MUMBAI: The Sixth Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), which will kick off on 10 January, will showcase over 170 films.

The weeklong festival will be inaugurated by minister of Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and the Mayor of Pune Rajlaxmi Bhosle.

The jury has shortlisted 15 international films out of 145 from over 43 countries. Eight Marathi films have also been shortlisted.

PIFF has the distinction of being the only Indian film festival that awards cash prizes in its competition section of world cinema. This year Rs 3.2 million will be given away as cash award.

PIFF director Jabbar Patel said, "Film director Subhash Ghai's Whistling Woods International has announced four cash awards for winners in the students' film competition section and animated films."

Sharmila Tagore and Shammi Kapoor will receive the PIFF lifetime achievement awards. Their films will also be screened during the festival.

There will be a Hindi-mainstream section with the six best movies of 2007. The country focus will have 11 films from Germany, three from Italy, five from Hungary and 12 from France.

The Indian panorama will showcase 15 regional language films. Besides, the National Film Archives of India will screen seven of its comic movies.

The retro section of PIFF will have five films directed by Shyam Benegal, seven films from the German director Alexander Kloog and 11 of Pedro Almodóvar of Spain.