The second edition of the Nila International Folklore Film Festival of India (NIFFFI), organised by Kerala-based folklore group Vayali, will be held on October 29, 30, 31 and November 5, 6 and 7. The annual festival aims to host films and discussions that focus on indigenous cultures and folklore from different parts of India as well as across the globe.
The event received over 60 entries. Of these, the organisers have selected 12 films that will be competing under two categories, based on the running time of the films — NIFFFI Black Fire Award for Best Long Film (30 mins and up) and Award for Best Short Film (under 30 mins). The latter is a new award.
Filmmaker Nina Sabnani, folklorist and archivist Catherine Hiebert Kerst, and documentary filmmaker Amudhan Ramalingam Pushpam are part of the festival’s jury. They will pick two winners out of the 12 entries. Following the live streaming of the films on YouTube, the results will be announced on November 7, the last day of the festival.
As part of the online event, Vayali also organised two events called Panaroma and In Focus. These sessions were held on Facebook over the past few weeks. As a part of ‘Panaroma,’ the organisers showcased Indian movies that explore folklore in detail and also held sessions with artists, researchers and filmmakers, while ‘IN Focus’ featured discussions with cinematographer and director Vinod Raja about his films that turned the spotlight on marginalised and secluded communities. Discussions and sessions that were part of ‘Panaroma’ and ‘In Focus’ are available on NIFFFI’s social media profiles.
Additionally, the organisers will also be launching an e-magazine titled ‘The Lore’ as a part of the festival. Speaking to TNM, Vinod Nambiar, the director of Vayali Folklore Group, shared details about the conceptualisation of the magazine.
“Folklore and traditional knowledge have been preserved in Kerala for decades but we wanted to pass it on to the younger generations. We initially thought of a newsletter, but since experts suggested we come out with an academic magazine, we have decided to launch ‘The Lore.’ It will be a platform for young researchers to connect with new-age readers,” he said.