Nearly 190 films, with focus on Central Asian and Black American filmmakers, will be screened at 10 screening houses in Thiruvananthapuram in the annual 15th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) from December 10 and 17.
Registration open
The delegate registration is open on > www.iffk.in with November 30 being the last date.
At a press conference here on Sunday, Chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (KSCA) and Festival Director of 15th IFFK K. R. Mohanan said renowned German filmmaker Werner Herzog would be bestowed with the lifetime achievement award.
Vice-Chairman of the KSCA V. K. Joseph and other officer-bearers were present at the press briefing.
A committee, headed by renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan chose Mr. Herzog, who would be present to receive the award at the inaugural function of the IFFK at the Nishagandhi auditorium. The award, instituted last year, carries prize money of $10,000 and a trophy designed by C. N. Karunakaran.
Mr. Mohanan said 14 films from Asia, Africa and Latin America would be there in the competition section.
More prize money
The KSCA general council had increased the prize money in each category.
The Suvarna Chakoram would carry prize money of Rs.15 lakh. It would be shared by the director and producer of the best film.
The Rajata Chakoram and a cash prize of Rs. 4 lakh would be given to the best director.
The Rajata Chakoram and a cash prize of Rs.3 lakh would be given to the best debut filmmaker.
In addition, the Rajata Chakoram and a cash prize of Rs.2 lakh would be given as “Audience Prize.”
Boost to Malayalam cinema
In its bid to promote Malayalam cinema, all Malayalam films selected for the IFFK would be given a cash grant of Rs.1 lakh each, which would be to be shared by the director and producer. The Academy would make a new English subtitled print of each of the films, which would be sent to other festivals, used for non-commercial screenings and preserved in the Academy archives.
Eight films have been selected in the Malayalam Cinema section.
A Retrospective of the well known German director Rainer Fassbinder would be conducted. His wife and editor would attend the festival. T. V. Chandran would be the Malayalam filmmaker in focus.
Mr. Mohanan said that approximately 50 films would be screened from all over the world in the World Cinema Section. Apichatpong, Oliver Assayas and Maria Novara from Mexico would be the film makers in focus.
As part of the centenary celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore, a seminar on “Explorations of the Epic and the Cinematographic Form: Flowing Traditions,” would be conducted. Kumar Shahani's “Char Adhyaya” would be screened in conjunction. An Arvindan Memorial lecture would be held on “the Journey of Bringing Asian Cinema to Centre State.”
Over 8,000 delegates and eminent filmmakers were expected for the event.
