MUMBAI: The Mumbai Film Festival (MFF) that commences in the metropolis from 29 October is set to showcase 200 films from 56 countries.
While Academy-Award Winning Director Steven Soderbergh‘s feature film The Informant will open the 2009 festival, Greek master Theo Angelopoulos‘s review of the past century,The Dust of Time will close the festival on 5 November.
13 features by first-time directors from across the world will compete for cash awards worth a combined $150,000 in the main competition section.
The five-member jury includes US director and screenwriter Paul Schrader, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, director Brillante Mendoza from the Philippines, Indian filmmaker Shaji N Karun and former director of the Locarno Film Festival, Irene Bignardi.
Other sections include ‘Indian Frame‘ that will showcase 15 Indian films made last year and ‘Reel Real‘ for feature length documentaries.
Meanwhile, veteran Indian actor and producer Shashi Kapoor will be honoured with the Indian Lifetime Achievement Award while Angelopoulos will receive the International Lifetime Achievement Award. Legendary Indian producer-director Yash Chopra whom FIAPF, the international federation of film producers association, will felicitate.
The festival will also pay tribute to the late legendary filmmaker B R Chopra with a screening of his film, Naya Daur.
