The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) will spotlight artistic freedom and resilience with its selection of acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof as the head of its competition jury in 2025. Rasoulof, a frequent target of censorship and legal action by the Iranian government, has nonetheless garnered international acclaim, including multiple awards at Cannes, Berlin, and other major festivals. His appointment underscores the IFFK’s longstanding commitment to supporting filmmakers who navigate political challenges in thier work, a dedication reflected in the diverse and distinguished jury announced today.
The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) will welcome acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof as the jury chairperson for its competition section in 2025. Rasoulof is a highly decorated director, having earned eight awards at the Cannes Film Festival, including four for his 2023 film, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”
Rasoulof’s accolades also include the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, the Golden Peacock at the Goa International Film Festival, and the Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival. His work has garnered international recognition, and in 2024, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
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Rasoulof currently resides in Germany after being exiled from Iran due to his independent filmmaking, which has led to censorship and legal repercussions from the Iranian government. Despite directing five feature films, none have been permitted to screen in his home country. In 2010, he was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison while co-directing a film with Jafar Panahi.
The selection of “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” for the Cannes competition last year resulted in an eight-year prison sentence, along with flogging and a fine for Rasoulof. His other notable films include “The Twilight,” “Iron Island,” “A Man of Integrity,” and “There Is No Evil.” The festival’s choice of Rasoulof as jury chair underscores the IFFK’s commitment to supporting filmmakers facing political challenges.
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Joining Rasoulof on the international competition jury are Spanish actress Ángela Molina, Vietnamese director and writer Bui Thac Chuyen, Malaysian director Edmund Yeo, and British-Indian director Sandhya Suri.
Bui Thac Chuyen has received awards at the Busan and Shanghai film festivals. Edmund Yeo’s films have been selected for the Venice, Cannes, Locarno, and Toronto film festivals. The diverse panel reflects the IFFK’s global outlook and dedication to showcasing a wide range of cinematic voices.
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Ángela Molina, a veteran actress with a career spanning half a century, has appeared in films by renowned directors such as Pedro Almodóvar, Luis Buñuel, Carlos Saura, and Marco Bellocchio, and has received numerous international accolades. Sandhya Suri’s debut feature film, “Santosh,” was selected for the official section of the Cannes Film Festival last year and was also shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.
Christopher Small, a writer, publisher, and film programmer; Ashanthi Omkar, a film, TV, and pop culture critic and broadcaster; and Aparajita Poojari, a film critic, poet, and translator, will serve as the FIPRESCI jury members.
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Upali Gamalath, a director, editor, and sound engineer; Supriya Suri, a director and producer; and Ishita Sengupta, a film critic and cultural commentator, will comprise the NETPAC jury. K. Hariharan, a Tamil director, will chair the jury for the K.R. Mohanan Award. A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of Pune, he has directed eight feature films and approximately 350 short films and documentaries. Latika Padgaonkar, a film critic and translator, and Sajitha Madathil, an actress and writer, are also members of the jury.
