The 21st edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala, to be held from December 9 to 16, will be hosted at 14 venues around the city with a total capacity to accommodate close to 9,000 delegates.
All the screens have been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including 2K projectors and Surround sound systems.
In theatres where 2K projectors were not previously set up, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy has temporarily installed them for IFFK.
12,000 delegates
Although the total capacity falls short of the 12,000 registered delegates, the organisers are hoping that no issue will arise due to this, as it is unlikely that all delegates will attend the screenings simultaneously, an academy official told The Hindu .
However, as the first few days of the festival coincide with public holidays, it is expected that the venues will see a rush on those days, he added.
Main venues
The main venues include the Nishagandhi Auditorium on the Kanakakunnu Palace premises, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival will be held, Tagore Theatre, and the Kerala State Film Development Corporation-owned Kairali, Sree and Nila.
Apart from this, screenings will also be held at Kalabhavan, Dhanya, Remya, New, Ajanta and Sree Padmanabha. Exclusive screenings for the jury and media will be held at a mini-screen at Aries Plex SL Cinemas.
While Nishagandhi Auditorium and Tagore Theatre can accommodate up to 3,000 and 900 persons respectively, the other venues have seating capacities ranging between 200 and 850.
Film festival complex
Following long-standing demands for a permanent venue to host the film festival, a move has been made to set up a film festival complex at Chitranjali Studio, Thiruvallam.
Application for a fund of Rs.50 crore has been made to the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for construction of the complex, according to the official.
While it is sensible to have a single venue for the festival, it is also a fact that several venues across the city generates additional income for autorickshaw drivers and small restaurants, said J. Devika of the Centre for Development Studies.
