Kozhikode, Kerala | August 2026
Associate Professor, filmmaker, author, and Kerala State Award-winning documentary director Binoy Varakil represented India at the Monte Faito Italian International Film Festival, Italy, where his documentary Slaves of the Empire was officially screened from 24 to 26 July 2026.
The screening received an enthusiastic response from both the international audience and the festival jury. The spectators appreciated the documentary’s artistic quality, compelling visual narrative, and its sensitive portrayal of community life. The jury also commended the film for presenting a deeply human story that transcended cultural and linguistic boundaries while highlighting the resilience, identity, and lived experiences of a marginalized community. The screening generated meaningful discussions among filmmakers, cinephiles, and members of the international jury, further affirming the film’s universal appeal.
Slaves of the Empire documents the lives and cultural heritage of the Tamil-speaking dhobi (washermen) community of Fort Kochi, Kerala. By preserving the voices, memories, and everyday struggles of a community often overlooked in mainstream narratives, the documentary stands as an important contribution to Indian documentary cinema. Earlier, the film was honoured with the Kerala State Award for Best Documentary Film (2024), and its successful screening at the Monte Faito Italian International Film Festival marks another significant milestone in its international journey.
During the same visit to Europe, Binoy Varakil travelled across Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece from 23 July to 1 August 2026. The tour provided opportunities to engage with the rich cultural traditions, historical monuments, museums, and artistic heritage of these countries. The experience also facilitated interactions with filmmakers, artists, and people from diverse cultural backgrounds, enriching his perspectives on cinema, literature, and society.
Speaking about the experience, Binoy Varakil remarked that international film festivals create meaningful spaces for dialogue across cultures and reaffirm the power of documentary cinema to tell stories that resonate beyond geographical borders. He expressed his sincere gratitude to the organizers of the Monte Faito Italian International Film Festival, the members of the international jury, fellow filmmakers, volunteers, host families, and audiences for their warm hospitality and appreciation.
The participation in the Monte Faito Italian International Film Festival represents another important chapter in Binoy Varakil’s continuing commitment to socially engaged filmmaking and his efforts to bring stories from marginalized communities to audiences around the world through meaningful and impactful cinema.
The article on Slaves of the Empire was published in ‘Corriere del Mezzogiorno, which is one of the most respected regional newspapers in southern Italy. It is the Campania (Naples) edition of Corriere della Sera, Italy’s most prestigious and widely read national newspaper.
