Bollywood bigwigs Rekha, Kamal Hassan, Asha Bhonsle and world cinema stalwarts like Susan Sarandon, Iranian director Majid Majidi, Czech helmer Jiri Menzel are set to attend the opening ceremony of the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here tomorrow.
Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman will be conferred with the first Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year 2013.
The award has been instituted to commemorate 100 years of Indian Cinema, and will be given annually to an outstanding film personality for his or her contribution to Indian cinema.
One of the best known representatives of the 'New Wave Czech Cinema', Menzel will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award on the occasion. His latest film 'Don Juans', will be the opening film of the festival.
The opening ceremony will be marked by a 30 minute cultural show graced by the performance of renowned Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj.
Rajat Kapoor and southern actress Suhasini Maniratnam will host the opening ceremony, which will be attended by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Underlining the necessity of a vibrant dialogue between the film makers and cine goers, festival director Shankar Mohan said this edition will have more interactive sessions this year. The festival will screen 15 Oscar nominated films.
"We will be screening 15 Oscar nominated movies this
Time," Mohan said.
