The four-day festival will kickstart with the award winning film, "Gulabi Talkies". Adjudged the "Best Film" in the 10th Osian Cinefan's Award in July 2008, National Award in 2007-08 and the "best film" at Karnataka state film award, Girish Kasaravalli's "Gulabi Talkies" is a story of a Muslim midwife who faces discrimination. Her buying of a television helps her get close to villagers and she manages to win them over.

This is the first time the film would be screened outside any film festival in New Delhi or Karnataka and the four-time national award winning director Kasaravalli would himself be present at the inauguration.

To be held at the Gokul Guest House in Civil Lines, the festival is being organised by a group of writers, theatre activists and academicians. Earlier, the festival was held at the Gorakhpur University campus and the programme is being organised by the Jan Sankriti Manch and the Gorakhpur Film Society.

Talking about the entries this year, festival coordinator Manoj Kumar Singh said there are three films from Turkey. "We also have an entry from Jharkhand, a short film titled "Loha Garam Hai", based on the lives of iron miners," said Singh.

Other films include "Resisting Coastal Invasion", "Blood and Oil" and "27 kms". There will be some South Indian films too. "We are trying to see to it that all films have subtitles so more people can enjoy them," said Singh.

A special children's film section -- including films like "Chutkan ki Mahabharat" and six other animation films -- will be an added attraction.

Fine Artist Ashok Bhowmick will have an exhibition of paintings titled "Art for change", while filmmakers like Meghnath and Ajay TG would be a part of the discussion. Singh said: