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Tag: films

  • Need to integrate the spirit of nation-building in each citizen: I&B minister

    Need to integrate the spirit of nation-building in each citizen: I&B minister

    New Delhi: “India is a pivotal power in Asia and as a member of the BRICS consortium, we would like to play a crucial role to strengthen ties between the member countries” said union minister of Information and broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur.

    Thakur was addressing the virtual inaugural of ‘BRICS Film Technology Symposium’, being organised by FICCI, jointly with the ministry of I&B and FTII, here on Wednesday. “India takes pride in organising the first-ever BRICS Film Technology Symposium as a part of the special event planned in the run-up to the BRICS summit to be held in India,” he said.

    According to the minister, the focus of the BRICS Film Technology symposium is to acknowledge the service sector and technicians working for the film industry. “I am sure the symposium will create opportunities for the working professionals in the field of film technology of all BRICS nations to explore the world of cinema with a new perspective and vision,” said Thakur, highlighting the need to win the hearts and minds of the people from all BRICS nations. “A film symposium is an event which brings together one and all through the medium of cinema technology.”

    “Organising the first-ever BRICS Film Technology Symposium is a step in this direction to bring the people from all member states together. Through the medium of films, art and culture we have also opened avenues for cooperation which will be supporting development and growth in the film business,” he added.

    The two-day symposium intends to form partnerships and provide a platform for technological companies and organisations promoting films and bring the film community together for better communication, cooperation and collaboration.

    “BRICS countries are significant players in the field of VFX animation, computer-generated imagery, and media outsourcing. There is a great potential for collaborating with each other to enhance the technology in film production and cinematic experiences for the world of entertainment. The BRICS Film Festival which we will be organising along with the 52nd International Film Festival of India will provide us another opportunity to interact and share the best of our Cinemas,” said MIB secretary, Apurva Chandra.

    The event is spread over two days with sessions conducted by eminent speakers from all the BRICS countries. A virtual exhibition is being held as well.

  • 52nd edition of IFFI calls for entries for Indian Panorama

    52nd edition of IFFI calls for entries for Indian Panorama

    New Delhi: The 52nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has announced a call for entries for Indian Panorama, 2021. Indian Panorama is a flagship component of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) under which the best of contemporary Indian films are selected for the promotion of film art.

    The 52nd edition of IFFI will be held in Goa from 20 to 28 November.

    The last date to submit applications online is 12 August and the last date of the receipt of the hard copy of the online submitted application, along with other requisite documents is 23 August. A set of guidelines have to be followed while submitting films for the 2021 Indian Panorama, said the organisers on Monday.

    The date of CBFC or completion of production of the submitted film should be during the last 12 months preceding the festival – 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021. Films not certified by CBFC and produced within this period can also be submitted. All films must carry English subtitles.

    Indian Panorama was introduced in 1978 as part of the International Film Festival of India to promote Indian Films and its rich culture and heritage through Indian films. The Indian Panorama has ever since been completely devoted to showcasing the best of the Indian films of the year.

    The aim of the Indian Panorama, organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, ministry of information and broadcasting is to select the feature and non-feature films of cinematic, thematic, and aesthetic excellence, for the promotion of film art through the non-profit screening of these films in international film festivals in India and abroad, Indian Film Weeks held under Bilateral Cultural Exchange Programmes and Specialised Indian Film Festivals outside cultural exchange protocols, and special Indian Panorama festivals in India.

  • Netflix eyes foray into video gaming, hires former Facebook exec as gaming VP

    Netflix eyes foray into video gaming, hires former Facebook exec as gaming VP

    New Delhi: Netflix is finally making the big move. Even as media conglomerates across the world slug it out to challenge its dominance in the streaming space, the US giant is gearing up for its next step. According to reports, Netflix is planning to expand beyond its traditional streaming business, and make its foray into video gaming.

    On Wednesday, Netflix hired former Facebook, vice president, Mike Verdu, as VP of game development to lead its video games unit, reported Bloomberg. Verdu was previously Facebook’s vice president in charge of working with developers to bring games and other content to Oculus virtual-reality headsets.

    He has previously served as senior vice president of EA mobile, president of studios and chief creative officer at Kabam, CEO of TapZen, and chief executive officer for Zynga from 2009 to 2012. At Netflix, he will report to chief operating officer Greg Peters.

    The idea is to offer video games on Netflix’s streaming platform within the next year, Bloomberg quoted a person familiar with the situation. According to the report, the games will appear alongside current fare as a new programming genre — similar to what Netflix did with documentaries or stand-up specials.

