Malayalam cinema has scripted a rare and remarkable global moment with Bramayugam, the critically acclaimed folk-horror film starring Mammootty, earning a prestigious screening at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Scheduled for February, the event marks Bramayugam’s formal entry into what is often described as the “Oscar Academy Space,” an arena reserved for culturally significant works from world cinema.

Directed by Rahul Sadasivan, Bramayugam is being showcased as part of the Academy Museum’s curated global folklore and folk-horror series. This makes it the only Indian film selected for the programme, placing Malayalam cinema alongside celebrated international works that explore myth, memory, and fear through deeply rooted cultural narratives.

Shot largely in stark black and white, Bramayugam draws from Kerala’s oral traditions and folklore, weaving a chilling tale that is as atmospheric as it is philosophical. Mammootty’s towering central performance has been widely praised for its restraint and menace, reaffirming his status as one of India’s most formidable actors, even after decades in the industry.

The Los Angeles screening is historic on multiple counts. It is reportedly the first Mammootty-starrer to be screened at the Academy Museum, marking a rare instance of a regional Indian film being acknowledged in a global curatorial context, rather than solely through commercial distribution. Film scholars and international audiences attending the screening will engage with Bramayugam not merely as entertainment, but as a cultural artefact representing India’s rich storytelling traditions.

More than a celebratory milestone, Bramayugam’s presence at the Academy Museum signals a growing global curiosity about Indian regional cinema beyond Bollywood. It underscores how rooted, local stories—when told with cinematic confidence—can travel across languages and continents. For Malayalam cinema, this moment is both validation and promise: proof that its darkest myths can shine on the world’s brightest cinematic stages.