Key facts
- IFFK began in 1996 in Kozhikode and is organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy for the state’s Department of Cultural Affairs, according to Wikipedia.
- The 25th IFFK was held in four legs from 10 February to 5 March 2021, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Palakkad and Thalassery.
- The Academy held a Regional International Film Festival of Kerala in Kochi in 2022, Wikipedia records.
- The 28th IFFK (8–15 December 2023) gave its Suvarna Chakoram to Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘Evil Does Not Exist’.
- The 30th IFFK ran from 12 to 19 December 2025, and its top award went to ‘Two Seasons, Two Strangers’ by Sho Miyake.
A festival with a Kochi following
IFFK started in 1996 in Kozhikode and settled in Thiruvananthapuram, where it now fills the city’s cinemas for eight days each December. It is run by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, which was set up on 17 August 1998 and is based at the KINFRA Film and Video Park, Kazhakuttom. Its top competition prize is the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant). Students and young working men from Kochi travel down every year, and our practical IFFK guide covers passes, trains and budgets.
This page is the history: what happened in each recent edition, and the two occasions when the festival came closer to Kochi.
Recent editions at a glance
| Edition | Dates | Suvarna Chakoram (best film) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24th | 6–13 Dec 2019 | They Say Nothing Stays the Same (Japan), dir. Joe Odagiri | Wikipedia |
| 25th | 10 Feb – 5 Mar 2021, four cities incl. Kochi | This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection (Lesotho) | Wikipedia |
| 26th | 18–25 Mar 2022 | Clara Sola (Costa Rica) | Wikipedia |
| Regional IFFK | 2022, Kochi | — | Wikipedia |
| 27th | 9–16 Dec 2022 | Utama (Bolivia), dir. Alejandro Loayza Grisi | Wikipedia |
| 28th | 8–15 Dec 2023 | Evil Does Not Exist (Japan), dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi | Wikipedia |
| 29th | December 2024 | Malu (Brazil) | Wikipedia |
| 30th | 12–19 Dec 2025 | Two Seasons, Two Strangers (Japan), dir. Sho Miyake | Wikipedia |
2018 and 2019: floods and a return to normal
The 2018 edition was first cancelled because of the August 2018 floods, according to Wikipedia, and was later held on a limited scale. The 24th IFFK in December 2019 (6–13 December) was the last before the pandemic. It opened with the Turkish film “Passed by Censor”, and its Suvarna Chakoram went to the Japanese film “They Say Nothing Stays the Same”, directed by Joe Odagiri.
2021: the four-city edition with a Kochi leg
There was no December 2020 festival. The 25th IFFK was instead held in four legs from 10 February to 5 March 2021, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Palakkad and Thalassery, unlike earlier editions, which were held in one city, as Wikipedia notes. That year was the pandemic period we describe in our Covid-19 archive. For Kochi viewers it meant IFFK screenings in their own city. We could not confirm the exact dates of the Kochi leg from the sources we opened.
The 26th IFFK followed soon after, on 18–25 March 2022, back in Thiruvananthapuram. The Academy also organised a Regional International Film Festival of Kerala in Kochi in 2022, according to Wikipedia, which gives no dates for it.
2022 to 2025: back in December
The festival returned to its December slot with the 27th IFFK (9–16 December 2022). That year Deepika Suseelan took over as artistic director from Bina Paul, and the Hungarian director Béla Tarr received the lifetime achievement award. The 28th IFFK (8–15 December 2023) honoured Krzysztof Zanussi, and its top prize, announced at the closing on 15 December 2023, went to Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Evil Does Not Exist”.
The 29th IFFK in December 2024 chose “Swapnaayanam”, directed by K. O. Akhil, as its signature film; Wikipedia lists the Brazilian film “Malu” as the Suvarna Chakoram winner. The 30th IFFK ran from 12 to 19 December 2025, honoured Abderrahmane Sissako with the lifetime achievement award and gave its top prize to Sho Miyake’s “Two Seasons, Two Strangers”.
Wikipedia’s IFFK article is inconsistent about some edition numbers and years, for example labelling the March 2022 edition as “IFFK 2021”. The dates above follow its edition-by-edition text.
What Kochi viewers can take from this
- The festival can move. It went regional once and Kochi got a regional edition in 2022. Watch the Academy’s announcements for a repeat.
- December is now firm again. Since 2022 every edition has been held in the first half of December.
- Trains fill fast. Book early; our train booking tips apply here too.
A film week from a Kochi base
Most Kochi film fans keep their room while they spend a week in Thiruvananthapuram. A monthly bed at Ashraf Gents Hostel on NAD Road, close to Aluva station, makes that easy; ask on the call about leaving things in the room while you are away. More local history is in the Kalamassery history archive.
Frequently asked questions
Has IFFK ever been held in Kochi?
Yes. The 25th IFFK in February–March 2021 was split across four cities, including Kochi, and the Chalachitra Academy held a Regional IFFK in Kochi in 2022.
When was the 30th IFFK?
From 12 to 19 December 2025 in Thiruvananthapuram. Its Suvarna Chakoram went to ‘Two Seasons, Two Strangers’ by Sho Miyake.
Who runs IFFK?
The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. The festival began in 1996 in Kozhikode.
Why were there two IFFKs in early 2021 and 2022?
The pandemic pushed the 25th edition to February–March 2021 and the 26th to March 2022. The festival returned to December with the 27th edition in 2022.
What was the 2023 winner?
‘Evil Does Not Exist’ by Ryusuke Hamaguchi won the Suvarna Chakoram at the 28th IFFK, held 8–15 December 2023.
Related guides
Sources
- Wikipedia: International Film Festival of Kerala
- Wikipedia: Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
- Wikipedia: Evil Does Not Exist (accolades)
Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed . How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.
Cite this guide: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “IFFK through the Years: Recent Editions and the Kochi Connection.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/iffk-past-editions-archive/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.