Kerala Cafe, a medley of films about ‘God's Own Country' will have its international premiere at the Abu Dhabi International Film Festival. The medley of 10 cinematic compositions, directed by ten directors, the film is a novel experiment in Malayalam cinema. “Kerala Cafe has been invited to the Middle East International Film Festival to be held at Abu Dhabi, where it will have its world premier,” noted scriptwriter and director Renjith who is the project designer and the producer, said. The film which will be commercially released later this month is also seeking entry to the Indian Panorama section at IFFI of Goa. It was Renjith's idea to make a film on the theme of journey. He shared it with fellow directors who came forward with 10 films of 10-12 minute duration, with Kerala Cafe, a small eating joint linking all of them together as a leitmotif. Though such ‘compilation films had come out in the international circuit like `Paris I love You (2006) by 20 directors about life in the city of love and ‘Tickets (2005) by three directors on a train travelling through Italy, it is the first time such an attempt is being made in an Indian language. Characters in all the films pass the cafe at one time or the other. “The travellers are curiously bonded though they are complete strangers, caught in times of road blocks, dead ends and detours,” Renjith said. These players, experiencing crises from life changing events, transitions and unpredictable moments in their lives pass through Kerala Cafe. __