    The reports suggest Netflix will build its gaming team in the next few months, and it has “already started advertising for game-development related positions on its website”.

    The company now has 208 million paid subscribers across the globe, up from 204 million last quarter, and the latest announcement could be its boldest move yet. The announcement comes at a time, when Netflix is looking at ways to catalyse its growth especially in saturated markets like the US. Analysts contend that the move could also enable the company to justify its price hike in the coming few months.

  • Bob Bakish, ViacomCBS and the streaming war

    New Delhi: Over the last few weeks, a spate of mergers and acquisitions has taken the media and entertainment industry by storm. First WarnerMedia and Discovery, then Amazon and MGM – as the streaming war intensifies, US media giant ViacomCBS is also gearing up for a tough race, building one of the largest and diversified content slates.

    “We have what it takes to succeed in streaming. We spend about $15 billion a year on content, which makes us one of the largest producers of content on the planet. And all of that increasingly feeds our streaming ecosystem,” said ViacomCBS president and CEO, Bob Bakish at the first inaugural TMT Conference held virtually on Monday.

    The short and stocky Bakish said that ViacomCBS is in a good place in the streaming space. Free advertising-supported streaming television (FAST) service Pluto is on course to cross a billion dollars in revenue in 2021, despite all the scoffing from critics, who said he was putting $340 million into a lousy investment two years ago, as it had just 12 million monthly actives and $70 million in revenues then. Today, it has more than 50 million monthly actives and is present in more than 25 markets in the US, and is expected to roll out in more cities and states soon, and internationally thereafter.

    Of course, its Paramount+ (earlier called CBS All Access) premium service added six million new streaming subscribers in the first quarter of 2021, reaching a total of 36 million global streaming subscribers. While Pluto and Paramount+ delivered streaming revenue growth of 65 per cent year-over-year, the company expects the income uptick to accelerate in the second quarter, based on its differentiated strategy and tremendous momentum.

    Bakish is also quite sanguine that the recently launched Paramount+ Essential plan priced at $4.99 (which will show ads to viewers) will help expand its user base as well as give a leg up to advertising revenues going forward. Said he: “..given what we know about elasticity, we feel this lower price point of $4.99 will broaden the addressable market for Paramount+. …it also offers us another opportunity to serve the rapidly growing premium digital ad market… as we look at this product and the dynamics of the ad market, we actually believe analytically that the $4.99 version can generate higher average revenue per user (ARPU) over time than our $9.99 product. So we think that’s tremendously compelling because it – again, it broadens the consumer base and it drives higher ARPU.”

    Streaming is still an early stage media business in general and certainly for ViacomCBS and the company’s strategy is to focus on usage, then revenue. “Right now, we’re building the base”, he said. “The ad growth has increased in the last three quarters and expect another quarter of strong double-digit ad growth in Q2 largely because the demand continues to improve and scatter pricing is really at all-time highs.”

    A proven hit-maker when it comes to content across formats and genres, ViacomCBS has been investing heavily in content. Its content production capability is driving the rapidly growing slate of exclusive originals on Paramount+.

    “We have talked about these numbers even before our capital raise, 36 original series this year, going over 50 next year, a large volume of movies, particularly in ‘22. And its content at that level of quality and scale is ultimately what drives success in streaming. It is an extremely scarce and valuable asset and it is the core of what ViacomCBS is,” averred Bakish.

    ViacomCBS is driving significant subscribers and increasing engagement, but it is also seeing churn come down and the average age comes down materially, according to Bakish. All of those metrics have improved since our Paramount+ launch, he added.

    Sports continue to be an important part of its strategy, which includes the NFL, the SEC on the football side, golf, UEFA, women’s soccer on the European football side. Most recently, it added some incremental international soccer rights. “We just had Paramount+ the UEFA 2021 Champions League Final. It was the most streamed non-NFL sporting event ever for us,” he added.

    Amid the increasing transformation from the linear to the digital side, Bakish said, all of its cable brands have exclusive originals in linear, including events, which supports the value proposition. “We closed multiple deals, including with Comcast, with Verizon, with YouTube, with Hulu. None of these are walk-in-the-park companies,” he added.

    With an incredible slate coming, and many more originals and films ramp up, the entertainment giant is expecting streaming revenue growth to accelerate in Q2 relative to what was posted in Q1 to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney+ in the streaming arena. A part of its ambitious plan is to make Paramount+ available in 45 markets by the end of 2022 and have up to 75 million streaming subscribers globally by 2024. 

