Thiruvananthapuram : The 27th International Film Festival of Kerala(IFFK) beings today. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the festival at Nishagandhi Auditorium at 3.30. Culture Minister VN Vasavan will preside over the ceremony that has British Film Institute Resident Pianist Johny Best as Special Guest.
The Chief Minister will confer Spirit of Cinema Award in honor of director Mehnas Mohammadi, the crusader of women’s rights in Iran. Mehnas will not be able to personally recieve the award owing to travel restrictions. Instead, Greek filmmaker and jury member Athena Rachel Sangari will receive the award on her behalf. Jury Chaiperson and German Director Witt Helmer will deliver the vote of thanks.
Minister for Public Education and Employment Minister, V Sivankutty, will present the festival book to Transport Minister Antony Rajju. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies GR Anil will release the festival bulletin, handing it over to Mayor Arya Rajendran.
The festival edition of Chalachithra Sameeksha will be launged by MLA VK Prashant who will present it to KSFDC Chairman Shaji N Karun. The Festival Director and Film Academy Chairman Ranjith, Vice Chairman Premkumar, Festival Executive Director and Academy Secretary C.Ajoy and Arts Director Deepika Sheelan are among other dignitaries at the function.
Post the inaugural, at 5 pm, there will be a sitar concert by famed Purbayan Chatterjee. Chatterjee is recipient of President’s Award for Best Best Instrumentalist at age 15 and is known for bringing together classical form of Indian music with music genres around the globe.
Sitar concerts have been held in various countries on soundtracks of Tori and Lokita. The movie Tori and Lokita will be screened immediately after the concert. It is the first time Tori and Lokita will be screened in India. The movie is a joint produce of Belgium and France and in the past, has been screened in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May, winning the 75th annual Cannes prize. The film tells the story of the bond between a refugee boy and girl from Africa, who grow up on the streets of Belgium.
