326 Films from 76 Countries To Be Screened During 44th IFFI, GOA Susan Sarandon to be Chief Guest: Jiri Menzel Gets Lifetime Achievement Award

The Director, International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Shri Shankar Mohan addressing a curtain raiser press conference, at Panaji, Goa

On the eve of the 44th Film Festival of India briefing the media persons here today , Shri Shankar Mohan, Director, Film Festival said the Lifetime Achievement Award and Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year will be conferred by Shri Manish Tiwari , Minister for Information and Broadcasting at the inaugural function. Shri Mohan informed Susan Sarandon will be the be Chief Guest. While Jiri Menzel (Czech) gets Lifetime Achievement Award, renowned Indian actress Waheeda Rehman will be conferred with the first Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year 2013. He said a conscious effort has been made to upgrade the level of the festival every year. At the 44th edition of the IFFI 326 films from 76 countries will be screened including fifteen Oscar – nominees. The opening will be marked by a 30 minute cultural show graced by the performance of renowned Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj. Rajat Kapoor and Suhasini Maniratnam will compere the opening ceremony. Underlining the necessity of a vibrant dialogue between the film makers and cine goers, Shri Shankar Mohan said the festival would have more interactive sessions this year. The participation of films on digital platform this year is as high as 80% in comparison to 50% last year, he added. An eminent painter from Assam, Pulak Gogoi is the designer to give colour, design and theme to the festival this year. Many new things have been introduced in 44th edition of the IFFI. These include - 

-To have an International personality as the Chief Guest 

- Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year introduced this year 

-Catalogues on CDs for the first time for the benefit of media 

- Fifteen Oscar- nominees to be screened in a single edition of the festival 

- To commemorate Indian Cinema entering 101st year, Centenary Award for a film introduced. The award will be given at the end of the Festival to the film selected from among 9 films from three sections, Cinema of the World, Indian Panorama and Competition Section. 

Speaking on the occasion Shri Arvind Bugde, CEO, Entertainment Society of Goa informed about the effort being made by the Goa Government to make the experience of participants memorable. 

Courtesy: Press Information Bureau (pib.nic.in)