    “And in addition to the general market, we are seeing the benefit of truly going to market as a combined company. And that creates a real advantage for us because we have the scale and reach both in high-quality, brand-safe, digital environments and in the linear side. And in addition to that, we have these must-have offerings, the NFL, Primetime, Late Night, tentpoles, diverse audiences. So the ad market is looking very good to us. Our company is connecting with it. Our IQ product is a big part of our strategy, and that combines all our high-quality digital. We’re seeing tremendous growth there,” said the ViacomCBS president.

  • Maharashtra unlock begins; TV, film shoots resume with limited working hours

    New Delhi: After nearly two months of lockdown, Maharashtra is all set to begin easing its strict rules in stages, starting Monday. The film and television industry will also resume shooting, but work in limited hours, as regular shooting will be permitted only after Mumbai gets a grip on the second wave of Covid-19, said chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday.

    As per the state government’s unlock plan, the film, TV shoots are allowed in Mumbai and Thane only for eight hours (till 5 pm) and that too, in a bio-bubble. According to producers, the timings aren’t feasible for the industry, as they require atleast 12 hours and requested the government for relaxation in shoot timings.

    “Permissions for regular film and TV shootings in Mumbai would be given if the city’s daily Covid-19 cases are brought under control,” Thackeray told the representatives of the film and TV industry during a virtual interaction on Sunday.

    One of the worst-affected states, Maharashtra has begun to show a slowdown in the number of new infections over the last week. On Sunday, the total number of daily infections came down to 12,557 which is the lowest in the last three months. The last time the state recorded Covid-19 cases less than 12,000 was on 9 March.

    “After the second wave of Covid-19, film and TV shootings were stopped in the state, but now the number of cases have started getting under control and the unlock process has also begun,” said Thackeray giving a glimmer of hope to the entertainment industry which has been struggling to get back on its feet for almost a year.

    The chief minister also sounded a note of caution and appealed to the industry to cooperate with the government in the unlock process and follow all the safety rules and take adequate precautions while shooting. ‘We should ensure that we do not get knocked down by the virus,’ he said.

    Ever since the restrictions were announced on 14 April, television producers and broadcasters in the state have been struggling to run daily shows and bring fresh content. The Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC) has also been beseeching the Shiv Sena-led government to allow shoots to continue under strict safety protocols.

    With no relief in the restrictions, producers shifted their production set up to other states to continue shooting for shows which are on air. Neighbouring Goa, Silvassa, and Daman became the hotspots for most of these TV shoots, along with Hyderabad, Surat, Rajasthan, and Delhi.

    Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), president B N Tiwari said the work will resume immediately in Mumbai and Thane, and producers who have been shooting outside the city will also return after wrapping up the schedule.

    Meanwhile, the IFTPC has also begun the process of vaccinating over 10,000 workers from the media and entertainment industry, starting 4 June.

    On Sunday, Maharashtra lost 233 lives to the deadly virus and crossed the grim milestone of as many as one lakh deaths due to Covid-19. The case fatality rate now stands at 1.72 per cent for the state, while it is 5.56 per cent in Mumbai.

    Terming the unlock decision as a ‘calculated risk’, the state CM urged people to take care of themselves. “Nothing is going to be eased immediately. Some criteria and levels have been fixed and the local administration will take decisions on whether to ease restrictions and further tighten them,” he said.

    According to the government, the overall process of easing the restrictions will extend across five phases based on the positivity rate and occupancy of beds with medical oxygen. Restaurants, shops selling non-essential items, and public places will reopen from Monday in Mumbai, but malls, theatres, and multiplexes will continue to remain shut. Private offices can function at 50 per cent capacity till 4 pm on working days. Local trains in Mumbai will carry only essential workers, while buses in the city will be allowed to ply full capacity.

    The virtual meeting on Sunday was attended by several prominent actors, anchors, and industry representatives including J D Majethia, Nitin Vaidya, Punit Goenka, Aadesh Bandekar, Prashant Damle, Bharat Jadhav, Subodh Bhave, Amol Kolhe, Amit Behl, Ajay Bhalvankar, Sangamon Shirke, Vijay Kenkre, Sharad Ponkshe, and Siddharth Roy Kapur.

