Kochi: The Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL) has unveiled a new visual identity for its eighth edition, marking the countdown to MBIFL ’27, which will be held from January 28 to 31, 2027, at Kanakakkunnu Palace in Thiruvananthapuram.

The new identity was unveiled across Kerala through a front-page French window advertisement in Mathrubhumi editions. At its centre is a reimagined, expandable ‘Ka’, inspired by the Malayalam letter. Designed as an open and adaptable form, it can expand across formats, ideas and expressions, reflecting the festival’s growing scale and range.

The new visual combines bold geometric elements with softer edges. Its open centre represents space for diverse voices, perspectives and possibilities, while its flexible structure creates a visual system that can evolve with the festival and the changing world around it.

The identity reflects MBIFL’s broader approach to literature and culture, where conversations extend across disciplines and beyond books.

500+ writers, thinkers and artists 

MBIFL ’27 will bring together more than 500 writers, thinkers and artists from India and around the world. The four-day festival will feature film screenings, performances, design conversations and discussions spanning politics, media, innovation and contemporary issues.

Over the years, MBIFL has grown into a meeting ground for writers, artists, intellectuals and audiences from diverse backgrounds, creating space for dialogue, reflection, discovery and exchange.

‘Literature as a starting point for larger conversations’

Festival Chairman M V Shreyams Kumar said the festival has always sought to make literature a starting point for wider conversations about society, culture and the world.

“The new identity, inspired by the Malayalam letter ‘Ka’, takes us back to the very roots of language while opening a world of possibilities,” he said, adding that MBIFL remains committed to bringing together voices from different cultures, disciplines and perspectives.

‘More than a celebration of books’

Festival Director Mayura Shreyams Kumar said a literary festival should be more than a celebration of books and should create space for ideas, encounters and conversations.

She said the eighth edition will bring together voices and disciplines to offer audiences new perspectives on issues shaping the times, with the new visual identity signalling a renewed sense of energy and possibility.

Open, evolving and curious

Festival Director Devika Shreyams Kumar said MBIFL aims to bring different worlds, ideas and people into the same space and see where the conversations lead.

She said the festival’s discussions are not limited to a single subject and can span literature, cinema, design, politics, science, food, technology and culture.

According to her, the new identity reflects the festival’s spirit- open, evolving and curious about what comes next- while capturing MBIFL’s emphasis on discovery and conversations across boundaries.

MBIFL ’27 will open its eighth edition at Kanakakkunnu Palace from January 28 to 31, 2027, bringing together a wide range of voices and ideas from India and across the world.