For the second consecutive year, Malayalam film director Lijo Jose Pellissery bagged the Best Director award at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), this time for his latest movie, Jallikattu. Lijo received the award on Thursday at the closing ceremony of IFFI in Goa.
Released in October this year, Jallikattu received acclaim for its raw style of filmmaking and cinematography. The movie centers around a buffalo on the loose and how men in the village go on a mad hunt to capture it.
Before it was released in India, Jallikattu received rave reviews internationally. The film won praise at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it premiered. Moothon was another Malayalam film, which was screened at the international festival.
Jallikattu not only shows how men go on a mad hunt but philosophically, also points out their beastliness. Lijo's imagery, shaped through crude pictures and light-hearted situations, has made Jallikattu, in fact, a magical movie.
The movie is inspired by the Malayalam short story 'Maoist' by S Hareesh, which won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. Jallikattu stars Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose and Sabumon Abdusamad, among others.
Last year, Lijo had won the Best Director award for his film Ee.Ma.Yau, a hilarious satire on death. He also won the Best Director award for this movie at the 48th Kerala State Film Awards as well as the 49th International Film Festival of India.
Lijo Jose Pellissery has only made seven movies in nine years. And with this, Lijo has undoubtedly made his mark in the Malayalam film industry and even across India. His film, Angamaly Diaries, is often cited as one of the films that made him popular outside Kerala. Lijo is also known for not sticking to a particular style in his movies.
Jallikattu is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.