Curtains Closing, Memories Remain!
The 29th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFE), a festival for cinephiles, concludes today. The closing ceremony will take place at the Nishagandipuri Auditorium, Thiruvananthapuram at 6 pm. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan will inaugurate the ceremony, which will be presided over by Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian.
At the event, the Chief Minister of Kerala will present the 'Spirit of Cinema Award' to director Payal Kapadia. The Chief Minister will also distribute the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant), Rajata Chakoram (Silver Crow Pheasant), KR Mohanan Endowment, FIPRESCI, and NETPAC awards. Revenue Minister K Rajan and General Education Minister V Sivankutty will jointly honour Armenian film directors Sergey Avedikan and Nora Armani. The 29th IFFK curator, Golda Sellam, will introduce the jury members. Minister K. Rajan and V.K. Prashanth, MLA, will present awards to the jury members.
The International Competition Jury, chaired by renowned French cinematographer Agnès Godard, comprises jury members including Georgian director Nana Jordanez, Bolivian director and screenwriter Marcos Loayza, Armenian director and actor Mikhail Dovlatyan, and Assamese director Monjul Barua.
The Best Audience Award, chosen through an audience poll, will be presented by Minister V. Sivankutty. The Media Awards will be presented by Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran, and the Theater Awards will be presented by Thiruvananthapuram District Panchayat President Advocate D. Suresh Kumar.
Director of Cultural Affairs Dr. Divya S. Iyer will welcome the gathering. KSCA Chairman and Festival Director Premkumar will deliver the introductory speech. KSCA Secretary C. Ajoy will announce the awards. KSFDC Chairman Shaji N. Karun and Kerala Cultural Activists Welfare Fund Board Chairman K. Madhupal will extend their greetings. Film director and KSCA General Council member Sohan Seenulal will deliver the vote of thanks.
The film that wins the Suvarna Chakoram for Best Film will receive ₹20 lakh. The director of the film that wins the Rajata Chakoram will receive ₹4 lakh, while the debutant director who wins the Silver Chakoram will receive ₹3 lakh. The best debutant director in India who wins the K.R. Mohanan Endowment Award will receive ₹1 lakh, and the director of the film that wins the Audience Award will receive ₹2 lakh. Following the closing ceremony, the film that won the Suvarna Chakoram will be screened at the Nishagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram.
A flute concert by Rajesh Cherthala will be held prior to the closing ceremony.
