Chennai:Â As Chennai International Film Festival is set to begin Thursday, it got a boost in terms of subsidy to make the festival grander.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami Tuesday announced a hike in the annual subsidy for the 16th edition of the Chennai International Film Festival scheduled to be held this week, from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 75 lakh.
According to an official release, Palaniswami issued orders to increase the subsidy for the film festival this year to Rs 75 lakh.
At a function held at the Secretariat, Palaniswami presented the cheque to Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation general secretary E Thangaraj, the organisers of the event.
Information and Publicity Minister Kadambur Raju, Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan and senior government officials were present on the occasion, the release added.
Till date, the State government has presented Rs 3.25 crore as subsidy for conducting film festivals in the city. For the ninth edition of the Chennai International Film Festival in 2011, the State government had announced an annual subsidy of Rs 25 lakh which was later enhanced to Rs 50 lakh till 2017, the release pointed out.
Japanese film Shoplifters, the Palme d’Or winner at the Cannes film festival this year, would be among the award-winning movies from Zambia, Costa Rica and Kenya to be screened at the 16th Chennai International Film Festival.
A total of 150 films from 59 countries would be screened at various theatres in the city between 13 and 20 December.