'Free bus service for delegates'; Capital city gearing up for IFFK days

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 29th International Film Festival will be held from the 13th to 20th of this month across 15 screens in the capital city. The IFFK technical team is currently inspecting theatres scheduled to screen the movies. Tagore Theatre will continue to be the main venue this year. The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at Nishagandi Auditorium near Kanakakunnu Palace.

The Kerala state Chalachitra Academy has decided to distribute 15,000 passes in categories including delegates, students and media. Delegate registration has already crossed 8,000. There will be 450 screenings of 150 films. About 200 filmmakers including auteurs from abroad will be present in the capital city. Mini buses are being planned for free travel for the delegates while there will also be special auto service for IFFK.

Mayor Arya Rajendran convened a meeting of theatre and hotel owners, representatives and related officials. The meeting primarily discussed the need to ensure good food and affordable accommodation for delegates, mostly coming from other districts and states. A meeting will be held on Friday under the leadership of the City Police Commissioner for security arrangements.

A digital art exhibition honouring 50 world cinematographers will be part of the film festival. The exhibition 'Cinema Alchemy: A Digital Art Tribute' is curated by director TK Rajeev Kumar. The exhibition will feature 50 digital paintings by art director and filmmaker Razi Muhammad. The show will begin on the morning of the 14th at the Tagore Theater premises.

Featuring 50 film talents including Akira Kurosawa, Alan René, Alfred Hitchcock, Tarkovsky, Adoor, Aravindan, Agnes Varda, Márta Mészáros, Mira Nair and more, the exhibition will be a rare visual feast that combines digital painting and film art.

TK Rajeev Kumar opined that this year’s IFFK will offer tribute to talents who have made cinema a tool for social transformation.