Kerala Film Market Reveals 2025 Lineup Packed with Global Talent and Bold New Projects

India's Kerala Film Market has lifted the curtain on its hotly anticipated Project Market 2025 and the first-ever Curator's Pick from its brand-new Video Library segment. The showcase will run from 13 to 16 December in Thiruvananthapuram, with excitement in the regional film industry already reaching fever pitch.

Previously known as the International Film Market of Kerala, the event received submissions from across the globe.

From hundreds of entries, organisers whittled the list down to 12 standout projects representing 11 countries and featuring an astonishing 13 languages.

It is a multilingual medley spanning Hindi, English, Spanish, Bengali, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Assamese, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Bangla and Bhojpuri.

Global Projects Vie for the Spotlight

Producers and filmmakers lucky enough to make the cut will pitch their films to a high-powered audience of international and Indian distributors, financiers and production houses. With so much riding on these four days, competition is expected to be fierce.

Among the selections is Apodartho (A Foolish Man), a Bangladesh–Taiwan co-production in Bangla from director Abu Shahed Emon. His debut feature, Jalal's Story, made waves as the first Bangladeshi title to premiere in Busan's prestigious New Currents competition.

The new project is backed by Patrick Mao Huang, Tahrima Khan and Emon himself.

Another headline entry is the India–Nepal co-production Bagh Chal (4 Tigers and Goats) from director Saadgi Gupta. The film is produced by acclaimed filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda, known for I Am Kalam, alongside Akshay Kumar Parija.

Big Names Bring Big Buzz

Devashish Makhija, whose films have screened at festivals from Busan to Rotterdam, arrives with But First, The Burning, a Hindi–Marathi drama produced by actor-filmmaker Anshuman Jha.

His previous works Bhonsle and Joram have earned both National Awards and Filmfare trophies, cementing his reputation as one of India's most compelling voices.

Also turning heads is Error#404 from two-time National Award-winning director Farha Khatun, produced by Bauddhayan Mukherji and Monalisa Mukherji.

Meanwhile, Kathakali Diva: A Ritual of Transformation comes from celebrated editor and former International Film Festival of Kerala director Bina Paul.

Malayalam cinema is strongly represented, with Sanju Surendran presenting Kothiyan (Fishers of Men), following the success of his Busan-winning feature If on a Winter's Night. Adding international flair is the Australia–India co-production Mongoose, directed by National Award winner Nikhil Mahajan.

Rounding out the slate are titles ranging from the Assamese horror-comedy Local Bhoot to the Telugu–Armenian co-production The Day of the Feast.

Curator's Pick Shines a Light on Fresh Voices

Alongside the main line-up, the Kerala Film Market has unveiled 13 films selected for the first-ever Curator's Pick in its Video Library. These projects, from India, Bangladesh and the US, span documentaries, shorts and features across multiple languages.

Among the highlighted works are Anuradha Bansal's English–Hindi–Marwari documentary A Good Wife and Sandeep Paul's India–US Bengali feature Ekanto Byaktigoto Bishoy, both seeking distributors and festival exposure.

Other standouts include the Tamil documentary Dalit Subbaiah – Voice of the Rebels, the Chinese Hakka drama Like a Feather in the Wind, and the Kannada feature Purushaavathara.

Kerala's Ambitious Vision for Global Film Business

Priyadarsanan P S, managing director of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, hailed the market as a vibrant meeting point for global talent and investors. Chairman K Madhu echoed the sentiment, praising the platform's rapid rise in just three years.

An integral part of the International Film Festival of Kerala, the Kerala Film Market is fast becoming a powerhouse for co-production, financing and international partnerships. With this year's line-up bursting with creativity and global ambition, all eyes will be on Thiruvananthapuram this December.