Private Project

PIXELIA

Kumar, a bachelor in his thirties leaves his corporate job in Kochi to become a graphic novelist. He embarks on a new life as an Uber driver in Kochi while working on his graphic novel titled ‘Pixelia’. One day a transgender named Mandakini gets into his cab and that day changes Kumar’s life forever. Kumar and Mandakini spend the whole day where they open each other’s minds. Mandakini shares her past life and her desire to adopt a child while Kumar narrates the story of his graphic novel to her. Gradually a bonding ensues between Kumar and Mandakini making Kumar realise about his queer identity. As they start a relationship, Kumar gets into deeper conflicts regarding adopting a child, as adoption by queer parents is realistically difficult in a country like India. Pixelia, a movie with a stylistic blend of documentary and magical realism talks about the fragmentation in our daily lives.

  • Ratheesh Ravindran
    Director
  • Ratheesh Ravindran
    Writer
  • Sharmila Nair
    Producer
  • Ranjit Karunakaran
    Producer
  • Sanal Aman
    Key Cast
    "Kumar"
  • Gowri Savithri
    Key Cast
    "Mandakini"
  • Vijay Menon
    Key Cast
    "Mr.J"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Queer Drama, Queer Fantasy
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 10 minutes 48 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 3, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Malayalam
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF)
    Kolkata
    India
    November 14, 2018
    Indian Premiere
    Official Selection to the Indian Competition
Director Biography - Ratheesh Ravindran

Ratheesh Ravindran is from Kerala. After finishing a degree in Physics, Ratheesh went on to do a Post-Graduation in Cinema from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) Kolkata, graduating in the year 2006. He started his career as a cinematographer working in the Mainstream and Independent feature films, Tele-films, Documentaries, Short films, Corporate films and Installation videos. Some of the films that he has done cinematography for have been to major International Film Festivals. He has directed one short fiction called 'The Aquarium'. 'The Aquarium' was selected at the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) in the year 2015. 'PIXELIA' is his first feature film as a director.

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Director Statement

PIXELIA is a movie about ‘Fragmentation’. Fragmentation in our gendered spaces, daily lives, and times we inhabit. Our space-time in the real world and the virtual world we have created with the aid of technology-internet. How we carry multiple identities and nurture them? This sheer nurturing creates an alter-ego in all of us and how this conflicts within us in our search for our true selves. How we merge ourselves with our multiple identities? One person becomes many stories or rather many interpretations. The film is also about storytelling. How we create and reside in our own stories which we make for our own conveniences. Thus helping us to balance our existence in our fragmented world.

PIXELIA is an independent film made with the support from 'Filmocracy Foundation', an organisation that supports and promotes indie filmmaking in Kerala. Pixelia was made on a shoestring budget with a small crew and shot on Sony A7Sii camera. DocArt Productions and RK Entertainments joined hands to raise the funds for finishing this movie that falls under 'Queer Drama', a kind of a genre seldom touched in India.