COCHIN FILM SOCIETY
 

Origin

 

It was at the Kerala Kalapeetom, on organization floated by late Sri. M. K. K. Nair, patron of arts and the Managing Director of the FACT, late sri. C. N. SreekandanNair, renowned playwright and Sri. M. V. Devan, eminent painter and sculptor, that the Cochin Film Society was formed in 1984. The Society was inaugurated by the great cinematographer, late Mankada Ravivarma and the opening film was Eisenstein's 'Battleship Potemkin.'     

 

These names are mentioned here only to indicate that the Cochin Film Society had the good fortune to be associated with great people right from its inception. This exceptional destiny continued during the last 30 years and a galaxy of very eminent personalities from the world of cinema and other walks of life were associated with the society in one way or the other.     

 

The Film Society Movement

 

The motto of the Society is to promote a new film culture among the public. The film society movement in Kerala itself was a spontaneous awakening of film lovers to the need for organizing themselves for creating opportunities for viewing off-beat world class movies which were not part of the commercial circuit. The movement which commenced in the late 1960s gathered momentum in the 70s and became a force to reckon with in the 80s and the 90s. The Cochin FIlm Society was strong link in this new fraternity.      

 

Window to the World

 

The Society had exhibited more than 1500 films in the last three decades. These films were in Malayalam and other Indian languages, English, French, and many other European and Latin American languages. Two mega Internaitonal Film Festivals too were held in the past. Truly, the Cochin FIlm Society has been a 'window to the world' to those who cared to look. 

 

Meet the Director, Appreciation Courses

 

Apart from exhibiting classic and modern films, numerous discussions were held about various aspects of films. Several film appreciation courses with the association of the National Film Archives and the FIlm and Television Institute of India, Pune, were held. Many films which went on to win recognition at the state and national level were premiered by us and interfaces with the makers of such films were a regular feature. The Society also publishes a monthly bulletin, 'Sequences' which contains the details like synopsis and reviews of the films to be screened that month, apart from serious film related news. 

 

To the Campus

 

With the aim of 'catching them young' the Society moved into the campuses. Film appreciation courses were held in various educational institutions like S. H. College, Thevara, St. Teresa's College, Ernakulam and the College of Social Sciences, Rajagiri, more than once. 

 

Film Making

 

Another area the Society pioneered in was to teach and train young people, the art and craft of film making, conducting workshops in acting, script writing and cinematography, much before the film schools we see around nowadays started functioning. 

 

Social commitment

 

Even though not involved in politics, the society has its own politics of enhancing the social awareness of people and of inculcating human values among the young, for which there can be no better tool than the visual media.