THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first-ever International Children's Film Festival of Kerala (ICFFK), which will begin here on May 14, will showcase 140 films, including classics, documentaries and short films, for five days till May 20. The films will be screened in five government theatres in the city: Tagore, Kairali, Sree, Nila and Kalabhavan. The ICFFK is jointly organised by the state child welfare council, Chalachithra Academy, Kerala State Film Development Corporation and Balasahithya Institute. Arrangements have been made to lodge over 800 students, including hundreds from the tribal belts of the state, for the five days of the ICFFK.
Besides tribal children, nearly 80 kids lodged in government-run children's homes across the state will also participate at the best. An average of nine students each from nine children's homes in the state have been selected to take part in the festival along with their caretakers. Their accommodation has been arranged by the Child Welfare Council. There will be four screenings daily in each of the five theatres, making it 20 film screenings in a day. At least 4000 foreign and Indian delegates are expected to take part in the festival. "Those films that would touch an intellectual and emotional chord with the child have been given priority," Chalachithra Academy chairman Kamal said.
All-time classics like Majid Majidi's Children of Heaven (May 14, 11.15 at Kairali), Vittoria de Sica's Bicycle Thieves (May 14, 11.45 at Tagore Theatre), Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali (May 14, 6.45 p.m. Tagore Theatre), Charlie Chaplin's Great Dictator (May 14, 6.15 p.m. at Tagore Theatre), and Jiju Punnoose's My Dear Kuttichatan (May 17, 2.45 at Kalabhavan) will be screened. Other than film screenings, an open forum involving film personalities will be held daily. There will also be daily workshops that will introduce children to the various aspects of filmmaking. The workshops will be attended by noted actors and directors who will also take questions from inquisitive kids. Various performances by youth festival winners and children belonging to tribal areas will be held.
