a theatrical success. The 1986 film by the master class director in Malayalam, John Abraham, Amma Ariyan is one of the best in the High Noon Category. Rephrasing all the conventional institutions of film making, Amma Ariyan is not just a landmark in Malayalam film industry but in John’s career too, it was his last film.

Kabaninadi Chuvannappol (1975) directed by P.A.Backar also finds an entry to the category. Ekangini is another feature film to be screened. G.Aravindan’s Utharayanam, which was released in the year 1974, was his directorial debut that won him the Best Director Award along with the Best film Award in the Kerala State Film Awards 1974. A group of critics have already come forward with the view that a separate classification like “high noon films” makes one wonder about the questionable commercial success of all the other films of the festival finding all qualifications to enter the category. However, these films are sure to render a unique experience to the delegates.