MUMBAI: Two films from Shemaroo Entertainment, Manorama six feet under and the forthcoming Staying Alive (directed by Ananth Mahadevan) are being screened at the 12th International Film Festival of Kerala [IFFK].

The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy annually hosts IFFK at Thiruvananthapuram which is recognized by the International Federation of Film Archives [FIAF], thus making it part of a prestigious circle of specialized festivals.

Staying Alive starring Saurabh Shukla and the Director himself, is based on a true story of a journalist and an underworld kingpin. Both of them share a room in the intensive cardiac care at a hospital owing to heart attack. While one scoffs at death because he is seasoned as it is his third attack, the other is totally petrified on suffering his first. The film is about being grateful at the joy of just staying alive.

Staying Alive has been earlier screened at ‘Bite the Mango Festival’ at Bradford UK and at IFFK there will be two screenings of the movie. Staying Alive will be visiting lot more other prestigious festivals before the formal release of the film.

Director Ananth Mahadevan shares his thoughts, ‘Staying alive is a tribute to great cinema makers, who have inspired me to make a movie of this kind. Based on a true story, this film is absolutely an original piece of art, with no reference points anywhere. The underlying message of the film being - are all of us making our lives worth living, as we are staying alive – will certainly make a difference in the lives of our audiences’.

At a preview screening of the film, Staying Alive was reviewed as, ‘A deeply moving chamber piece . . . lucid yet sparse emotionalism of two incompatible men. Staying Alive is a film that makes you thankful for the gift of life and cinema.’

Adds Ketan Maru - Producer of 'Manorama Six Feet Under' - 'After Manorama Six Feet Under won the Best Film Award at 'The Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival' [MIAAC] at New York, there has been a lot of curiosity among audiences to watch this film. We are now certainly glad to have two screenings of Manorama Six Feet Under at IFFK'.

The 12th IFFK 2007 is currently being held from 7th – 14th December 2007, showcasing the films of famous directors from across the globe and films of many other directors too are being screened in various sections. The jury includes ten distinguished members across the world from the film fraternity who have a tough choice to make, in order to give away the festivals six awards and one audience prize.