Thiruvananthapuram, Thursday 10 December 2009: The 14th International Film Festival of Kerala-2009 (IFFK) will be kicked off here in the city tomorrow with the screening of Turkish irector Atilt Inac’s film ‘A step into Darkness’ as the inaugural film.

Cultural Minister M A Baby said that as many as 164 films in 11 categories would be screened in the eight-day-long film extravaganza, which would conclude on December 18. As many as 140 film personalities, including 80 delegates from foreign countries would be guests in the festival, he added.

Stating that in the competition section, 14 films, including two Malayalam films would be screened, Baby said the best film would receive a golden peacock and a cash prize of Rs ten lakh.

The director of the winning film, debutant director, the director of the best film selected by the viewers would receive a silver peacock and Rs three, Rs two and Rs one lakh respectively, he added.

As many as 54 films, including ‘Sweet Rush’ by Poland director Adrezej Wajda, ‘Revisited’ Directed nu Poland director Krzysztof Zanussi, Looking for Eric, directed Ken Loachch, The Time That Remains by Elias Suleiman, Shirin By Abbas Kiarostami by Margarethe Von Trotta, Taking Woodstock by Ang Lee, Around a Small Mountain directed by Jacques Rivette, Three Wise Men by Mika Kaurismaki, Lights in the dusk by Aki Kaurismaki, Dream directed by Kim Ki-Duk and Malyalam film Pazhassiraja of Hariharan and Cherans Pokkisha had been included in the world cinema category, he said.

Besides this, seven films each from Indian cinema today and Malayalam cinema today would be screened in the festival, Baby said. In connection with the festival three seminars and exhibitions would also be organised, the minister added.