A sequence from A Fox Under a Pink Moon, the opening film of the 18th IDSFFK.
Curtains will go up for the 18th edition of the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) in Keralam’s capital on Friday (September 25, 2026) with the opening documentary A Fox Under a Pink Moon focussing on the struggles of 16-year-old Afghan artist Soraya, who has spent five years trying to escape Iran for Austria. Over this period, she filmed herself, capturing dangerous escape attempts, her abusive marriage, and her evocative art through drawings and sculptures that express her profound struggles.
Directed and produced by acclaimed filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei and co-directed by Soraya, the opening film brings to light the harrowing yet resilient journey of a young artist caught in the crosshairs of displacement and survival.
The artist’s self-shot footage offers an unfiltered window into the realities faced by undocumented refugees, gender-based hardships and the saving grace of creative expression, with her artwork acting as both a coping mechanism and a universal language of resistance.
Prior to the screening of the opening film, Minister for Cultural Affairs P.C. Vishnunadh will inaugurate the festival at a function to be held at the Kairali theatre at 6 p.m. Minister for Transport C.P. John will preside over the function.
The first day of the festival will feature screenings from the International Fiction and International Non-Fiction sections. The International Fiction section will feature 14 films, including the Chinese film Kleptomania, City of Owls by Zhenia Kazankina, and Luukas Osara’s Youssef. Eight films will be screened in the International Non-Fiction section category, including Robots,The Eyes of Ghana, and Orwell 2+2=5.
Published – September 24, 2026 07:51 pm IST
