The annual edition of the SiGNS short and documentary film festival organised by the Kerala chapter of the Federation of Film Societies of India will be held at Ernakulam Town Hall between September 26 and 30.
About 110 films in various languages and from within India and abroad will be screened at the festival, under competition and focus in fiction and documentary categories and under different packages. The film for the prestigious John Abraham award will be selected at the festival, which will be opened by noted auteur Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
The forthcoming edition, the 11th of the festival, is held in collaboration with Ernakulam Press Club and Chavara Cultural Centre. Kochi Biennale Foundation, which supported the last edition of the festival, is not on board this time around. Besides the competition and focus sections, there will be an International Window comprising contemporary overseas films, a Country Focus section covering films from Turkey and Croatia, Legends of Indian Cinema screening classics and a Resistance package featuring films offering a counter narrative.
Those that will be adjudged the best short feature film, documentary, the best among resistance films and experimental film will receive a cash prize of ₹50,000 each and a sculpture designed by artist C.N. Karunakaran.
These apart, the best feature and the best documentary from Malayalam will each receive ₹10,000 plus a citation.
The festival will witness a John Abraham memorial lecture, K.R. Mohanan remembrance meet and open forums featuring directors. In the run-up to the fest, Kerala State Chalachithra Academy’s touring talkies will travel to various college campuses in Ernakulam to create awareness about it. Entry to the fest is free of cost.
