Film archive, 2026

The Paper Flower

காகித மலர்

Director Chezhiyan

1Festival entries

★Avg. rating

Para, an artist working at a book fair, happens to reunite with Radha, a Sri Lankan refugee he met 12 years ago on a book donation drive to rebuild library; he fell in love with her. After their reunion, the two grow closer through books at the fair; with every turn of a page, their love quietly blossoms anew, and the pages of past and present are intertwined. Chezhiyan has a long career as a cinematographer and has authored many works on film and music. Incidentally, the title recalls the 1959 film Paper Flowers by Guru Dutt; while The Paper Flower references the giant of Indian cinema, the story is entirely different.

Stills5

Film details

Director: Chezhiyan
Country/Region: India
Year: 2026
Length: 75min
Original language: Tamil
Elsewhere: Letterboxd IMDb TMDB

Director

Chezhiyan

Born in Sivagangai in 1967, Chezhiyan is an engineering graduate turned filmmaker, writer, cinematographer, and director. He has shot 15 Tamil films and debuted with To Let, which won Best Indian Film at KIFF 2018 and the national award, along with many other international recognitions. He has written more than ten books on cinema and music, and received the Katha Award for his literary prowess. Chezhiyan passed away in July 2026.

From Tokyo International Film Festival 2026, No. 39

Credits

Director: Chezhiyan
Screenplay: Chezhiyan
Cinematography: Chezhiyan
Casting: Chezhiyan
Production design: Chezhiyan
Executive producer: Prema Chezhiyan
Producer: Prema Chezhiyan
Editing: A. Sreekar PRASAD
Sound: Tapas Nayak
Crew: Pitchu Mani, R.P. Raja, Joseph Irudayaraj, Petchiappan, Rajkiran, C. Sethu, K.S. Rajasekaran, T. Siva Subramanian
Cast: Parandhaga Cholan, Janani Shenbaga

Festival appearances1

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The Paper FlowerTokyo International Film Festival 2026, No. 39Asian Future

Festival history1

东京国际电影节, 2026Asian Future, Competitive section

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