Children’s film festival - 200 films to be screened, Nov 22 to 26

Children’s film festival - 200 films to be screened, Nov 22 to 26

Mangalore Today News Network

_{Mangaluru, Sep 24, 2015 :  Speaking at a preparatory meeting in the City Sept 23,   Festival director Nanjundegowda said that the 10th edition of the Children’s India International Children’s Film Festival (CIICFF) will be held in the City from November 22 to 26, about 200 films from 45 countries will be screened during the festival.}

<sub>He said that, for the first time in 10 years, a film festival was being organised outside the State Capital. The initiative included a public screening on beaches, as a means to attract greater audience. The government had, earlier, granted a subsidy of Rs five lakh, for children’s films. Since 2005, however, the subsidy has been increased to Rs 25 lakh. With the hike in subsidy, the number of children’s movies produced in Karnataka too has increased.

The film festival will include interaction with delegates from other countries and children as well as an animation and a film workshop. Cultural programmes and the visits by celebrities will be the highlights of the festival in the evening. There will also be a screening of a wide range of movies - from feature to live-action, animation, documentary, short films as well as child-produced works. One section of the festival will focus on films made by children, said Nanjundegowda.

The event will involve a jury from the International Centre of Films for Children and Young People giving away the awards. There will be awards for best film, best director, best child artiste, best animation, best short film, best Indian film, and jury’s choice. There will also be a special award by the CIICFF, he said, adding that parents too could accompany children and participate in the discussion at the festival.

Different committees, including organisation, festival, reception, school, transport and others have to be formed to conduct the festival efficiently.   DK DC Adoor B Ibrahim asked about the budget, Gowda said that the estimated expenditure to conduct the festival would be Rs 60 lakh to Rs 70 lakh.

Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes said that the film festival would provide a platform to bridge the local talent with that of the children from other countries. University College retired professor Satyanarayana Mallipattana said that movies should be screened for the general public in the evening.   Yathish Baikampady said that movies could be screened on beaches during weekends, as a large number of people visit the beaches.  District-in-Charge Minister Ramanath Rai was present.</sub>