Thiruvananthapuram, Friday, December 11, 2009: The 14th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala got off to a colourful start today. The function was inaugurated by legendary Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen. Cultural Affairs Minister M A Baby presided the function. The eight-day festival, that will showcase 158 films from 40 countries.

The star-studded function had renowned actor Sharmila Tagore and French Ambassador Jerome Bonafont as the chief guests and Shashi Tharoor as the main speaker.

On the occasion, Mrinal Sen was honoured with the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award, instituted by the Chalachithra Academy.

The inaugural session will be followed by the opening film by Turkish filmmaker Atil Inaki - ‘A Step into Darkness’, which has a contemporary significance as it addresses many questions on the making of a terrorist. However, screenings of other films will begin at 9 a.m.

The competition film section will have 14 films from Afro-Asia and Latin America, especially from Argentina, South Africa, Turkey, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Iran. Amit Rai’s Hindi film ‘Road to Sangam’ along with Malayalam films ‘Sufi Paranja Katha’ and ‘Madhyavenal’ will also be competing in this section. The Suvarna Chakoram for the best picture will carry a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.

The best director, best debut director and the audience choice will receive Rajatha Chakoram and Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively.

The World Cinema section with 54 films will feature the new works of contemporary masters such as Kryzstof Zanussi, Pedro Almodovar, Ari Karismaki, Kim ki Duk, Andre Wajda, Ken Loach, Abbas Kiarostami, Margaratta von Trotta and Mika Karismaki. There will be two special sections on African and Cuban contemporary cinema.

A retrospective of Mrinal Sen’s seven films is one of the highlights of the IFFK-2009. Eight films that define the French New Wave will also be featured. This year, SMS facility for booking seats has been introduced.