Mahesh Narayanan directorial Ariyippu, a family drama set against the backdrop of a factory scam, has been selected for the international competition section of the 75th Locarno Film Festival.
Mahesh says that the team had wanted to enter the films into A-list international festivals, and they had reached the final round at the Cannes film festival before missing out on getting the nomination.
Actor-producer Kunchacko Boban is thrilled that it coincides with the 75th anniversary of the first production of his grandfather Kunchacko. “This is an honour for me and a tribute to my grandfather and father. All my colleagues and friends from the industry have reached out to congratulate us on the news,” he says.
The film, which also features Hindi actors Lovleen Misra, Danish Husain, Faisal Malik and Kannan Arunachalam, will premiere at Locarno on August 4, and is the first Indian film to be selected for the competition in 17 years, since Rithuparno Ghosh’s Antarmahal in 2005. The 10-day festival starts on August 3.