Jama

Pari Elavazhagan's 2024 Tamil film follows Kalyanam, a young performer in a folk theatre tradition, trying to keep alive the troupe he inherited from his father. Rival troupes and the indifference of audiences make it harder. The film does not use the art as decoration; the narrative gives the preparation of the performances in detail and puts the artist's struggle to make a living at the centre. The director also takes the lead and comes from this tradition. The images were taken during night performances. The tone is heavy. Who it's for: viewers of Tamil independent cinema and narratives about folk arts. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a fast narrative; the film stays a long time in the performances.