Sri Lanka and its cinema industry would receive world’s attention with its first ever international film festival 'Galle Film Festival' (GFF) which is to be opened on March 2009 with the participation of renowned film artistes around the world. In the history of over 60 years, the country is to host its biggest international showcase with the GFF, which is to be attended by a large number of distinguished filmmakers, actors, technical artists from both Bollywood and Hollywod. Ketan Mehta’s Rang Rasiya (Colors of Passion) In run up to the festival, a fund raiser-Gala Dinners with local and international celebrities with some of their opening films will be held on October 25, 26 and November 1 in the beautiful southern coastal city of Galle. On Saturday October 25, Sri Lanka's very first annual International Film Festival will be announced to the world with a premiere screening of a major new Sri Lankan film which is yet to be announced. And on Sunday October 26, Asian premiere of legendary writer and director Paul Schrader's latest film, 'Adam Resurrected' will be screened. Both the premieres would be followed by a celebrity-studded gala dinner with the director and cast of the Sri Lankan film attending and with special guest Paul Schrader and Shekhar Kapoor. At dinner Mr. Kapoor, Indian born director of 'Bandit Queen' and 'Elizabeth' is to speak on the challenges faced crossing over from South Asian cinema to Hollywood. On November 1, Asian premiere of Ketan Mehta's new film 'Rang Rasiya (Colors of Passion)' will be shown. Having had its world premiere at the London Film Festival, the director and cast will hop on a plane to Sri Lanka to present their film to Sri Lanka and Asia. This will be followed by a gala dinner with director and cast followed by a party with painted dancers, nymphs, fire eaters, jugglers and music at Tamarind Hill. The film fans and film lovers are most welcome to sit together at the gala event. The founders of this historical event are world renowned film producer, Damita Nikapota ('Flying Sottman') and Geoffery Dobbs (Founder of Galle Literary Festival) and Sri Lankan director Boodee Keerthisena, who is the Festival director. Aamir Khan Taare Zameen Par The four-day festival on March 2009 will showcase around 40 films with wide variety of international shorts, features, and documentaries, bringing together filmmakers and film enthusiasts from around the world which covers a number of genres including Sri Lankan 'village drama', award-winning feature films from international film-makers, including work from emerging film-makers and documentaries. About a third of the films included in the festival will be a part of Universal Forum, a celebration of film's power to inspire change. And it will focus on the ways film as a medium can raise awareness about vital issues and effect change in our world and they would open eyes and hearts to world issues and the personal stories that accompany them. Wh