World cinema, new Malayalam narratives stir audiences at Happiness Film Festival

Key Highlights

• At Classic and Crown Theatres, international selections including The Love That Remains, If on a Winter’s Night, Papa Buka, Palestine 36, ShadowBox, The Banquet of Primal Love, Theater, and The Chronology of Water were screened.
• On Monday (February 23, 2026), the line-up includes Samastha Loka, Residual, Other People’s Skies, Sentimental Value, Sirat, Once Upon a Time in Gaza, A Poet, and Thanthapperu.
• Ebb, which earlier garnered attention at the International Film Festival of Kerala, received notable appreciation from festival viewers.
• The film explores themes of male hypocrisy, monogamy, polygamy and possessiveness in contemporary relationships.
• It follows a young man who advocates open relationships but struggles emotionally when confronted with his partner’s intimacy with another friend.