New Delhi | KVN Productions and Thespian Films' film "Balan: The Boy", directed by Chidambaram, is set to have a market screening in the Marche du Film segment at the Cannes Film Festival.
The event is set to take place between May 12 and May 23. The film will be screened on May 14, according to a press release. "Balan: The Boy" is written by Jithu Madhavan and revolves around a journey that explores themes of identity, survival and the enduring bond between a mother and her child.
"'Balan The Boy' is a film about what we carry without knowing… the weight of where we come from, and the hunger to find where we belong. I made this film for the person who has felt both of those things deeply and never found the words for them. Cannes has always been a home for cinema that trusts its audience with exactly that kind of truth, and 'Balan: The Boy' trusts its audience completely. To feel before they understand. And to carry something home long after it is over," Chidambaram said in a statement.
Venkat K Narayana of KVN Productions added, "'Balan: The Boy' is not just a film, it is a statement. The kind that reminds you exactly why you got into this industry in the first place. Malayalam cinema is making work the world cannot afford to ignore, and we are at Cannes because we believe, with everything we have, that Balan The Boy belongs at the centre of that conversation."
Shailaja Desai Fenn of Thespian Films said its a "matter of immense pride" to have the film screened at Cannes. "Cannes holds a very personal place in my heart. When I visited in 2022, I made a quiet promise to myself, that the next time I come here, it will be with a film. Standing here today with 'Balan: The Boy', I can tell you that some promises are worth every sleepless night it takes to keep them.
"It is a matter of immense pride for all of us at KVN Productions and Thespian Films to be here at the Marche du Film with a story we deeply believe in. I am grateful to our incredibly talented director, Chidambaram, for making this vision a reality. 'Balan" The Boy is a universal story that will move audiences across all ages, everywhere in the world. And that, for me, is the most beautiful thing a film can be," she said.