Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa presented a sum of Rs 25 lakh towards expenses of the ninth edition of the Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF).

According to an official press release from the State government, the Chief Minister presented a cheque for the amount to Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation director Thangaraj at the Secretariat in Chennai.

'Based on a request from the Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation, which is annually organising the film festival, the Chief Minister decided to allot Rs 25 lakh towards meeting expenses of the festival,' the release said.

The event is scheduled in Chennai from 14th December to the 22nd December. The forum has been organising the film festival for the past eight years. South India Actors Association president R Sarath Kumar, actresses Suhasini Mani Ratnam and Lissy Priyadarshan were present when the Chief Minister presented the cheque.