Noted filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan has been chosen for the French award Commandeur des Art et Lettres in recognition of his contribution to world cinema and the development of Indo-French collaboration in film production.

Fance's ambassador to India Dominique Girard will confer the award on Gopalakrishnan in New Delhi on October 18.

'Over the last few years, he [Gopalakrishnan] has developed a strong relationship with the French and the international community,' a French embassy press communiqué said.

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Adoor's latest film, Nizhalkuthu (Shadow Kill), which is part of the Indian panorama section at the 34th International Film Festival of India, was co-produced by the French company Artlam and supported by Fonds Sud, the French government's grant for feature film co-productions.

The film will be distributed in France from November 2003.

Adoor, who has gained worldwide recognition for his unique brand of cinema, has made nine feature films and documentaries, directed stage plays and written a number of essays. He has won the National Award for best direction four times.

The Commandeur des Art et Lettres was created in 1975 and is meant to honour distinguished personalities in the fields of Arts and Letters and their contribution to the dissemination of culture in France and worldwide.

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