SiGNS short, docu film fest from Tuesday

KOCHI: The 11th edition of the SiGNS short and documentary film festival organised by the Federation of Film Societies of India will get underway at Ernakulam Town Hall on Tuesday. Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the festival at 5.30 pm. The five-day festival will be a tribute to slain journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.  Films will be screened  in both competitive and  non-competitive categories in two screens at the  Town Hall from inaugural day morning. 

Houses with Small Windows, directed by Kurdish origin director Bulent Ozturk and Arin, directed by another Kurdish origin director Mizgin Mujde Arslan, will be opening movies. The filmmakers who live in London had won several awards at international film festivals. The short and documentary films of Indian  directors figure in both competitive and noncompetitive categories.  Main attractions are Films Division’s Legends of Indian Cinema featuring documentaries and two movies on film history, Turkish movies in country focus, Croatian short movies, short films from ten countries in International Window, seven films in Resistance category, films selected by the jury and artistic director, Homage featuring films of K. R. Mohanan and Chalam Bennurukkal. 

Acclaimed film historian and curator Amrit Gangar will deliver the John Abraham Memorial lecture at the film festival, which will be held from September 26 to 30.  Director P. T. Kunjumuhammed will deliver the K. R. Mohanan memorial talk. As part of the event, various programmes like Open Forum and Meet  the Directors will also be held. The award ceremony will be held on Saturday evening.