Film festival is all about promoting cinema: Festival Director We will be preparing for next IFFI from December, 2015 onwards: CEO, ESG

Film festival is all about promoting cinema: Festival Director
We will be preparing for next IFFI from December, 2015 onwards: CEO, ESG                                 

The response of delegates and viewers at the on-going IFFI has been encouraging. All the theatres are receiving good presence which shows that IFFI has succeeded to a great extent in achieving its objective of showcasing good international films to Indian viewers and good Indian films to foreign delegates. This was stated by Shri C. Senthil Rajan, Director, DFF while addressing the Mid Fest Press conference here today.

He said that film festival is all about promoting cinema, both Indian and International. IFFI’s objective is to showcase quality films and promote India as a destination for shooting films in general and Goa in particular, he added. Briefing the media about the on-going activities at IFFI 2015, Shri Rajan said that more than 8000 registrations have been made so far, which included those of 24 FTII students. Referring to the preparation for closing ceremony of IFFI 2015, he said that the ceremony will showcase the rich and splendid tradition of Indian cinema through the medium of music and dance.

Speaking to the media, Shri Ameya Abhyankar, CEO, ESG said that preparation for IFFI 2016 will be started soon after the conclusion of the on-going festival. The CEO also emphasised the need to make the festival IT enabled and said that efforts will be made to enhance the overall quality of the festival, so that IFFI can be at par with other famous film festivals across the world.

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Argentinian film director, Pablo Caesar’s film to feature Ravindranath Tagore 

                                                                        

Well known film director of Argentina, Pablo Caesar has planned his next project named ‘Thinking of Him’ on Rabindranath Tagore. Full length feature film will be based on Victoria Campo’s meeting with Rabindranath Tagore and is inspired by his method of teaching in Shantiniketan. The shooting of this film, will begin somewhere next February-March.

Speaking about Argentinian cinemas, Pablo Caesar said financing films is an important issue in his country. International cooperation needed to solve the issue and also to provide more exposure to the people of his country, he added.

The director said that people in Argentina, as of now, don’t have enough knowledge about the Indian films but now the Indian Embassy in Argentina is going to organise an Indian Film Festival, which would help people of his country to know about Indian cinema.

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It was a challenge to make a Film on the life of Rabindranath Tagore-Suman Ghosh

Suman Ghosh, Parambrata Chatterjee, A.K.Bir, Asha Achy Joseph Film personalities from Indian Panorama interacts with Media at IFFI 

    

                                                                     

Kadambari, a film based on the life of Rabindranath Tagore. One of the most sensational cultural events in the history of Bengal was the controversial suicide of Kadambari Devi, Tagore’s sister-in-law and literary muse in 1883.

Speaking about the film Director Suman Ghosh Said-,”It was challenging to make on film based on the life of Tagore as Bengalis are very touchy about Tagore. This film deals with the early life of Rabindranath Tagore.  The entire film didn’t completely focus on reality but many sub scripts and fictional scenes were also added”.

Kadambari, was appreciated in the South Asian Film Festival, Washington as a Best Film, added Suman Ghosh.

Parambrata Chatterjee, who played the lead role in the film said, “Market for Bengali Cinema remains limited but things had started to change after 2005. As the bengali Film Industry is looking for the proper strategy for marketing the films.”  

Talking about the film, Nanak Shah Fakir, Director, A.K.Bir said that 15^th Century has a great impact on mankind. The film is named after and based on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak, who travelled the world teaching the philosophy of Ik Onkar (There is only one God). Guru Nanak spread the virtues of peace, love and harmony through mystic and soulful music. He was referred to as ‘Shah’ by Muslims and ‘Fakir’ by Hindus. The film had been released twice because of protest by some religious groups. Lead Musician A R Rehman composed the music for this film.

Ore Udal, short film by Asha Achy Joseph. This is 14 minute short film. The film is a sojourn of a woman through her own hallucinations and despair for hope after the most harrowing experience of her whole life.

 Briefing about her experience during the making of Ore Udal, the director said, “Since the Shooting inside the Church could not be possible, we have travelled a lot for the perfect location.” The Film is made by students of the mass communication department, Sacred Heart College, Kochi under thee able guidance of Asha Achy Joseph,  

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Indian cinema has impacted me a lot”-doyen of Russian Film, Mr. Mikhalkov 

Mr Mikhalkov, towering film personality from the Russian cinema has said that, “Indian cinema has great impact on his work. Love and tenderness shown in the films of Raj Kapoor had influenced him since his childhood.  Humming the famous song ‘Awara’, from Raj Kapoor’s film, he commented that it is the best way he could explain his love for Indian movies. He said that, “Indian cinema is an entirely different planet for me!”

