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As stages emergence and lights are tested astatine the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi successful Thrissur, the metropolis is preparing to perceive — to stories whispered from the margins, to voices agelong pushed into silence. The 16th International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK) opens connected January 25, promising 8 days wherever theatre becomes some an creator solemnisation and a governmental act. With productions from 9 countries and crossed India, the festival erstwhile again positions Kerala arsenic a captious gathering crushed for planetary performance, dissent, and dialogue.
The festival volition beryllium inaugurated by Revenue Minister K. Rajan astatine the Akademi courtyard connected January 25. Higher Education Minister Dr. R. Bindu volition preside over. Renowned filmmaker Anand Patwardhan volition be arsenic main guest, with Gujarati playwright and filmmaker Dakxin Chhara and internationally acclaimed theatre artiste Maya Thangberg joining arsenic peculiar guests.
Akademi Chairperson Mattannur Sankarankutty said the festival’s theme, ‘Voices successful This Silence’, reflects a conscious effort to foreground the suppressed narratives of nine done performance. “Theatre has ever been a abstraction wherever soundlessness is breached and marginal voices find expression. This year’s ITFoK seeks to reclaim that relation astatine a clip erstwhile galore realities are being pushed into silence,” helium said.
The festival volition diagnostic 23 plays with 48 performances, including 9 planetary productions from Argentina, Brazil, Armenia, Palestine, Slovakia, Spain, Japan, and Denmark. Fourteen Indian plays, including 5 from Kerala, volition besides beryllium staged. In total, 246 theatre artistes, including 49 planetary participants, volition execute crossed 7 venues successful Thrissur.
The opening play of the festival volition beryllium Frankenstein Project, an Argentinian accumulation based connected Mary Shelley’s classical novel, directed by Luciano Mansur. The play volition beryllium staged astatine the Akademi Black Box Theatre connected January 25 and 26.
ITFoK Artistic Director Dr. Abhilash Pillai said the festival programming reflects a wide spectrum of aesthetic and governmental concerns. “From experimental forms to socially engaged narratives, the festival is designed to provoke thought and dialog beyond the stage,” helium noted.
Apart from performances, ITFoK volition big regular ‘Face to Face’ enactment sessions, sheet discussions and remembrance programmes astatine FAVOS theatre. Discussions volition absorption connected themes specified arsenic marginalised communities, women’s labour spaces, governmental theatre and modern societal realities.
Documentary movie section
A large attraction this twelvemonth is the curated documentary movie section, unfastened to the nationalist escaped of charge. Screenings volition beryllium held each time astatine 5 p.m. from January 26 to January 31, astatine FAVOS. The conception opens with Anand Patwardhan’s Vivek, followed by documentaries addressing caste discrimination, sex violence, number rights, situation realities, and the societal interaction of art.
Akademi Secretary Karivallur Murali said the festival aims to broaden the taste acquisition beyond theatre alone. “ITFoK is not conscionable astir watching plays. It is astir conversations, visuals, memories and shared spaces. The documentary section, exhibitions and taste evenings unneurotic make a surviving festival atmosphere,” helium said.
Photo, poster and creation exhibitions volition beryllium organised astatine the Akademi backyard, including a photograph accumulation honouring legendary theatre property Badal Sircar arsenic portion of his commencement centenary. An accumulation of ITFoK posters designed by precocious decorator Sashi Bhaskar volition besides beryllium showcased. Theatre sketches by noted artistes Gopalan Adat, Vijesh K.V. and Sajeev Keezhariyur adhd different ocular furniture to the festival.
Every night, taste programmes with a peculiar absorption connected tribal creation forms volition beryllium staged astatine the Akademi courtyard. Except for theatre performances, each events including discussions, documentaries, exhibitions, and taste programmes are escaped to the public.
The renovated K.T. Muhammed Theatre volition besides beryllium inaugurated during the opening ceremony, marking different milestone for the Akademi arsenic ITFoK 2026 begins its travel of giving dependable to silence.
