`Rangbhoomi` to open Ladakh international film festival

Mumbai: Director Kamal Swaroop`s `Rangbhoomi`, based on Dadasaheb Phalke`s eponymous semi-autobiographical play will be the opening film at the upcoming Ladakh international film festival.Director Anurag Kashyap`s `Ugly` will have an Asian premiere at the festival, being held in Leh from June 27-29, 2014.

LIFF is the highest-altitude film festival in the world which is held at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet. The festival, in its third year, will pay tribute to Hindi film industry veterans Farooq Sheikh and Nanda. Deepti Naval who collaborated with Farooq on seven films including `Saath Saath`, `Chashme Buddoor` and `Katha` will be there to pay tribute to the late actor. "The Ladakh International Film Festival has come of age. It is now an important film festival of South Asia. It also has the distinction of being the only international film festival on the roof of the world ringed by the tallest mountains of the Himalayas," filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who is the chairman of LIFF, said. Korea is the focus country for the movie gala this year and contemporary Korean films will be brought alive on screens at the event. The theme for LIFF 2014 is `Spirituality and Camaraderie` and the festival will be followed with The Dalai Lama holding Kaalchakra. "LIFF, in its third edition, is proud to announce a cross section of films, which will be screened at the picturesque venue. These include international feature films, documentaries from India, short films (national and international) and Indian feature films," said Melwyn Williams Chirayath, founder and festival director, LIFF.