Five member international jury to pick best films at 45th IFFI

The international jury of the 45th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) comprises celebrated film personalities from all over the world.

The jury chairman Slawomir Idziak from Poland is a noted cinematographer, screenwriter, director and lecturer.

The other members include Zhang Jianya, a filmmaker from China, Marie Brenner, a New York-based writer, Seema Biswas, an actress from Assam and Nadia Dresti, the head of International Locarno Film Festival.

Slawomir Idziak has worked with cinema legends such as Krzysztof Kieslowski, Andrzej Wajda and Krzysztof Zanussi. He has received a number of awards and distinctions in Berlin, Venice, Prague, Auckland and Gdynia. He was also nominated for BAFTA cesar and Oscar awards.

Zhang Jianya's work includes Red Elephant, Kidnap of Carajan, The Hero, Red Snow, The Dream is Alive. Because of his outstanding achievements, Zhang was named one of the most important representatives of China's fifth generation directors.

Marie Brenner has published 5 books, including 'Great Dames: What I Learned from Older Women', House of Dreams and The Bingham Family of Louisville. Her expose of the tobacco industry "The Man Who Knew Too Much", was basis for the 1999 movie The Insider, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards.

Seema Biswas won the 1996 national Film Award for Best Actress for her role in Bandit Queen.

Biswas won Canada's Genie Award for her role as the widow Shakuntala in Deepa Mehta's Water (2005).

Nadia Dresti the other member of International Jury is specialist of film promotion, public and press relations.

This year's IFFI will offer cine lovers a total of 310 films, both in the Indian and International sections.

The Indian section has a total of 130 films, while the International section will showcase 180 films.

Indian Panorama is having 41 films - 26 Feature Films and 15 Non-Feature Films.