Chennai: “Asian superstar Rajinikanth’s Muthu saw the release of its remastered digitised version in Japan this year to mark its 20th anniversary of Japan release in 1998,” informed Kojiro Uchiyama, Consul – General, Consulate – General of Japan at the 16th edition of Chennai International Film Festival that kicked off Thursday and will go on till 20 December.
The festival is being organised by the Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF), with the support of the Tamilnadu government, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, and Film Federation of India.
The festival director Thangaraj said, “This year, the State government has increased the funds, and we have been allotted Rs 75 lakh.”
With 149 films from 59 countries, the festival will run for eight days across six venues. Vada Chennai, Irumbu Thirai, 96, Pariyerum Perumal and Velaikkaran are among the 12 Tamil films that will be screened this time under Tamil feature film competition section.
The festival will also have a special screening of Merku Thodarchi Malai, directed by Lenin Bharati.
The edition will see premieres of award-winning films like Touch Me Not (Romania), Cold War (Poland), Dogman (Italy) and Yomeddine (Egypt), At War (France).
The country of focus for this year is Brazil. Four films including City of God will be screened.
The festival also has first-time entries from Zambia, Costa Rica and other countries.
| Few must watch flicks | ||||
| Movie | Director | Date | Time | Venue |
| Woman At War | Benedikt Erlingsson |
15 December |
4.30 pm | Devi Theatre |
| Dogman | Matteo Garrone | 16 December | 4.30 pm | Devi Theatre |
| Rojo | Benjamin Naishtat | 17 December | 11 am | Devi Theatre |
| Cold War | Pawel Pawlikowski | 18 December | 4.30 pm | Devi Theatre |
| A Family Tour | Ying Liang | 19 December | 4.30 pm | Devi Theatre |
| When The Trees Fall | Marysia Nikitiuk | 20 December | 11 am | Devi Theatre |