Chennai International Film Festival was inaugurated by acclaimed Hollywoood director Shekhar Kapur in Chennai on Wednesday in which prominent names from Tamil industry attended.

The festival organised in association with Tamilnadu government will feature 153 films from 44 countries being screened. Rajendra Balaji, Tamil Nadu Minister, who was present at the event, expressed the State government's support for the event. He said the event will get bigger and bigger in the coming years and that the State government will always stand by it.

The inauguration witnessed protests from a section of assistant directors who carried placards condemning the organisers of the film fest for neglecting movies like 'Thenmerkku Paruvakattru' and 'Sengadal' for screening.