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Tag: 52nd IFFI

  • We want to make India a powerhouse of content creation: I&B minister Anurag Thakur

    We want to make India a powerhouse of content creation: I&B minister Anurag Thakur

    Mumbai: Terming India as the world’s largest filmmaker, union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur said a lot needs to be done to make India a powerhouse of content creation in the world.

    Addressing the closing ceremony of the 52nd edition of the International Film Festival of India on Sunday, the union minister said there was also a need to scale up regional festivals. “We want to make India the post-production hub of the world by leveraging immense tech talent of youth. We want to make India the destination for films and festivals, we want to make India the hub of world cinema, and the most favoured place for storytellers.”

    Thakur said the government is committed to strengthening the National Film Development Council (NFDC). “Through this, you will get the opportunity to make even such films which are doubtful of giving a financial return, we will work together to showcase India’s culture and tradition across the world.”

    The minister also invited the global community to come and shoot films in India. “Please come and shoot films in India. The Film Facilitation Office will facilitate you with all help you need, from one state to another.” Speaking about the upcoming film city in Uttar Pradesh, the minister said that the state is coming up with a 1000-acre film city. “They are just waiting for the right people to come and invest in.”

    Keeping up with the winds of change, the latest edition of IFFI also saw the historic participation of all major OTT platforms such as Netflix, and Amazon Prime through exclusive Masterclasses, content launches and previews, curated film package screenings, and various other on-ground and virtual events. The participation of OTT platforms is set to become a regular feature in future.

    “More than 50 films were screened simultaneously on OTT platforms. 10 Master classes and In-Conversation sessions were organised in collaboration with OTT platforms,” said Thakur. “IFFI has embraced new technologies, platform choices of audiences and has kept pace with changing times. We have also showcased the best films from BRICS nations and we hope that this partnership blossoms further.”

    The 52nd IFFI presented a diverse catalogue of more than 148 foreign films drawn from 73 countries, and witnessed 12 world premieres, seven international premieres, 24 Asia premiers and 74 India premieres. 75 Indian films were screened, 17 of them specially selected under India @75 Section. As many as 10,000 delegates from across the world, including filmmakers, students and cine enthusiasts participated in a hybrid format. There were 234 screenings in which nearly 450 hours of movies were screened. Total hours watched online comes to a whopping 30,000 plus hours.

    Hungarian filmmaker Istevan Szabo and Hollywood filmmaker Martin Scorsese received the coveted Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award. Noted lyricist Prasoon Joshi and actor Hema Malini were awarded with Indian Film Personality of the Year Award.

    “The next edition of IFFI will be held next year at the same time and place as that of this edition, i.e., during November 20 – 28, 2022 in Goa,” said the union minister.

  • In a first, major OTT platforms to participate in IFFI

    In a first, major OTT platforms to participate in IFFI

    Mumbai: The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will see participation from major OTT platforms, for the first time in its history. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, SonyLIV, and Voot will participate at IFFI that is being held in Goa starting 20 November.

    The festival will offer exclusive masterclasses, content launches, previews, and much more. The 52nd edition of IFFI will be held in hybrid format considering the present Covid-19 situation.

    Netflix has organised a three-day virtual masterclass by the Paris-based renowned school of image and arts, Gobelins – School L’image. It facilitated the India premiere of the film “The Power Of The Dog” by Jane Campion, a special screening of the film “Dhamaka” including an introduction of the film by Karthik Aryan and a preview of the first episode of its upcoming crime thriller series “Aranyak” starring Raveena Tandon and Ashutosh Rana. SonyLIV is organising a masterclass by “Scam 1992” screenplay writers Sumit Purohit and Saurav Dey.

    The union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur announced that actor and member of parliament from Mathura Uttar Pradesh Hema Malini and lyricist and chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Prasoon Joshi will be conferred the Indian film personality of the year award 2021 at the festival.

    IFFI will feature 148 films from about 73 countries in the international section. The festival will have about 12 world premieres, about 7 international premieres, 26 Asia premieres, and about 64 India premieres. IFFI received 624 films from 95 countries this time, up from 69 countries in the previous edition.

    Global cinematic giants Martin Scorsese and Istevan Szabo are being honoured with the first Satyajit Ray lifetime achievement award. They will not be attending the festival physically but their video messages conveying acceptance of the award will be played.

    The opening feature film of Indian Panorama 2021 is the film “Semkhor,” directed by Aimee Baruah. This is the first-ever film made in Dimasa (dialect from Assam) to be featured at IFFI. “The Visionary” (English) directed by Shri Rajiv Parkash is the opening non-feature film in the Indian Panorama section. “The King of all the World” (El Rey de Todo El Mundo) directed by Carlos Saura will be the opening film and this will also be the film’s international premiere. IFFI 52 will come to a close with the screening of Asghar Farhadi’s “A Hero,” which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

    There will be about 18 specially curated films presented as part of the ongoing celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The festival director informed that the international jury chaired by the Iranian filmmaker Rakhshān Banietemad is coming to attend the festival. The BRICS Film Festival is being held on the sidelines of IFFI for the first time. There will be a special package presenting films from the five countries.

    The 52nd edition of IFFI is paying homage to the prominent Kannada film actor Puneet Rajkumar and iconic James Bond actor Sir Sean Connery.

    IFFI will open with a star-studded inaugural ceremony, featuring Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Shraddha Kapoor, amongst others. Karan Johar and Manish Paul will host the event.