Six Day Centenary Film Festival Commences at New Delhi

Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Shri Manish Tewari has said that the Government would make all possible efforts to make India a major International Filming Destination. The Ministry had taken certain concrete steps to put in place a mechanism which would facilitate International as well as domestic film producers. The single window mechanism constituted through the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Promotion and Facilitation of Film Production in India would ensure the removal of all possible hurdles and lay down a timeline for different agencies involved for granting clearances for film shooting in India. In order to encourage film makers from different streams the filming of feature films, short films and TV programmes had been included in the ambit of the Inter-Ministerial Committee. Shri Tewari stated this while speaking at the launch of 6 day Centenary Film Festival here today. Elaborating further, Shri Tewari said that the Government was committed in restoring the rich legacy of Indian cinema and for this purpose the National Film Heritage Mission had been launched to conserve, restore and preserve the rich heritage. The Minister further mentioned that the Ministry looked forward to the recommendations of the Justice Mudgal Committee which had been constituted to identify the contemporary requirements of film certification. Regarding the Festival, he stated that the objective was to take India’s rich film heritage to the common people and facilitate the screening of classic masterpieces by famous Indian Directors. The Minister further stated that the Indian Cinema had a unique and unmatched identity. The medium had undertaken a technological leap from the black and white silent era films to 3D. Cinema over 100 years had captured different moods and phases of development of India as a Nation in a subtle yet realistic manner. It had proved to be an extremely powerful medium in the journey of reflecting aspirations and dreams of its people through a journey of love and hope. On the occasion, Shri Tewari inaugurated the Indian cinema 100 (celebrating a century: an audio visual voyage) exhibition. This exhibition has been specially conceived and curated by the Films Division which aims to familiarize the visitor with some vintage artefacts, cinema equipment including cameras, sound-recording and editing machines and lighting equipment. An actual Tent / Tambu Cinema for experiencing the early twentieth century way of viewing was also arranged at the main foyer of the auditorium. The exhibition is expected to set the visitor on a fascinating audio-visual journey through 30 large-sized panels with visual and moving picture narratives, in addition to interactive audio-song and informative touch-screen consoles. The highlight of the inaugural programme was the unique screening of silent film "Throw of Dice' with LIVE musical orchestra by maestro Nishat Khan. The festival is being celebrated in Siri Fort auditorium in Delhi, as well in venues such as Jamia Milia University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and India Habitat Center. The six day extravaganza will include screenings of some classics as well as contemporary Indian films by master directors such as Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Shyam Benegal, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and their ilk, as also pay tribute to some beloved actors of popular Indian cinema who are no more, such as Balraj Sahni, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna ,among others. Films being screened represent a sprinkling of various flavours of Indian cinema from major film producing regions of the country. Eminent film makers and actors are being invited to interact with the audiences over the course of the six day festival. Entry to the screenings, exhibition and panel discussions is free to all. A special Satyajit Ray retrospective and display of artwork of Ray, pays homage to one of the best known ambassadors of Indian cinema. Films Division, whose documentaries have captured on celluloid post Independent India in all its myriad perspectives, will showcase some gems out of its rich archive, such as news reels documentaries, shorts, featurettes and animation films on a myriad of subjects. “Cut-Uncut “,a three day workshop conceived and being executed by members of the CBFC (Censor Board) would showcase the growth and evolution of censorship in Indian cinema, through workshops and insightful panel discussions. A Play on the life and times of Dadasaheb Phalke by Aamir Raza Hussain would mark the end of the festival in Siri Fort on 30th April 2013.