Thiruvananthapuram, Dec six The 18th edition of the International festival of Kerala got current at eleven venues here Friday with the official inauguration slated for the evening, once Israeli producer Amos Gitai’s “Ana Arabia” are going to be screened.

The state-owned Kerala State Chalachitra Academy has organized the event, that has seen the most important participation of quite 9,000 delegates. The competition, throughout that 217 films from sixty four countries are going to be screened, can finish next Friday.

The highlight of the event could be a competition section for fourteen films from Asia, Africa, and Latin America which will compete for the Golden coucal Award that carries a money prize of Rs.15 lakh ($30,000) to be shared by the director and also the producer.

Veteran Mexican film temperament Arturo Ripstein is that the jury chairman. Film thespian Gowthami is additionally within the jury.

With Chief Minister Oommen Chandy himself overseeing the conduct of the event, the authorities has earmarked Rs.2.50 crore for the competition.