  • Now Showing: Himalayan woman power documentary at IFFLA’s 19th edition

    Now Showing: Himalayan woman power documentary at IFFLA’s 19th edition

    Los Angeles : The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) returns on 20-27 May with a line-up of narrative and documentary features and shorts for the festival’s 19th edition where 40 documentaries, including shorts, will be virtually released. While the festival is geo-focused to California, special India passes will be available to enjoy the film festival by remote.

    “This is a very special year for IFFLA. Taking the festival online has given us the freedom to curate programs we would not have been able to otherwise present in a physical setting. We have (effectively) expanded our reach,” according to Christina Marouda, executive director, who added, “Once you accept the fact of going virtual you start to realize all the new things that you can do, which is very exciting.”

    The IFFLA devotes itself to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, supporting emerging filmmakers and promoting diverse perspectives of the Indian diasporas. The 19th edition of the festival boasts an impressive total of 40 films, including three World, eight North American, five U.S. and 17 Los Angeles premieres, spanning 17 languages and includes the works of 16 women directors.

    IFFLA will open with the Los Angeles premiere of the powerful female-centric film, Fire in the Mountains, the 2021 Sundance-selected debut feature by Ajitpal Singh that immerses the audience into a village amidst the backdrop of the breath-taking beauty of the Himalayan mountains. Marouda said, “It’s a region that you normally don’t get to see in terms of the life and struggles (in the backdrop of its) culture.”

    In addition, Marouda explained, “This film is a great example of what IFFLA is all about. And that is about supporting those new emerging voices that really have something to say with their first feature and we want to support the filmmaker in this journey that is starting for them right now.”

    IFFLA’s closing will similarly showcase, Sthalpuran, (Chronicle of Space) by Akshay Indikar, the Marathi film that has won the hearts of audiences at festivals around the world for its breath-taking, poetic exploration of the inner life of its protagonist, a young boy named Dighu, after being featured at the ‘Berlinale 2020’. “It’s very profound and beautifully shot”, Marouda said of the film. 

    Long-time IFFLA alumni Anurag Kashyap (of Sacred Games and Gangs of Wasseypur fame) will join Indikar in an interactive session that sets up an emergent upcoming independent filmmaker with one of the most celebrated independent filmmakers of our generation.

    In another tweak, aimed at lifting the spirits of the Indian population in these exceptionally dark times, IFFLA will make a section of its line up in the 2021 edition available to audiences in India, with the India Pass that is a novel feature of the festival this year. 

    The India Pass will offer access to 24 films from this year’s line up at the price of Rs. 150 (US $2.00), including six features and 18 shorts. IFFLA has coordinated with an anonymous donor who has underwritten most expenses associated with the pass.

    Selected documentaries for the viewing of India Pass holders will include the Malayalam feature ‘Biriyaani’, along with a powerhouse performance by Kani Kusruti; the poignant Rotterdam selected documentary ‘A Rifle and a Bag’; and the impressive debut feature ‘Aise Hee’ (Just Like That).

    A program curated by the legendary Uma da Cunha and themed, “Childhood on Edge”, which encompasses characters on the cusp of the momentous transformation from childhood to adulthood will be a special attraction at the IFFLA this year. This program includes three diverse features, Bridge, The Tenant, and Vanaja besides one short film, Kanya.

    Among the shorts in the India Pass, highlights include the riveting National Award winning ‘Custody’; a Nagaland-set period drama ‘Angh’, which won a prize at Clermont-Ferrand 2021; the bold and mysterious ‘Catdog’, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes’ la Cinefondation segment; the Gujarati film ‘Anita’, featuring a memorable performance by Aditi Vasudev; the dystopian animated masterwork ‘Wade’, winner at the Annecy Film Festival; the Rotterdam selected ‘Letter From Your Far-Off Country’, whose potent exploration of history, memory and oppression is more relevant than ever; ‘Annual Day’, a striking student debut from the Satyajit Ray Film Institute; the enchanting ‘The Song We Sang’, a riveting story about two young women in the streets of Ahmedabad during the Navratri festival; and ‘For Each Other’, the latest film by Rima Das.

    In addition to the films and their corresponding Q&A sessions with the filmmakers, the India Pass will also give audiences in India access to special panel discussions which include engaging conversations with successful industry executives who navigate the world of film and television development, both in the US and in India.

  • IFFI announces international jury comprising eminent filmmakers

    IFFI announces international jury comprising eminent filmmakers

    NEW DELHI: The 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), to be held in Goa from 16-24 January, has announced its international jury. The panel comprises eminent filmmakers from across the world, like Pablo Cesar (Argentina) as chairman, Prasanna Vithanage (Sri Lanka), Abu Bakr Shawky (Austria), Priyadarshan (India), and Rubaiyat Hossain (Bangladesh).

