Date:23/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/23/stories/2007112354970900.htm

National

IFFI begins today; Shahrukh to be the chief guest

Special Correspondent

‘Four months, 3 weeks and 2 days’ would be the opening film
Over 5000 delegates, including 300 mediapersons, registered

PANAJI: Film actor Shahrukh Khan will be the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the 38th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2007) to be held here on Friday.

Minister for Information & Broadcasting (I&B) and Parliamentary Affairs P.R. Dasmunsi, Chief Minister of Goa Digambar Kamat and several important film personalities will attend the inaugural ceremony. The festival will close on December 3.

With the co-organisers of the festival, the Goa government, having been told by the I&B Ministry to cut down on peripheral expenses, the IFFI this year is expected to focus on films and film-related activities.

The State government, on its part, has organised different cultural and musical programmes and film screenings in different parts of the State to involve the local people.

“The opening ceremony would be simple and elegant, in keeping with international standards,” said Ms. Neelam Kapur, Director, Directorate of Film Festivals here on Thursday.

Priya Mani, the rising star of Tamil cinema, will participate in the lamp-lighting ceremony.

The Palme d’ Or winner of Cannes 2007 — titled ‘Four months, 3 weeks and 2 days’ — would be the opening film at the IFFI, 2007. Its director Cristian Mungiu and main actor Anamaria Marinca would also be present at the inaugural ceremony.

There would be other foreign delegates representing various international film festivals from the Netherlands and Mexico. A major delegation from Poland and China would also be present.

Infrastructure upgraded

On its side, the Goa government has upgraded the infrastructure including theatre facilities. This year, nine theatres with a seating capacity of 3026 would be part of the Festival complex as compared to five theatres with a capacity of 2200 till last year.

Over 5000 delegates, including 300 media representatives, had been registered online this year, said the organisers. In order to avoid long queues, a common grievance since the festival was shifted to Goa from Delhi a couple of years ago, advance booking of tickets is under way.