During the day, M. Preman worked as a toddy tapper, but his evenings were far from ordinary. Instead of heading home to relax with his family like many others, he travelled to villages with a projector and a white screen, screening films and engaging in discussions about cinema. His talks covered a wide range of filmmakers, from Ritwik Ghatak and Jean-Luc Godard to Justin Chadwick, Luis Mandoki, and Lola Doillon.
Despite having discontinued formal education after the 10th grade and working as a toddy tapper and construction worker, Preman delivers scholarly talks about world cinema, legendary and contemporary directors, emerging trends, prestigious international film festivals, the Academy Awards, and the Oscars.
Preman바카라s journey with cinema began with the 바카라Phalke Film Society바카라 in Puthiyoppu, Vadakara, in Kerala바카라s Kozhikode district. Established in 1987, the society welcomed a 16-year-old Preman as a member. Within two years, he became part of its executive committee, and in the following years, he served as its secretary which he continued for a period of twenty years. His life became deeply intertwined with the growth of Phalke Film Society, which has since evolved into the only film society in Kerala with its own building, a library, and a dedicated movie theatre with sixty seats. Leaving behind his work as a daily wage labourer, Preman saved enough to buy a projector and began traveling to villages, libraries, and educational institutions바카라screening films and fostering discussions on cinema. He has become a full timer who travels with films and projector to villages, schools and rural clubs organising film festivals.
Preman remarked, "Cinema is very much there in our breath 바카라 that바카라s the essence of the Phalke Film Society's journey. Cinema holds the power to influence political consciousness." He emphasized that this story should not be seen as one person바카라s passion alone; rather, the growth and success of the Phalke Film Society resulted from the collective efforts and commitment of many individuals.
The Phalke Film Society was officially established on December 3, 1986, in Puthiyoppu, Vadakara. "It was a time when John Abraham's filmmaking had a profound impact on people. Our immediate goal in forming the society was to screen his film 바카라Amma Ariyan바카라. Soon after, we began regular screenings featuring films in various languages and invited international filmmakers to speak," Preman recalled.
The political climate of the time significantly influenced the emergence of film societies. Incidents such as the ban on the play 바카라The Sixth Holy Wound of Jesus Christ바카라 directed by acclaimed playwright and actor P. M. Antony, the ban on the book 바카라Awakening of Man바카라 by Godavari Parulekar, and the burning of 바카라The History of India바카라s Independence Struggle바카라 authored by E. M. S. Namboodiripad sparked intense political debates. These events played a key role in inspiring various civil society groups to organize and mobilize in Kerala.
Kerala holds the distinction of having the highest number of film societies in India. "The state consistently has between 100 to 130 registered film societies," says V. K. Joseph. He explains that while some societies may become inactive over time, new ones continue to emerge, keeping the total count above 100. Joseph also points out that Kerala is home to over 100 film societies that have been active for more than 25 years, which reflects the factors contributing to the remarkable growth and global recognition of Malayalam cinema.
In 1959, the National Federation of Film Societies was established. It was later divided into four regions: northern, eastern, central, and southern. Due to the significant number of film societies in Kerala, a separate fifth region was created specifically for the state. Since the 1960s, Kerala has nurtured a strong film culture, with local film societies organizing screenings in rural places and small towns. The establishment of India's first Chalachithra Academy in Kerala in 1997 was a result of the dedicated efforts of these film societies. The artistic quality of Malayalam cinema is closely tied to the growth of the film society movement in the state.
The film society movement in Kerala began in 1965 with the founding of the Chithralekha Film Society in Thiruvananthapuram by acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, marking it as the state's first. Drawing inspiration from similar initiatives across India, particularly in Bengal, these societies sought to cultivate an appreciation for world cinema and artistic films among movie enthusiasts. The movement gained significant traction in the 1970s and 1980s, reaching its peak between 1975 and 1985 with over 300 film societies in the state registered under the Federation of Film Societies of India.
Unlike the Phalke Film Society, Chithralekha Film Society enjoyed the support of prominent figures, including the then Chief Minister, C. Achutha Menon. The society was inaugurated in July 1965 by Kerala바카라s Governor at the time, Bhagvan Sahay.
According to journalist and author V. K. Cheriyan, C. Achutha Menon directed the public relations department to install a 35-mm projector at the Tagore Centenary Hall in Thiruvananthapuram to facilitate film society screenings. In his book 바카라India바카라s Film Society Movement: Its Journey and Impact바카라, Cheriyan notes that the Chief Minister himself frequently attended these screenings.
Renowned economist and former Delhi University Vice-Chancellor K. N. Raj, who founded the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) in Thiruvananthapuram, was also a prominent member of the Chithralekha Film Society.
Chithralekha holds a distinctive place in cinema history for forming a cooperative dedicated to producing films and promoting film culture across Kerala. In 1970, this cooperative received a one-million-rupee loan from the government. Adoor Gopalakrishnan바카라s debut film 바카라Swayamvaram바카라, which won four National Awards and is regarded as a Malayalam cinema classic, was produced by the Chithralekha Film Cooperative.
바카라 Chitralekha, a pioneer in Kerala's film society movement, stood out due to the support it received from the affluent class. In contrast, numerous film societies in villages and small towns, such as the Phalke Film Society, operate independently by organizing touring cinema packages, screening films in open-air spaces, schools, and colleges.
"The nature and character of film societies in Kerala have evolved over time," says V.K. Joseph. "In the early days, obtaining a film print was challenging, but this has changed significantly. Nowadays, there are many sources for accessing films, and most film societies regularly host small or medium-sized film festivals."
An example of Kerala's vibrant film society culture is the Open Frame Film Society in Payyannur, Kannur district. Founded in 2005, Open Frames managed to purchase its own projector and actively visits schools to screen films. "In our first two years, we held 300 screenings exclusively in schools," says P. Premachandran, a founder and the society's secretary.
The Payyannur-based society organizes film festivals almost every month. "In March, we host a feminist film festival; in June, an environmental film festival; and in August, an anti-war film festival," Premachandran explains. Additionally, in May, Open Frame holds its annual ten-day film festival, while most of the other festivals are one-day events featuring four to five films. He also added that the society receives overwhelming response from schools as they were not able to meet up the demand for screening. Premachandran, a retired higher secondary teacher was also a member of the curriculum committee for the public education in Kerala. 바카라We introduced film education as part of curriculum바카라 he says.
Open Frames is also involved in creating Malayalam subtitles for films. When platforms like M Zone emerged, they collaborated by providing subtitles for them as well. "We have even screened major films like *Reason* by Anand Patwardhan with Malayalam subtitles," said Premachandran. M Zone is an online collective that offers Malayalam subtitles free of charge.
Have Kerala's film societies been affected by the rise of OTT platforms? According to film society activists, the impact has been minimal. "It's true that there has been a decline in the presence of youngsters, but I don't believe this will significantly affect film societies. The kind of films we screen are still not widely available on most OTT platforms. You might find them on platforms like MUBI, but not on other popular services," explained Premachandran from Open Frames.
Preman from the Phalke Film Society disagrees with the notion that young people have lost interest in art house films. "We still see a lot of youngsters attending our screenings," he said.
However, Film society activists widely agree that cinema is meant to be a shared experience, not something to be watched alone. This shared experience is fundamental to its purpose. For this reason, film societies will always remain relevant. Beyond just screening films, they play a crucial role in fostering learning and understanding about the world we live in through the powerful medium of cinema.
