Kerala Film Policy Conclave begins in Thiruvananthapuram

Film personalities, Ministers, policy makers and representatives of every organisation and department related to Malayalam cinema came together in the capital on Saturday (August 2, 2025) for the two-day Kerala Film Policy Conclave, aimed at framing a comprehensive policy for the industry.

Inaugurating the conclave, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Kerala, which is a model for other States in various fields, can also serve a model through a film policy which would aid in the all-round growth and improvement of Malayalam film industry.

In a speech in which the CM spoke about the early history of Malayalam cinema in making socially relevant films right from its infancy while other industries were focussing on mythological films, he also lashed out at the National Film Award jury for choosing the film The Kerala Story for two awards. He called on the State’s civil society as well as the film community to stand united against the move to tarnish the State using cinema. 

“The National Award for The Kerala Story can only be seen as a celebration of the cultural corruption that misuses films as a means to spread communal hatred. It is unfortunate that a film that insults Kerala’s secular tradition and presents Kerala in a defamatory manner has been awarded. We should think about why criteria beyond art are used to evaluate art. The message behind this is that art should be used to destroy the secularism of our country and replace it with communalism. Malayalam cinema achieved greatness because its works were rooted in the soil, humanity and a secular way of life. The foundation of those achievements is being attacked,” he said.

He said that it is essential to modernise and expand the Malayalam cinema, which is intertwined with our socio-economic sphere, to be in sync with the times. “The conclave will be a step towards that.”

“There are many organisations in the film industry now. Naturally, there will be a sense of competition between them. Everyone needs to put aside their egos and work towards solving problems with the awareness that the organisations exist only if this industry survives. I hope the conclave will be an open forum for discussion to present innovative ideas, opinions, and suggestions,” he said. The CM also expressed caution against extremely violent sequences in cinema as well as films which glorify drugs and alcohol.

Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian said that the conclave could pave the way for Kerala becoming the most film friendly State in the country, with enabling infrastructure and supporting mechanisms. All the possible suggestions from the conclave which can be accepted will figure in the film policy, while further discussions will be held on disagreements to arrive at a common point. “The government is also planning to organise Kerala Film Mart every two years, modelled on the Kerala Travel Mart,” he said.

“This conclave began from a memorandum that a few women film personalities presented to the Chief Minister some years ago, based on which the Hema committee was constituted. The suggestions in the committee report as well as those made by Adoor Goapalakrishnan and others led to this,” he said.

Actor Mohanlal, who was one of the chief guests, expressed hope that the conclave and policy would lead to the industry becoming more democratised, bringing in more people to the film production process as well as providing a new sense of direction to the whole filmmaking ecosystem. Actor and filmmaker Suhasini, the other chief guest, said that the Kerala film conclave will become a model for all other States.

Later, the Chief Minister felicitated filmmaker and chairperson of the K.R. Narayanan Institute of Visual Science and Arts Saeed Akhtar Mirza, filmmaker Vetrimaran, sound designer Resul Pookutty and lyricist and poet Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.