Fest to pay tribute to slain journalist

KOCHI: The 11th edition of `SiGNS' , the short film and documentary film festival organized by the Federation of Film Societies of India, will get under way at

Ernakulam Town Hall

on Tuesday.

Renowned director Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the five-day festival at 5.30pm.

The festival will be a tribute to Gauri Lankesh, renowned journalist who was shot dead allegedly by fascist forces in Bengaluru recently . Film historian and curator Amrit Gangar will deliver the John Abraham Memorial lecture at the festival.

Films will be screened in both competitive and non-competitive categories in two screens at the Town Hall from the inaugural day morning.

`Houses with Small Windows' , directed by Kurdish-origin director

Bulent Ozturk

, and Arin' , directed by another Kur` dish-origin director Miskin Mujdhe Aarslan, will be screened as the opening movies.

The directors, who presently live in London, had won several awards in international film festivals.

The short and documentary films of Indian directors will also be screened in both the categories.

Main attractions of the fest include Films Division's 'Legends of Indian Cinema' featuring documentaries and its two movies dealing with film history, Turkish movies in 'Country Focus' category, Croatian short films, short films from 10 countries in 'International Window' category, seven films in 'Resistance' category, films selected by the jury and artistic director and 'Homage' category featuring films of K R Mohanan and Chalam Bennurukkal.

Veteran director P T Kunjumuhammed will deliver the K R Mohanan memorial talk on Friday .

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