Thiruvananthapuram: As many as nine Malayalam movies will be screened at the 20th edition of the much awaited International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) to be held here this December.
The state-run Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (KSCA), organiser of the event, has finalised a list of films to be screened in the annual movie gala, which attracts a large number of movie buffs from and outside the country.
National award winning "Ottaal" (The Trap), an adaptation of Anton Chekhov's 19th-century classic short story "Vanka" by Jayaraj R and "Chaayam Poosiya Veedu" (The Painted House) by Satish Babusenan will go up against a strong field of international and regional-language films in the Competition category, a KCA release said here.
The movies to be screened in the Malayalam Cinema Today section are "Ain" (The Eye) by Sidharth Siva, Dr Bijukumar Damodaran's "Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal" (Birds with Large Wings), "Pathemari" by Salim Ahmed, "Ozhivudivasathe Kali" (An Off-Day Game) by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, "Nirnayakam" by V K Prakash and "Ennu Ninte Moideen" (Yours, Moideen) by R S Vimal and "Kaattum Mazhayum" ( Wind and Rain) by R Harikumar.
The movies were shortlisted by a distinguished jury chaired by writer and film critic Malti Sahai. The other jury members were author M F Thomas, Chandrasekhar, Sashi Kumar and Sudhish Kamath, it said.
However, R S Vimal today said here that he is withdrawing his Prithviraj-starrer "Ennu Ninte Moideen", which is now running to packed houses, from the festival as it is not included in the Competition Section.
The state's premier film festival will run here from December 4-11.