The connection between Kerala and Jean-Luc Godard is one of ideological kinship. The state’s deep-rooted love for the French New Wave filmmaker stems from its unique socio-political landscape. It has long embraced radical thought, leftist politics, and engagement with cinema as a means of resistance. Godard, a pioneer of the French New Wave, revolutionised cinema with his fragmented narratives, jump cuts, and politically charged themes — qualities that resonated deeply with a Malayali audience.
The state has a long history of leftist movements, with the Communist Party of India being a dominant force. From the first democratically elected communist government in 1957 to its progressive policies on education, healthcare, and land reform, Kerala has championed socialist ideals. This ideological leaning fostered an affinity for art that challenged capitalist structures, imperialism, and the bourgeois status quo — all themes central to Godard's work.
The state’s strong film society movement, which began in the 1960s, played a crucial role in shaping Kerala’s cinephilia. These film societies, emerging as a counterpoint to commercial cinema, introduced audiences to world cinema, particularly the works of European auteurs like Godard, Fellini, Kurosawa, and Bergman. Young cinephiles in Kerala, eager for films that went beyond entertainment, found in Godard an artist who mirrored their own desire for artistic rebellion.
Malayalam cinema of the 1970s and 80s witnessed a new wave of politically charged films that bore the hallmarks of Godard’s experimental techniques. Filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G. Aravindan, and John Abraham incorporated elements of realism, non-linear storytelling, and social critique into their works, much like Godard did in Breathless and Weekend. Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Kerala’s most celebrated auteur, acknowledged Godard’s impact on his approach. His emphasis on form as a political statement echoed Godard’s dictum that “the problem is not to make political films, but to make films politically.”
John Abraham, an independent filmmaker, shared Godard’s embrace of a raw, unpolished aesthetic in films like Amma Ariyan, which was produced through a collective funding model. Don Palathara, a contemporary filmmaker, named his film, Everything is Cinema, after Richard Brody’s book on Godard. His work employs jump cuts, fragmented narratives, and self-reflexivity, all reminiscent of Godard’s disruptive style.
Godard’s engagement with political movements — from his critique of American imperialism in Pierrot Le Fou to his support for the Vietnam War protests in Masculin Féminin — found a ready audience in Kerala. Godard’s association with the May 1968 protests in France, where he actively participated in demonstrations against capitalism and state repression, mirrored the political climate in Kerala, where student movements, workers’ strikes, and anti-imperialist sentiment were (and still are) a significant part of public life.
Kerala’s admiration for Godard reached new heights at the International Film Festival of Kerala. In 2021, the festival gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award. His virtual acceptance speech — delivered with a cigar in hand — was met with applause. He quipped, “Okay, I will speak with the tongue of the dominators, I will speak in English.” The same man had refused an honorary Oscar years earlier but had gladly accepted the recognition from IFFK.
The news of Godard’s death in 2022 sent ripples across Kerala, leading to an outpouring of tributes. His legacy had long since transcended the confines of film societies to become an intrinsic part of Kerala’s cultural consciousness. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan paid homage to him. While Godard may be gone, his legacy continues to live on in Kerala, where film is an act of defiance, a mirror to society, and, above all, a space for revolution.
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