J Saigopal Nair

My hometown is known for a few different things, however, I’m going to elaborate a bit on the part of my city’s culture that changed my direction in life towards being an aspiring storyteller in the field of audio-visual arts.

Thiruvananthapuram’s film culture is strong and prevalent in its history and among its people of various ages that are not afraid to proclaim themselves as ardent cinephiles. As the Malayalam film industry came to life, it had its initial roots in Chennai, and eventually came the shift for Mollywood to thrive in Trivandrum. The Kerala State Film Development Corporation was created in 1975 with the aim of promoting the Malayalam film industry and facilitating its growth, starting in the capital of the state. As a result, many studios and related industrial and business initiatives started to see growth in Trivandrum.

The first Malayalam movie, Vigathakumaran was filmed in Trivandrum by J.C. Daniel and the first Film Studio being The Travancore National Pictures built by the former himself. And today, is home to some of the finest studios and production houses and more.

Malayalam cinema embraced realism and shooting in real locations became the wildest thing. The capital city continues to remain a favourite location for filmmakers and authors to plot their stories in. The Secretariat which is a definitive seat(s) of political power in the state, be it in real as well as reel life, the large white columns and corridors of the Secretariat are seen in various quintessential Malayalam cinema. In movies such as Vasthavam, Thanmathra, Vakkalathu Narayanan Kutty and August 15 , the plot or a portion of it is centred around the 140-year-old expanse of a building at Statue junction.

Technopark was used as the set for various ‘foreign country’ scenes in certain movies as it has that silicon valley-esque neatness and aesthetic. A green haven in the middle of Thiruvananthapuram city, the vast location of Napier Museum and Zoo have been used as a backdrop for various songs and movie scenes. Kovalam beach has played a significant role as a beach location favored by filmmakers as it’s surrounded by lush coconut trees and hills and the tranquility of the space remains unique.

The International Film Festival of Kerala, which is conducted annually in December, is one of Asia's largest film festivals in terms of viewer participation.

In addition to various film festivals, the presence of a film certification body such the CBFC’'s regional office and many movie studios and production facilities set up shop such as the Uma Studio, Chitranjali Studio, Merryland Studio, Kinfra Film and Video Park and Vismayas Max.

The Kinfra Film and Video Park, located near Technopark, is one of the most advanced film and animation production facilities in India.

The city has more theatres than any other in Kerala, and they all exist within a 3km radius. Ariesplex sl cinema is the largest theatre in the state with a seating capacity more than 1300.

Kim Ki-Duk, the renowned filmmaker at IFFK 2013.

The International Film Festival of Kerala(abbreviated as IFFK) is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, which started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. The festival is held in November or December every year and is acknowledged as one of the leading cultural events in India.Various national and international films have had their premieres at the IFFK and the competition section is limited to 14 selected films produced in Asia, Africa or Latin America. The festival also has a section devoted to Malayalam cinema.

The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy which was founded in 1998 for the promotion of Cinema as a means of cultural expression, is situated in Thiruvananthapuram. They organize the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala.