MUMBAI: The ninth Third Eye Asian Film Festival, to be held in Mumbai from 29 October to 4 November, will felicitate renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal with the Asian Film Culture award.

The award honours the achievements of Asian directors and is given each year to the master of Asian cinema.

Iraqi film Son of Babylon, which won the Best Movie Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in July this year, will open the festival.

Said Festival director Sudhir Nandgaonkar, "In the last twenty years, Asian cinema has gained immense popularity by winning top awards at world‘s important film festivals. And to recognise the talent and films made by Asian directors, the festival has organised a ‘director‘s first or second film‘ section."
The competition would be adjudged by an international jury. 

Six films by Mrinal Sen would also be screened this year under the Asian Masters section.

The festival that will showcase 80 films and 50 short films from Asian countries will be held in Plaza in Dadar (central Mumbai), Y.B. Chavan Centre (Nariman Point in south Mumbai) and Fame Adlabs (Andheri).

The festival will close with the screening of Marathi film Mee Sindhutai Sapkal, based on a true story of a village woman‘s journey to overcome the adversities of life through her good deeds.