I&B Ministry to set up Film Promotion Fund to promote Indian Films in International Film Festivals: Venkaiah Naidu

This initiative would help independent filmmakers to promote their work across the globe.

The Government efforts to project India as a soft power and Filming Destination has been a win-win situation so far, in terms of attracting global stakeholders from various quarters of film industry to India as well as Indian films, expertise and talent being accepted globally at international festivals.

The Minister stated this here today while addressing the curtain raiser Press Conference for IFFI 2016.

Francis D’Souza, Deputy Chief Minister of Goa, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State for I&B, Cho Hyun, Ambassador Republic of Korea and Ajay Mittal, Secretary I&B were also present on the occasion.

Naidu further mentioned that the Film Promotion fund would provide financial assistance to the films which would be selected in any competition section of an International Film Festival of repute or being India’s official nomination to the Academy Awards under Foreign Film Category for promotional activities.

Directorate of Film Festivals has been designated as the nodal agency for implementing this initiative based on the recommendations of a panel of experts constituted by the Government.

The Minister further said that IFFI as a platform would provide encouragement to the film makers who have contributed to the world of cinema through their creations.

It would offer a bouquet of films from all over the world with diverse storylines, narratives and emotions. 

IFFI provides a diverse platform to the film industry to showcase their talent as well as an opportunity to learn from participating countries.

Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State for I&B gave the highlights of the IFFI 2016 along with a brief description of the jury members.

He mentioned that country focus for 47th IFFI would be Republic of Korea and would present the best of Korean Cinema to the world.

He added that a total of 1032 entries were received for IFFI 2016 from across the globe, out of which 194 films from 88 countries have been selected to be screened.

Highlighting the new initiative, Centenary Award for Best Debut Feature of a Director, Col. Rathore said that IFFI would recognize young talent under this new competition section.

This section would showcase some of the outstanding directorial debuts of 2016 from across the world of cinema.

The winner would be honoured with a Silver Peacock and a cash price of rupees ten lakhs.

Cho Hyun, Ambassador Republic of Korea representing the partner country for IFFI 2016 said that, IFFI 2016 would enhance the cultural partnership between the two nations.

M.Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Shri Francis D’Souza, Deputy Chief Minister of Goa along with other dignitaries present also released the official poster for 47th edition of IFFI.

There would be 15 films from across the globe, including two Indian films from Indian Panorama section in the International Competition Section.  Under the section ‘International Competition’, awards will be given for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor – Male, Best Actor – Female and Special Jury Award. This year, the festival line-up included 26 Asian and 108 Indian Premieres in the International Cinema section.

IFFI 2016 in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT), Paris and UNESCO would also present the “ICFT- UNESCO Gandhi Medal” to a film, which reflects the ideals of peace, tolerance and non-violence.

The 47th edition of IFFI would honour internationally acclaimed Korean Writer and Director Im Kwon Taek (Im  Kwa Teek) with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ and a cash price of Rs. 10 lacs.

In his career span of five decades, he has directed more than 100 films and has been honoured with a number of awards, including Best Director Award at Cannes Film Festival, 2002 for his movie Chihwaseon (chhih-wasaion) .

The festival would honour award winning and acclaimed singer, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, with the Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year 2016, for his contribution to Indian Cinema.

He holds the record in the Guinness Book for singing and recording more than 40,000 songs and has won the National Award six times

He was honoured with the Padma Shri (2001) and Padma Bhushan (2011) by the Government of India. This year, Mr Balasubrahmanyam has completed five decades in the film industry.

The opening film of the festival would be the grand masterpiece, After-Image, a creation of veteran writer and director, late. Andrzej Wajda (andre wajda).

This movie is a passionate biopic about avant-garde painter Wladyslaw Strzeminski (Wlady-slaw Strz-aim-inski).

The closing film or 47th IFFI would be the South Korean official entry for the Academy Awards, The Age of Shadows, directed by Kim Jee Woon.

Indian actor, director and producer Ajay Devgn, would be the Chief Guest for the opening ceremony. He is a two time National Award winning actor and has been honoured with the Padma Shri by the Govt. of India.

The National award winning Director S.S Rajamouli, would be the chief guest at the closing ceremony. He is known for scripting epic dramas and bringing them alive on the big screen. He has huge contribution to the field of VFX and special effects in Indian Cinema.

The International Jury for IFFI 2016

Ivan Passer (ivan passer)- Chairperson (Czech Republic, USA) - internationally acclaimed Writer and Director, he is a significant figure in the Czech New Wave of the mid-1960s and collaborated as a writer with legendary filmmaker Milos Forman (Miloš Forman ) in Oscar nominated films, A loves of a blonde (1965) and Fireman’s blonde (1967). He has received Special Prize for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Larry Smith - Member (UK) - internationally acclaimed Cinematographer and Director, best known for his collaborations with director Nicolas Winding Refn and Stanley Kubrick..

Lordan Zafranovic (lordan zafra-novich) - Member (Croatia) - internationally acclaimed Writer and Director. His most important work is the cult film Occupation in 26 Pictures (1978). Zafranović has been praised as "one of the great masters of modernism. He started his feature film career by directing film, Sunday (1969). His documentaries Eyes of Beijing (2003) and China’s Terracotta Warriors (2003) won awards for best director at the Belgrade Festival of Documentary and short film. Documentary and experimental film Symphony of the Heaven City (2004) won the UNESCO Prize for the best documentary in 2004

Nagesh Kukunoor - Member (India) - Internationally acclaimed filmmaker from India, Kukunoor is known for his narrative style and distinct scripts. Hyderabad Blues 1&2, Rockford, Iqbal and Dor are some of his most acclaimed films.

Leila Kilani (Laila Kilani) - Member (Morocco) - She is a director and writer, known for Sur La Planche (2011), Tangier, the Burners' Dream (2003), Our Forbidden Places (2008).

IFFI 2016 would also organize a special tribute section in the memory of Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda (andre wajda) and Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami (abbaas kirastomi) , who passed away this year.

The 47th edition of IFFI would screen three films for specially-abled children with special audio described technology under the Accessible India Campaign/ Sugamaya Bharat Abhiyan.

This screening would take place in collaboration with UNESCO and Saksham.

Inspired by the Government’s Clean India Drive, IFFI 2016 will showcase a special package of 20 award winning short films based on the Swachh Bharat theme.

These 20 films were short listed from 4,346 entries and awarded at the ‘Swachh Bharat Film Festival’ organized by National Film Development Corporation on 2nd October in New Delhi.

The 47th edition of the International Film Festival of India would commence from Nov 20, 2016 to Nov 28, 2016. 

The film festival besides showcasing films from across the globe would also bring interactive sessions, workshops and informative classes from global masters of the art in Direction, Documentary film making, Editing, Art Direction, Cinematography, VFX & Animation and Action Direction.