TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will for the first time, highlight cinema from the north-eastern states with ‘Focus: North East’ – a special package of films and culture from the region which would be inaugurated by Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on November 22.
Academy Award-winning Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, would be the chief guest for the opening ceremony while actress Michelle Yeoh would be the chief guest for the closing ceremony of the festival. The festival will start in presence of legendary singer Asha Bhosle, actress Rekha, actor-filmmaker Kamal Hassan and veteran actor Manoj Kumar.
IFFI is set to begin in Goa from November 20 and the special segment on the northeast will be inaugurated on November 22 with the screening of ‘Khawnlung Run’, a Mizo film. This segment will continue till November 27 and will include 22 films.
Director of the film festival Shankar Mohan said that Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma will inaugurate the section which will have a special focus on North Eastern films.
Mohan also announced that the noted Serbian film director Goran Paskaljevic would be heading the jury for the competition section of forthcoming 10-day IFFI. Indian actor Victor Benerjee will also be on the jury. Others on the jury include French film director Claire Denis, French-Afghan filmmaker Atiq Rahimi and Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage.
This year, IFFI will screen a film from Afghanistan for the first time. Nearly 325 Indian and foreign films from 74 countries will be screened this year.
