Rima Kallingal Interview: It's frustrating to be reduced to labels like 'bold and beautiful'
In this interview, Rima elaborates on these themes, why the ripples of the Hema Committee report haven't died down, exploring different platforms to share stories, the importance of creating inclusive spaces for art, and more…
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The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Kerala Film Policy Conclave aims to tackle long-standing issues in Malayalam cinema post-Hema Committee revelations
A decisive step towards addressing long-pending issues in the Malayalam film industry will begin on Saturday (August 2, 2025) with the opening of the two-day Kerala Film Policy Conclave organised by the Kerala government to frame a comprehensive policy touching upon all aspects of the industry. It is in a way a result of the churn witnessed in the industry after the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a popular woman actor in 2017, which led to the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and the constitution of the Justice K. Hema Committee to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam film industry as per the WCC's demand. The Hema Committee report, which was published in 2024, revealed not just cases of sexual exploitation, but illegal bans, discrimination, wage disparity and in some cases, inhuman working conditions. In the aftermath of the Hema Committee report, the lack of a proper policy to address many of these issues was highlighted. The draft of the film policy, which was prepared after several rounds of meetings with the various stakeholders in the industry, will be presented at the conclave over the two days. The Department of Culture has lined up several panel discussions on various aspects of the policy, with experts from the field taking part. Although 17 other States have film policies, a good number of these do not go beyond incentives for film production. According to officials of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, the proposed policy for the Malayalam industry will go beyond this to consider all aspects related to film production. The conclave will also address the lack of formal recognition as an industry, due to which regulations are not in place to govern most of the activities in the Malayalam film industry. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the conclave at a function to be held at Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall inside the Legislative Assembly complex in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday at 10 a.m. Actors Mohanlal and Suhasini Mani Ratnam will be the chief guests at the function to be presided over by Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian. The opening session will be on gender and inclusivity in the industry, with a focus on building equitable workplaces in the film industry and implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) in sets and studios. The discussions related to other aspects will address several issues, including the lack of contractual agreements, lack of a centralised body for regulatory oversight in the industry and barriers to entering film associations and unions due to high membership fees and favouritism. Single-window system for permits Panel discussions will also focus on creation of a single-window online system for filming permits to streamline bureaucratic processes, ethical marketing practices, measures to protect against cyber threats and formulating ethical guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in filmmaking for the future. Filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony on Sunday (August 3), while Mr. Cherian will present a detailed report on the sessions on both days.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Filmmakers urge MUBI to sever ties with Sequoia over Israeli military tech investments linked to Gaza genocide
More than 35 acclaimed filmmakers associated with arthouse distributor and streaming platform MUBI have signed an open letter demanding the company cut ties with investor Sequoia Capital over its links to Israeli military tech firms. The signatories include prominent international directors such as Aki Kaurismäki, Radu Jude, Miguel Gomes, and Joshua Oppenheimer. Their letter criticises MUBI's decision to accept a $100 million investment from Sequoia in May, citing the venture capital firm's involvement in defense-tech startups with direct ties to Israeli intelligence. 'MUBI's financial growth as a company is now explicitly tied to the genocide in Gaza,' the letter states, pointing to Sequoia's 2024 investment in Kela, a battlefield operating system founded by Israeli military veterans. The filmmakers argue this association contradicts MUBI's identity as a platform committed to global cinema and social responsibility. MUBI, which previously issued a statement saying investor views do not reflect its own, has declined to comment on the letter. The signatories also called on MUBI to meet demands set by the activist group Film Workers for Palestine, including: Publicly condemning Sequoia Capital for 'genocide profiteering' Removing Sequoia partner Andrew Reed from MUBI's board Implementing ethical investment and programming policies aligned with PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) The backlash has already had tangible effects. Festivals and venues such as Glasgow's CCA, Mexico City's Cineteca Nacional, and the Cinemateca de Bogotá have withdrawn from MUBI Fest, while Chile's Valdivia Film Festival announced it would no longer screen films distributed by the company. Programming partner Girls In Film also ended its seven-year collaboration, citing MUBI's prioritisation of 'commercial growth' over ethics.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
Actor Raveendran withdraws his nomination for AMMA president post
Actor Raveendran has withdrawn his nomination to the post of president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). However, he will contest for the post of general secretary in the election for the executive committee of the association to be held on August 15. The actor said on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) that it was his personal decision to withdraw the nomination to the post of president. He was among the six actors who had filed the nominations for the post of president on the last day for filing nominations on July 24. The others included Jagadeesh, Shweta Menon, Devan, Anoop Chandra, and Jayan Cherthala. On speculations that a consensus may emerge to support a woman to the post of president, Mr. Raveendran said it should be welcomed. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is July 31. As many as 74 nominations were filed for the election scheduled for August 15. Though there were reports that Mr. Jagadeesh may withdraw his nomination to the post of president, there was no official confirmation yet from the actor. It was stated that he may withdraw to support the candidature of Swetha Menon, the lone woman candidate in the fray for the post of president. A divided house The association continued to remain a divided house on whether the members accused of misconduct in the Hema Committee report (on the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry) or cases registered in its wake should contest the election. The issue came to the fore after actor Baburaj, who had faced allegations of sexual assault, filed his nomination to the post of general secretary. While actors such as Sarayu and Ansiba had stated that there was nothing wrong in the accused members contesting, others, including Mallika Sukumaran, Maala Parvathi, and Anoop Chandran, have opposed it, stating that it may set a bad precedent as actors had stayed away on earlier occasions after facing such allegations. Actor Vijay Babu, an accused in a rape case filed by a woman actor, said in a social media post on Tuesday that he had stepped down from the executive committee of the association following the allegations and that Mr. Baburaj should stay away this time as the latter has cases pending against him.
