Noted independent Malayalam filmmaker Don Palathara's latest film Family, which got a theatrical release at the beginning of the year, will be available to stream on Manorama Max from Dec. 6.
With Vinay Forrt, Divya Prabha, Abhija Sivakala, Mathew Thomas, and Nilja K Baby in key roles, Family paints, through its incredibly layered and thought-provoking storytelling, a portrait of a Christian family and the impact of an "all-seeing" Church on its members, and a young man's attempts to conceal his disturbing transgressions under the mask of philanthropy and his perceived standing in his community.
In a 2021 interview with THE WEEK, Palathara said: “I come from a highly religious community and family. The church has had a major influence on our family. There are many priests and nuns in my family. From nursery to high school, I studied in Catholic institutions. So, this power relationship with the church was always there. Before the age of 10, I had even wished to become a Catholic priest.”
In a review, THE WEEK had praised Family for its top-notch dialogues and a “less is more” screenwriting approach. "This is particularly evident in the way they touch on certain sensitive topics like inter-religious romantic relationships, that are discussed in contemporary Kerala, with at most subtlety. The script also is backed by good research on the various rituals of Syrian Christians as well as the complex power hierarchies within the Syrian Christian families with priests and nuns," the review said.
READ HERE | 'Family' review: Palathara's most critical take on the culture of 'cover up'
Before its theatrical release, Family, penned by Don Palathara and Sherin Catherine, had its world premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival and the Indian premiere at the Bangalore International Film Festival.
Palathara broke into the Malayalam indie cinema space with his debut feature Shavam, in 2015. Known for his distinct storytelling style and photographic choices, Palathara is one of those rare filmmakers who deserves praise for not repeating himself in every subsequent film. For instance, in Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam, Palathara opted for a single-take, static camera approach from start to end.
