Chennai: If you have regretted for not watching some of the best films that hit the screens this year, need not worry. It will be screened at the Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF). The 16th edition of the festival from 13 to 20 December, will screen a selection of 150 handpicked movies from 59 countries cutting across genres and languages.
Speaking about the festival here Saturday, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce secretary Ravi Kottarakara said, “Though a lot of film festivals are conducted across the country, the movies that are chosen for screening in Chennai are the best and are up to the worldclass standards.”
The Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF) that conducts the annual CIFF will hold a grand inaugural function at Kalaivanar Arangam on 13 December at 6.15 pm. The festival will kickstart with a Japanese movie – Shoplifters, that won Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival.
The selected movies will be screened at Devi Cineplex, Anna Theatre, Sathyam Cinemas, Casino, Tagore Film Centre, Russian Centre of Science and Culture. This time, for viewers convenience, the theatres that are chosen are located nearby, so that people need not travel more.
The registration fee for students, cinema industry and senior citizens is Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. Direct registration can be done at Devi Cineplex from 10.30 am to 6 pm, everyday.
For online registration, visit www.icaf.in, www.chennaifilmfest.com, www.bookmyshow.com.
12 Tamil films |
This year, the festival movie preview committee received entry from 20 Tamil films, amongst which 12 have been shortlisted. It includes: 1) C Prem Kumar’s 96 2) B R Vijayalakshmi’s Abhiyum Anuvum 3) Raj Kumar’s Annanukku Jey 4) Suseenthiran’s Genius 5) Mu Maran’s Iravukku Aayiram Kangal 6) P S Mithran’s Irumbu Thirai 7) Pandiraj’s Kadaikutty Singam 8) Karthik Subbaraj’s Mercury 9) Mari Selvaraj’s Pariyerum Perumal 10) Ram Kumar’s Ratsasan 11) Vetri Maaran’s Vada Chennai 12) Mohan Raja’s Velaikkaran Apart from this, a special screening of the critically acclaimed Merkku Thodarchi Malai has also been arranged. |
From abroad |
Touch Me Not (Romania), Cold War (Poland), Dogman (Italy), Yomeddine (Egypt), At War (France), Human, Space, Time and Human (South Korea), In the Fade (Germany), Girls of the Sun (France), Mug (Poland), Rafiki(Kenya), Woman At War and What Will People Say (Norway). |
For the first time, CIFF has selected movies from Zambia, Ladakh, and Kenya and 13 movies from a group of Latin American and Carribean islands, for screening.