Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 13 : The 29th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) has kicked off on Friday, December 13, with a grand opening ceremony at the Nishagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated the festival.
Filmmaker Ann Hui was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the festival. The award includes Rs 10 lakh and a sculpture.
Renowned actor Shabana Azmi attended the event as a guest of honour. She was also felicitated at the event.
Ann Hui expressed her gratitude in her acceptance speech.
She said, "I'm so grateful to the festival for giving me this prize. All I can say is thank you and thank you and thank you for putting me above all among a row of filmmakers who got life achievement awards like Jean Luoa and Belata. I am their fan and suddenly I got a position beside them. I'm almost beside myself. I am very happy to be here and be invited here to attend and receive the prize."
"The second point is that this is the 4th time I am getting the Life Achievement award and if I live long enough, maybe. My getting the Life Achievement award will be more than all the prizes I have together before," Ann Hui added.

She thanked her fans also and said, "I want to thank my fans and all of you for being film lovers because together we make the film. It's not just the filmmakers who need to be awarded. Those people who love films and make films. Filmmaking act over and over again are the people who watch the movies, appreciate the movies, understand the movies, and encourage the filmmakers to make more movies."
"So I really would like to share this prize with fans and audiences and thank you for so many years of watching my films and appreciating them," Filmmaker concluded.
The Guest of Honour Shabana Azmi also gave a speech at the event.
She said, "I remember that I was present at the first IFFK and now in its 29th or 30th year, I'm back with you again. It shows a very long association and is one of the reasons why this festival continues to be amongst the most important in India. It is because of the audiences and because of how much the people here actually have a taste for good cinema."
Shabana thanked the people who supported her in this long journey.

She shared, "It's always a pleasure to come back here like Ms. Anhui said. Filmmaking is a collaborative medium. Actors get away with most of the accolades because their faces are in front of the camera. But we know That it is because there's a whole host of technicians behind the camera who are working to enhance our strengths and Reduce our Frailies. So I would like to thank everyone in my team for the journey that has brought me here."
"When I started 50 years ago, I had no idea that 50 years later I'd still be working, and so I have more than anybody, my audiences, to thank very much for this. It is always a pleasure to come to Kerala to interact with the people here who truly have a great taste for art, culture, and cinema," she further added.
Earlier, Cultural Minister Saji Cheriyan emphasized that this year's IFFK will feature a remarkable selection of films from across the world, providing an unparalleled cinematic experience for film lovers."The festival will showcase a total of 177 films from 68 different countries," he said, highlighting the international diversity represented in the selection.
The festival's official program will be divided into multiple categories to cater to a broad range of cinematic tastes. The International Competition section will present 14 films, offering a platform for filmmakers to showcase their cutting-edge works.
Meanwhile, the Malayalam Cinema Today category will include 12 films that reflect the latest developments in the Malayalam film industry.
Seven films will be featured under the Indian Cinema Now section, shining a spotlight on contemporary cinema from across India.
A key feature of the festival this year will be the World Cinema section, which will present a curated selection of 63 films from a variety of countries.
Among the festival's most anticipated offerings is the Festival Favourites category, which will showcase 13 films that have garnered audience acclaim at major international film festivals.
These films have been recognized for their storytelling, direction, and cinematic excellence, and are expected to be one of the main attractions for festival-goers.
The IFFK 2024 will be held across 15 theatres in Thiruvananthapuram, providing a unique opportunity for film enthusiasts to experience a wide array of films from various genres and regions.
The festival, organized by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, continues to be a significant cultural event, drawing cinephiles, filmmakers, and critics from around the world.