When Yamalokam, a low-budget Malayalam indie film made by people who do not speak the language, found a slot at the Cannes Film Market this year, it surprised even its creators. “We only sent it to a few festivals, casually,” says the lead actor and co-producer Priyanshi Mane. “Then suddenly we got the news that it was going to be screened at Cannes. Everything happened so quickly, we barely had ten days to prepare.”
Directed by debutant Hardeep Singh, who has also co-produced the film with Priyanshi, Yamalokam is a slow-burn thriller set in a fictional village in Kerala. Minimal in dialogue and rich in atmosphere, it leans heavily on mood, visuals, and a striking premise. “It’s a dark love story,” says Hardeep. “Not romantic in the conventional sense, but a thriller with undertones of mythology.” The Malayalam title translates to "land of the dead" and its English title Behind the Moon hints at the film’s surreal themes. “There’s an old belief that something lies hidden behind the moon. The film plays with ideas like that,” Hardeep adds. While not overtly supernatural, the narrative leaves space for viewers to interpret what is real and what is not. “Like reading a book,” says Priyanshi, “We have left enough room for the audience to bring their own thoughts to it.” The project began as a short but grew into a two-hour feature as Hardeep kept writing. With no formal training or industry connections, the duo self-funded the film.
“We knocked on a lot of doors,” he recalls, “But no one was willing to take a risk on first-timers without a big cast. So we just pooled in what we had.” Hardeep, a Punjabi who grew up in Nagaland and later studied engineering in Gujarat, describes himself as an entirely self-taught person in filmmaking. “I was doing well running a management company, but always felt creatively unsatisfied. I had been quietly learning, writing, and absorbing for years.” Priyanshi, who hails from Nagpur and has trained in theatre, was looking for a lead role that would challenge her. “This character really spoke to me. We realised we could make this film ourselves, and that is how it started.”
But why Malayalam? “We considered different languages, but Malayalam cinema is very content-driven,” Hardeep explains. “Even without stars or a huge budget, strong stories are respected here. Plus, the script did not demand heavy dialogue. It is more visual, and that helped.” Though he does not speak the language, a team of fluent translators helped bridge the gap during filming. “We had five or six dialogue supervisors on set. Every line was cross-checked.” Priyanshi agrees that the language was tough but manageable. “Coming from theatre, I have learnt that if you understand the emotion, the language follows. And the lines were minimal.”
Shot in remote areas of Thrissur, Idukki, and rural Maharashtra, Yamalokam steers clear of familiar visual clichés. “It’s set in a fictional village,” says Hardeep. “We chose locations that matched the mood we wanted, rather than the typical imagery people associate with Kerala.” While the cast largely comprises fresh faces, Malayalam actor Jolly Chirayath plays a key role. “She is an amazing actor and a wonderful human being,” says Priyanshi. “Even though I did not have many scenes with her, she guided me whenever I was stuck.”
At the Cannes Market, the film found interest from festival programmers and distributors alike. “We launched the film at the Bharat Pavilion,” Hardeep says. “It was a warm, open environment. We connected with people from across the world.” The road ahead looks promising. The team is in talks with Indian distributors and hopes to release the film in India later this year. “But first, we want to explore more festivals,” says Hardeep. “We have already received an invitation from a film festival in Norway.” Despite odds favouring them, the team remains grounded. “We are grateful for the response so far,” Priyanshi says. “It is still sinking in that our very first feature made it to Cannes. We just wanted to tell a good story, and now it has found its own path.”