Friday, December 11, 2009

Elegant start to 14th edition of IFFK 2009

The 14th edition of international film festival of kerala started elegantly with the renowned auteur Mrinal Sen inaugurating the festival by lighting the traditional lamp along with M.A.Baby, Minister for Cultural Affairs , Kerala, , Sharmila Tagore Actor of yester years and Chairperson Censor Board , actor Madhu , Jerome Bonnafont , French Ambassador to India , Binoy Viswam , Minister for Forest , Kerala, Sasi Tharoor , Minister of State for Foreign Affairs at Nisagandhi Auditorium here .Actor Navya Nair assisted the dignitaries to light the 14 lamps representing 14th edition. 164 films from around the world are showcased in the week-long festival .Minister M A Baby presented Mrinal Sen with the Lifetime Achievement Award, instituted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy .This is the first award conferred to Mrinalda . Oscar winning sound engineer Resul Pookutty was also honoured at the inaugural function. ''A step into the darkness'' by Turkish director Atil Inac was the opening film.
International Jury consists of Bahman Ghobadi (Chairperson), Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda, Mamta Shanker, Prassana Vithanarge and Hala Khalil. The NETPAC Jury has Renhua Na, Fatemeh Motamedarya and Cheran. FIPRESCI Jury has Daniela Bisogni and H N Narahari Rao. Hassan Kutty Award,constituted by MeeraNair , comprises Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Mohan Agashe and Anjali Menon.

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