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A restored 4K version of the acclaimed Malayalam film Amma Ariyan was screened to a packed audience at the 2026 edition of the Cannes Film Festival on May 17, marking another major international recognition for Indian cinema restoration efforts.

Directed by late filmmaker John Abraham, the 1986 film received a standing ovation nearly four decades after its release. The screening was attended by lead actor Joy Mathew, editor Bina Paul and representatives of the Film Heritage Foundation, which led the restoration project.

The restored film was introduced at Cannes by festival director Thierry Frémaux along with Film Heritage Foundation director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. According to the foundation, the screening drew a full house and marked its fifth consecutive year presenting restored South Asian cinema at Cannes.

Considered one of the landmark works of alternative Indian cinema, Amma Ariyan is set against the political unrest of 1970s Kerala. The story follows a young man travelling to inform a mother about her son’s death, with the journey gradually turning into a wider reflection on politics, memory and resistance.

The film blended documentary-style realism with fictional storytelling and was notable for rejecting conventional commercial filmmaking methods. Despite later gaining cult status, the film never received a proper commercial release during its time.

John Abraham, widely regarded as one of the most uncompromising voices in Indian cinema, directed only four films before his death in 1987 at the age of 49. Amma Ariyan was his final work. The British Film Institute had earlier included the film in its list of the ten greatest Indian films of all time.

The Cannes screening also highlighted the growing international interest in restored Indian classics. Over the past few years, Film Heritage Foundation has brought restored versions of films such as Thamp, Ishanou, Manthan, Aranyer Din Ratri and Gehenu Lamai to Cannes premieres.