Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 12 (PTI) The curtains will go up on the 29th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2024) here on Friday with a diverse line-up of films from around the world.

With a rich tapestry of genres, styles and perspectives, this year's festival promises an unforgettable experience for film enthusiasts, an IFFK release here said.

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The festival will be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a function to be presided over by state Culture Minister Saji Cheriyan at 6 pm on Friday. Noted actor Shabana Azmi will be the guest of honour at the ceremony.

Noted actor-director from Hong Kong, Ann Hui will be presented with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award of the IFFK at the function. The award carries a purse of Rs 10 lakh and a statuette.

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The inaugural ceremony will be followed by the screening of the opening film, 'I'm Still Here' (Brazil-France) directed by Walter Salles.

A total of 177 films from 68 countries will be screened across various sections in 15 theatres during the festival which will conclude on December 20.

In the international competition section, 14 films will vie for IFFK's top honour, 'Suvarna Chakoram' (Golden Crow Pheasant) award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 20 lakh.

Other awards include the 'Rajata Chakoram' (Silver Crow Pheasant) for best director (Rs 4 lakh) and best debut director (Rs 3 lakh) and audience poll prize for director (Rs 2 lakh).

Payal Kapadia, director of 'All We Imagine as Light' which won the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Festival this year, will be honoured with the 'Spirit of Cinema' award of the IFFK at the closing function.

Noted French cinematographer Agnes Godard will head the five-member jury for the international competition section.

Nana Jorjadze (Georgia), Marcos Loayza (Bolivia), Mikayel Dovlatyan (Armenia) and Assamese director Monjul Baruah are the other jury members.

The festival this year will have a special emphasis on films by women directors. "These films explore themes of identity, empowerment and social change, reinforcing the growing role women play in shaping the future of global cinema," said Golda Sellam, curator of the festival.

Besides 'world cinema', the festival films are lined up in sections like 'Festival favourites', 'Country focus', 'Retrospective', 'Female gaze', 'Latin American cinema', 'Homage', 'Indian cinema' and 'Malayalam cinema today'.

More than 13,000 delegates are expected to participate in the eight-day festival, the release said.

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