With Gratitude, From the Heart of IFFK
I
t’s with immense pleasure that I’m jotting down these words of thanks and adieu. As IFFK is coming of age by the 20th edition, it is entering a totally new phase at this historic juncture. The selfless dedication of activists and film enthusiasts dedicated unrewarded for taking IFFK to the present heights should not go unremembered. As the saying goes, words fail to express themselves absolutely when heart grips you; especially during the moments of parting. Considering the scope and magnitude that IFFK has acquired by this edition on multiple dimensions, even the last grain of negativity, if at all there is any, simply gets evaporated into the thinny air. The huge success of this edition, inspite of all odd factors, makes me humbler and more responsible. The highly disciplined and cinematically-conscious audience deserves a hat off for their love and enthusiasm for films. Let me thank the stimulating support extended by the state government to take this event to its superlative levels. Sri Oommen Chandy, Hon. Chief Minister, needs a special mention here for all the whole-hearted support he offered for this success. Sri Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Hon. Minister for cinema, had been functioning as the prime energizer even behind the minutest detail of the fest. Let me express my sincere gratitude to the great effort and wisdom put in by Shri.Shaji N.Karun for the success of this festival. I thankfully remember Shri.Rajeev
Nath, Chairman KSCA, and all General Council and Executive committee members, the members of different committees, volunteers and others who have concertedly put their hands and hearts to materialize the event in the present form. I would like to specially mention the hard work of my team who toiled tough, day and night for the last five months to make this event a reality. I thank the curators and programmers whose expertise well reflects on the film packages here; printing and publishing wing of IFFK, the hospitality team, the media cell, the daily bulletin team and the delegate cell. I wish to thank all the media, MD Niche and the other promotional partners for their relentless support. Let me thank them all once again, wholeheartedly. As mentioned in the opening, the hyper energy brought by the delegates to the festival needs to be specially thanked. Words are powerless to express my heartiest gratitude, cutting across hierarchies, to all the ones who helped in making this grand event a colossal success. Let us march forward to better festivals in coming years. S. Rajendran Nair, Secretary, Kerala State Chalachitra Academy