Kochi edition of International Film Festival of Kerala 2021 opens with Bosnian feature Quo Vadis, Aida?

The Ernakulam leg of the 25th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) kickstarted on Wednesday with the critically acclaimed Bosnian film Quo Vadis, Aida? being screened in front of a full house. State Cultural Affairs Minister A K Balan inaugurated the festival at a function organised at the Saritha theatre complex. The inaugural ceremony was conducted in compliance with strict COVID-19 protocol, including thermal scanning and social distancing. Bosnian film Quo Vadis, Aida? was screened as the opening film. The film, which depicts the aftermath of the Bosnian genocide, received a huge reception from the crowd. Quo Vadis, Aida? is directed by renowned Bosnian film director and screenwriter Jasmila Zbanic.Yasna Duricic, Izudin Bajrovic and Boris Isakovic play the lead roles. The drama has made a mark at the Venice International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. It was nominated for a Bosnian Entry for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. Entry to the theatre was strictly based on reservation. Prominent films to be screened in the International Cinema Competition include Andrea Martinez Crowther’s Birdwatching, Bahman Tavoosi’s The Names of the Flowers and Alejandro Telemaco Tarraf’s Piedra Sola, writes The Hindu. Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Churuli, Mohit Priyadarshi’s Kosa,  Akshay Indikar’s Chronicle of Space and Jayaraj’s Hasyam are the Malayalam language films that will be screened at the event. The Indian Cinema Now section will see Barah by Barah by Gaurav Madan; Balcony T Bhogawan by Biswajeet Bora; Kuthiraivaal by Manoj Jahson and Shyam Sunder; Nasir by Arun Karthick; Seththumaan by Thamizh; Laila Aur Satt Geet by Pushpendra Singh; and Pinki Elli? by Prithvi Konanur. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)