177 films from 68 countries to light up 29th IFFK

Thiruvananthapuram: The 29th International Film Festival of Kerala, organized by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, will be inaugurated by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday at the Nishagandhi Auditorium. Hong Kong director Ann Hui will receive the lifetime achievement award from the chief minister during the event.
The festival, to be held from Dec 13 to 20, will showcase 177 films from 68 countries across 15 theatres. The international competition section will feature 14 films, the Malayalam Cinema Today section will present 12 films, and the Indian Cinema Now section will include seven films. The World Cinema category will have 63 films. Another highlight will be the Festival Favourites, featuring 13 films that have been popular at major festivals. The Country Focus section will display seven films from Armenia, which is celebrating a century of cinema.
Retrospectives of South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, actress Shabana Azmi, who marks 50 years in cinema, and cinematographer Madhu Ambat will be featured. Other curated packages include The Female Gaze, Latin American cinema, Kaleidoscope, Midnight Cinema, animation films, and restored classics, including two by the Chalachitra Academy. Birth centenary tributes to P Bhaskaran, Parappurath, and Thoppil Bhasi will also be featured.
The opening film is "I Am Still Here," directed by Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles. Spirit of Cinema award will be presented to director Payal Kapadia by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the closing ceremony on Dec 20. Over 13,000 delegates will participate in the festival, with around 100 filmmakers attending as guests.
The festival will honour late film luminaries Kumar Shahani, Mohan, Harikumar, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, Chelavoor Venu, and Neyyattinkara Komalam during a tribute ceremony on Dec 14 at the Nila Theatre.
A digital art exhibition, Cinema Alchemy: A Digital Art Tribute, curated by TK Rajeev Kumar, will pay homage to 50 world cinema masters. Featuring 50 digital paintings by art director Razi Muhammad, the exhibition begins on Dec 14 near the Tagore Theatre.