10 international films to vie for top honours at 20th IFFK

As many as 10 international films will vie for the top honours in the competition category at the 20th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), scheduled to be held here from December 4.

The festival, which will conclude on December 11, will also have a selection of the best of world cinema.

The list features "Mamiroo" (Immortal, Iran, directed by Hadi Mohaghegh), "Anino Sa Likod Ng Buwan" (Shadow Behind the Moon, Philippines, directed by Jun Robles Lana), "Degrade" (Palestine, by Arab Nasser and Tarzan Nasser), "Kalo Pothi" (The Black Hen, Nepal, by Min Bahadur Bham), "Yona" (Israel, by Nir Bergman), "Clarisse ou alguma coisa sobre nos dois" (Clarisse or something about us, Brazil, by Petrus Cariry), "Meurtre a Pacot" (Murder in Pacot, Haiti, by Raoul Peck), "Dolanma" (Entanglement, Turkey, by Tunc Davut), "Bopem" (Kazakhstan, by Zhanna Issabayeva) and "Jalaler Golpo" (Jalal's Story, Bangladesh, by Abu Shahed Emon).

The movies were shortlisted by a jury chaired by popular Kerala filmmaker Kamal. The panelists also included film critics Sudha Warrier and P.T. Ramakrishnan, and journalist R. Ayyappan.

The winner of the Best Film will get a memento, certificate and cash award of Rs.15 lakh, to be shared equally between the producer and director of the best film.

The Best Director will also receive a memento and certificate along with cash award of Rs.4 lakh. There will be a Lifetime Achievement award for international filmmakers too who have contributed to the art of cinema. Cash award of Rs.5 lakh will be given as well.

The event is organised by the state run Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.