“The attitude of Malayalam film distributors and exhibitors to accept only other language films, which have commercial value at the box office, should change. Only then the Malayalam cinema will progress," said noted director Adoor Gopalakrishnan.

He was inaugurating the fifth Thrissur International Film Festival at Thrissur on Thursday Sept 2). Even the Government owned theatres do not promote good films. The new comers are facing this reality. Better films made by newcomers should reach theatres. Exhibitors and distributors should not reject these works in favour of commercial interests. Usually exhibitors ask what is a film without stars, songs and stunt scenes. That notion is wrong. Good films play an important artistic role. Good works are the result of fathoming the depth of their inquisition. Those films should be encouraged and there should be the thrust to raise the standard of films to International level. But the campaign for better cinema should not end with festivals, he added.

Actor Innocent, who was the special guest of the function said, “It is pathetic to find that the viewers are moving to a different direction of entertainment that it would be a tiresome task to lead them back to good films." The Japanese Wife, directed by Aparna Sen, was the inaugural film. Firaque, Charulatha, 13 Meter Square, The Investigator and Kagaz Ke Phool were also screened.

Mayor R. Bindu presided over the function. District Panchayat President Ambadi Venu released the festival book by handing it over to script writer Premlal. K.L. Jose introduced the festival programme. MLAs Therambil Ramakrishnan, Babu M. Palisseri, V.S. Sunil Kumar, K.V. Abdul Khader, director Sathyan Anthikad, actor V.K. Sreeraman, U. Radhakrishnan, K.M. Madhusoodhanan, Deputy Mayor M. Vijayan and I.P. Paul spoke at the event.