 Addressing media person at IFFI 46 at Goa, Mr   Mikhalkov commented “A film becomes an international film when it is truly national and cultural oriented”.

Replying a question about the violence in today world, he got emotional and said has advocated love and passion through his work. “The world has died of its own greed, people value money more than emotions, this leads to violence and aggression”.

Speaking more about his work he said his films are comment on the life of particular time, not on any political system. He continues saying that he does not like to follow strict set of format of film making as he feels movies should have the freedom to breath.

He thanked the Indian Film festival directorate for conferring Lifetime Achievement Award for 2015 and said he feels proud being included in the list of distinguished personalities who have received the award previously.

The celebrated Russian filmmaker Mr. Nikita Makhalkov is winner of the 1995 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. “At Home among Strangers” was his first feature film while he garnered international recognition for his film “A Slave of Love in 1975”. With an incomparable body of work, Mikhalkov represented soviet cinema internationally. In 1994, his film “Burnt by the Sun”, won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film in 1995. Mr. Mikhalkov wrote, directed and played the lead role in this film.

His 1998 film “The Barber of Siberia” was the most expensive Russian film and opened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1999-an owner rarely accorded to a Russian Director. 

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14TH Mumbai International Film Festival from 28th January, 2016, Jackie Shroff to promote festival 

The 14^th edition of Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films, popularly known as MIFF, will be held between January 28 to February 03, 2016. The screenings will be held at the Films Division theatres, Russian Culture Centre and Sophia College theatres at Pedder Road, Mumbai. The inauguration and closing functions will be held at the Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi at 5.00 pm on 28^th January and 03^rd February, 2016 respectively. Jackie Shroff said that it is an honor to work as a brand ambassador of MIFF.

This prestigious biennial event is organized by Films Division of India, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and is supported by the Government of Maharashtra. Jackie Shroff and Director General, Films Divison Shri Mukesh Sharma interacted with media today at International Film Festival of India, Goa

For the first time in history of MIFF which began in 1990, a mainstream artist will be the brand ambassador of the documentary festival. National Award winning actor, Jackie Shroff will promote MIFF extensively thanks to his love for the short films. Shri Mukesh Sharma, Director General Films Division and The Director, MIFF informed that Shri Jackie Shroff agreed to be the brand ambassador of the event the moment he mentioned about the festival and the role it plays in promoting the documentary movement in India. He further informed that Shri Shroff regards documentaries as catalysts for social change and is planning to make short films to spread awareness about dreaded diseases and on social issues.

Interacting with media Mr Jackie Shroff said that he feels honored to be the brand ambassador at MIFF. The oldest and largest festival for non-feature films in South Asia, MIFF attracts film makers and cineastes from all over the world, thanks to the quality of films in the competition and other sections. Cash prize worth 5.5 million Indian rupees, Golden Conches, Trophies and Certificates await winners in competitions including technical categories. The festival will also honor a veteran personality from the Indian documentary fraternity with the esteemed V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award that carries a cash component of Rs. 5 lac, trophy and citation, Shri Mukesh Sharma added.

Shri Sharma further informed that a record 831 entries have been received for the competition and selection process for the short listing films to international, National, Technical, New Media and Animation competitions has been initiated by the festival directorate. Jury for International and Nationals competition will comprise of celebrated film makers and personalities from India and abroad.

The festival will have, apart from International and National competition, screening of films in MIFF Prism, Jury retrospectives, Animation and other packages from different countries and festivals, children’s documentary films, North East DD package, FD and PSBT films, homages etc, making it a wholesome viewing experience for the delegates of MIFF-2016. The festival will also have master classes by master film makers, workshops, seminar and Open Forum by IDPA.

Buoyed by the warm reception to the MIFF zone screening of competition films in National category in cities other than Mumbai during the 13^th MIFF, screenings will be held simultaneously in New Delhi, Chennail, Bangalore, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Lucknow, Nagpur and Thrissur. MIFF zone is aimed at taking the competition films to film lovers who are unable to travel to Mumbai for the MIFF. Screenings will also be held at the University auditorium Kalina, Mumbai.

The on-line delegate registration has been activated and cinephiles can log onto www.miff.in for early registration and other details about the MIFF-2016.