The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) will begin on December 12 in Kerala’s capital. The opening film is Palestine 36, a historical drama by Annemarie Jacir. Set during the 1930s Palestinian uprising, it shows Yusuf’s life between his rural home and Jerusalem’s tense streets. The film won Best Film at the Tokyo International Film Festival and was Palestine’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Jacir’s earlier film, Wajib, which won the Golden Crow Pheasant at IFFK 2017, will also be screened. The festival will honor filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Born in Mauritania and raised in Mali, Sissako’s films focus on globalisation, exile, and life in Africa. His notable works include Life on Earth, Waiting for Happiness, Bamako, Timbuktu, and Black Tea. Timbuktu was nominated for an Academy Award. Sissako’s five films will be shown at the festival. The award, started in 2009, recognizes filmmakers with major contributions to cinema. Past winners include Mrinal Sen and Jean-Luc Godard. Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof will be the Jury Chairperson for the International Competition. Rasoulof won eight Cannes awards from four films and faces government censorship in Iran. Forced to live in exile in Germany, none of his films have been released in Iran. He was once arrested during filming and sentenced to six years in prison. The festival promises remarkable films and honors shining stars in global cinema.