Film festival gets off to colourful start

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 8 (UNI) The 11th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK-2006 ) got off to a glittering start here this evening with the veterans of Malayalam film industry who began their career in the first decade of 'Keralapiravi' (state formation) lighting the traditional lamp.

Celebrated film personalities Madhu, K S Sethumadhavan, Sasikumar, K J Yesudas, Udayabhanu, ONV Kurup, Adoor Bhavani, Dakshinamoorthy, Sukumari, Jayabharati, Kaviyoor Ponnamma and G K Pillai were among those who lit the lamp, marking the start of the week-long festival.

Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister M A Baby presided over the function.

Fifty lamps were also lit to mark the golden jubilee of the formation of the state.

As many as 17 Malayalam film personalities of yesteryears were also honoured. Belgium director and actress Marion Hansel's French film 'Sounds of Sand' opened the IFFK-2006, which would see around 5,000 delegates from India and abroad.

Over 200 films, including documentaries and short films, from India and the world, would be screened at the film fest.

Fourteen films from Asia, Africa and Latin America would compete for the prestigious 'Suvarna Chakoram' (Golden Pheasant) award.

Palestine director Elia Suleiman is the jury chairman. The jury includes actress Julie Christie, South African director Darryl Rodt and actor-director Revathi.

The World Cinema section has 42 films from Asian, African, Latin American and European countries. Girish Kasaravalli's Naayi Neralu (In the Shadow of the Dog), Rituparno Ghosh's 'Dosar' (The Companion), Chitra Palekar's 'Maati Maay' (Grave Keeper's Tale) are among the seven films that would be screened in the Indian Cinema Section. In the Malayalam Cinema Section, eight films would be shown.

Another attraction of the IFFK 2006 is the Iranian package that comprises films that depict the emotional turbulence in families as well as current social issues and the French comedies. Besides, the festival has a section of South African Films and a package of Louis Malle's films. The works of world renowned Brazilian director Glauber Rocha and Indian great Adoor Gopalakrishnan would form the ''Retrospective''section.

The Arabian Documentaries and Short Films Section would give an insight into the Arabian world and films from Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Egypt are included in this section.

The Short/Documentary/ Short Fiction Section would include those from Kerala, Film and TV Institute of India (Pune), Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute (Kolkata) and from across the world.

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