There has been a simple announcement of a Film Festival, and a bunch of fans seem to be extremely excited about it. However, you can analyze the critical situation by the mere fact that people have been craving such a thing for a long time. The Hindi film industry has many film festivals, and they keep organizing them.
However, things are about to change as the South comes together to celebrate their film culture. Aha and PMF are partnering up to present the South India Film Festival.
Now, in terms of a multilingual festival, it’s not the most uncommon idea. You can just refer to the Kolkata International Film Festival or the Mumbai International Film Festival. Even in terms of the southern part, in 1996, there was the rise of the Kerala International Film Festival which showcased the best of the South.
Even Jio’s attempt to sponsor quite a few of them brings such events into the spotlight. Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival is one of the most prestigious events all over India, and even in terms of the OTT space, they organized events such as JioCinema Film Fest. An event for 20 days to showcase certain underrated gems, to showcase the brilliance of Indian cinema.
Aha is now doing something similar on a greater magnitude. What makes it so different, you ask?
This will indeed be one of the first united attempts to uplift the entirety of Southern cinema as a whole. This event will showcase all four major industries of the South; it will feature languages such as Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. This will be the first time when the thrillers of Malayalam come together with the action of Tamil; the South will unite through cinema.
The event will not just feature the very classics of the industry, but it will also live through the present, making it an event for all groups of cinema fans.
Even as a creator, it will do good for them as it will bring them a sense of unity. In terms of Northern industries, though the competition always exists, they somewhat work together and as the lingual difference is not prominent, the films get more and more exposure.
With the festival, one cinephile can not only witness the diversity of Southern craft itself, but they will also witness some new ideas, some new thoughts, some new cinemas. A win-win scenario for everyone.