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1956, Central Travancore (Malayalam: 1956) is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film written, directed and edited by Don Palathara and produced by Abhilash S. Kumar under Artbeat studios. The film stars Assif Yogi, Jain Andrews, Krishnan Balakrishnan and Kani Kusruti in lead roles. It features a musical score by Basil CJ. Cinematography was handled by Alex Joseph. The film was completely made in black and white format.

The film is Palathara's third feature-length movie, after Savam and Vith. The film was originally titled Kattupothu (Wild Buffalo). The film is shot in black and white, like most of Palathara's films. The film made its international premier at the Busan International Film Festival, in 2019. Then at the 42nd Moscow International Film Festival, on 5 October 2020.The film made its Indian premiere at the 25th International Film Festival of Kerala. It won the 2020 John Abraham Award for Best Malayalam Film.

Plot

Set in 1956, the film takes place against the backdrop of the early migration to Idukki, before Kerala's land reforms take place. The film is set in the high ranges of Central Travancore, a vast landscape then largely uninhabited by humans. The main protagonists of the story are two brothers, Kora and Onan, from Kottayam, Kerala. They set out with a group of men to hunt gaur. The film portrays their journey.

Cast

• Assif Yogi as Kora
• Jain Andrews as Onan
• Krishnan Balakrishnan as Karadikkela
• Kani Kusruti as Kela's wife
• Shaun Romy as Apparition
• Balu Sreedhar as Babu
• Kenshin (credited as Aamir) as Thommi
• Muraleedharan Raveendran as Devassya
• Pradeep Kumar as Thoma
• Reju Pillai as Vijayan
• Sameen Salim as Sojan
• Kurian George as Outhakkutty
• Joseph Chilamban as Avira
• Sherin Catherine as Performer
• Jicky Paul as Performer
• Jojo George as Doctor
• Byju Netto as Police sub inspector

Participation in film festivals

In 2019, the film launched at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, and was also shown at the Film Bazaar Viewing Room Recommendations section, at the International Film Festival of India, held in Goa. 1956, Central Travancore also premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival in October 2020, in the non-competitive section. It is one of two Malayalam language films to be screened at the festival, the other being Biryaani, directed by Sajin Babu. The festival was postponed from April in the same year due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic travel restrictions, the cast and crew will not be present at the festival, but there will a virtual interaction with the director after the screening. In an introduction to the film, Kirill Razlagov, the programming director of the festival, remarks that the film is evocative of the "deep-rooted spiritual connections between India and Russia."

Home media

The film was released on streaming platform MUBI. In 2023 December, the full length film was released in Bhavana Studio's YouTube channel.

References

1. ^ "Don Palathara's two upcoming films selected for 25th IFFK". The New Indian Express. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
2. ^ "Character depth is rare in Indian festival films: Don Palathara". The New Indian Express. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
3. Staff Reporter (5 November 2019). "Don Palathara's period movie selected for Film Bazaar". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
4. Narayanan, Nijeesh (22 February 2024). "Flash Black & Futuristic White". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
5. "Don Palathara's period film 1956, Central Travancore to premiere at Moscow International Film Festival - Times of India". The Times of India. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
6. Praveen, S. r (28 August 2020). "Malayalam film chosen for Moscow film fete". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
7. Ramachandran, Naman (6 October 2019). "India's Artbeat Studios Launches at Busan With 'Travancore' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
8. "IFFK 2021: Don Palathara's 1956, Central Travancore is a revisionist adventure". The New Indian Express. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
9. "FFSI's John Abraham awards announced". The Hindu. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
10. "1956, Central Travancore heads to Goa". The New Indian Express. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
11. "'1956, Central Travancore', Malayalam film on early migrants to Idukki, heads to MIFF". The Week. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
12. Full Movie. Bhavana Studio – via YouTube.

• 2019 films
• 2019 drama films
• 2010s historical drama films
• Indian historical drama films
• Films shot in Idukki
• Films shot in Kottayam
• Films shot in Pathanamthitta
• 2010s Malayalam-language films
• Films set in 1956