Panaji, Nov 20 (IANS): From noted cinematographer Slawomir Idziak, Chinese filmmaker Zhang Jianya to actress Seema Biswas, the 45th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) that started Thursday has celebrated film personalities from all over the world as its jury.

Idziak from Poland, who is also the jury chairman, is a noted cinematographer, screenwriter, director and lecturer. He has worked with cinema legends Krzysztof Kieslowski, Andrzej Wajda and Krzysztof Zanussi and has received a number of awards and distinctions in Berlin, Venice, Prague, Auckland and Gdynia.

He was also nominated for BAFTA Cesar and Oscar awards.

“The other members in the jury panel include New York based writer Marie Brenner, Seema Biswas, an actress from Assam, and Nadia Dresti, the head of International Locarno Film Festival along with Jianya,” a PIB release said.

Jianya’s work includes “Red Elephant”, “Kidnap of Carajan”, “The Hero” and “The Dream is Alive”.

“Brenner has published five books, including ‘Great Dames: What I Learned from Older Women’, 'House of Dreams' and 'The Bingham Family of Louisville'. Her expose of the tobacco industry 'The Man Who Knew Too Much', was basis for the 1999 movie 'The Insider', which was nominated for seven Academy Awards,” the release added.

Seema won the 1996 National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in “Bandit Queen”. Biswas won Canada’s Genie Award for her role as the widow Shakuntala in Deepa Mehta's 2005 released film “Water”. Dresti, the other member of International Jury, is specialist of film promotion, public and press relations.

The 45th edition of the IFFI, which got underway Thursday, hosts Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan who are the part of the inauguration ceremony at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Indoor Stadium on the outskirts of the state capital.