More than 200 films from 50 countries are to be screened at the seventh International Film Festival of Kerala (iffk 2002) in Thiruvananthapuram. The various packages included in the festival organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi are Focuses on Italian Cinema, French Contemporary Cinema and retrospectives on films by Hollywood maestro Orson Welles, contemporary Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki and the Malayalam new wave director K.G. George. The highlight is the competitive section where 15 films from Asian, African and Latin American countries will vie for the best film and best director awards as well as the fipresci award and the Delegates prize. March 29-April 5.

LECTURE
Simplifying Islam

It could help in defusing tensions. Max Mueller Bhavan, Delhi, is organising a series of talks on “Cultural Encounter with Islam”. Taking its point of departure in ethnic, cultural and religious plurality which characterise its present-day society this series will underline the different perspectives of historical precedents defining Islamic identity. Call Delhi’s Max Mueller Bhavan on (011) 3329506 or 3329604 for further details.

RESTAURANT

MEDICINES
Testing Times

Starting March 15, the Medical Council of India has made it mandatory for doctors earning their degrees abroad to pass through a screening test conducted by the National Board of Examinations. While this practice is aimed at controlling the quality of doctors coming into India, it has met with resistance ostensibly because it is discriminatory against medical personnel graduating from foreign universities and poses a deterrent to those who want to come back to India. Suggestions have been forthcoming about the need to devise a selective and limited screening procedure.