    Pablo Cesar is an Argentine filmmaker. He has contributed to the African cinema by making the critically acclaimed films, Equinox, the Garden of the Roses, Los dioses de agua and Aphrodite, the Garden of the Perfumes.

    Prasanna Vithanage is a Sri Lankan filmmaker. He is considered one of the pioneers of the third generation of Sri Lankan cinema. He has directed eight feature films including Death on a Full Moon Day (1997), August Sun (2003), Flowers of the Sky (2008) & With You, Without You (2012). His films have won many prestigious national and international awards and also enjoyed commercial success in his country. In Vithanage’s early theatre work, he translated and produced plays by international writers, adapted works of world literature to film. He has battled against censorship in Sri Lanka and worked as an educator of cinema who has conducted many master classes in the subcontinent for young filmmakers and enthusiasts.

    Abu Bakr Shawkyor ‘A.B.’ Shawky is an Egyptian-Austrian writer and director. His first feature film, Yomeddine, was selected to participate in the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it was screened in the main competition section and competed for the Palme d'Or.

    Rubaiyat Hossain is a Bangladeshi film director, writer and producer. She is notable for the films Meherjaan, Under Construction and Made in Bangladesh.

    Priyadarshan is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning over three decades, he has directed more than 95 films in various Indian languages, predominantly in Malayalam and Hindi, while also having done six films in Tamil and two in Telugu.

    A total of 224 films will be screened under different sections at the 51st IFFI, which will be organised in a hybrid format in the wake of the pandemic. Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round, starring actor Mads Mikkelsen, will be the opening film. Japanese historical drama Wife of a Spy, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, will also have its India premiere at the upcoming nine-day film gala.

  • Tamil Nadu allows cinemas to operate at 100% capacity

    Tamil Nadu allows cinemas to operate at 100% capacity

    NEW DELHI: In a big boost to the Tamil film industry, the state government on Monday issued a new directive removing the 50 per cent cap on occupancy in theatres.

    Cinema halls in Tamil Nadu can now operate at 100 per cent capacity while following the standard operating procedures issued by the government. Precautionary measures will also be screened from time to time to spread awareness among the audiences.

    The order comes days after actor Vijay and theatre owners requested chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to allow theatres to function at their full capacity.

    Back in October, the ministry of home affairs had released guidelines wherein film theatres were only allowed to operate with 50 per cent seating capacity to ensure social distancing.

    Tamil Nadu is the first state to allow cinema halls to operate at 100 per cent capacity. The 50 per cent cap, however, still remains in neighbouring states. In fact, only last week, the Kerala government gave its nod to re-open theatres with 50 per cent capacity with Covid-safety protocols in place.

    However, the film industry continues to be hit as no big Bollywood releases are coming to the silver screen.

  • Shekhar Kapur to head Pune-based FTII

    Shekhar Kapur to head Pune-based FTII

    MUMBAI: The Pune-based Film & Television Institute of India (FTII) has appointed veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur as the president &  chairman of the governing council, a position he will hold till  March 2023.

    Information & broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar made the announcement on Twitter. He also stated that that Kapur will add value to the institute.  

     

     

    Kapur, in turn,  thanked the government for the posting. 

     

     

    He replaces BP Singh who was appoiinted president n 2018. Singh is best known as the producer of the long-running Sony TV show CID and was recently appointed by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to its general assembly.

    Several industry stalwarts and organisations gave their thums up to Kapur’s  appointment. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The 75-year old Kapur is well known  both in India and internationally, having been involved with cinema for the past four to five decades. Some of the more critically acclaimed films he has been associated with as a producer or director include:  Mr India, Bandit Queen, Queen Elizabeth, Masoom, and others. This apart, he has been the  host of the TV show Pradhanmantri in 2013.

    FTII is India’s  leading institution for film making.  Started in 1960, the institute, it is situated on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Studios in Pune. It has  produced some of India’s finest film talents and icons. It offers a variety of courses including – direction, screenplay, cinematography, editing, direction, screen acting.

  • Mukta A2 Cinemas enhances hygiene measures in preparation for lockdown end

    Mukta A2 Cinemas enhances hygiene measures in preparation for lockdown end

    MUMBAI: Mukta A2 Cinemas has announced its readiness to resume nationwide operations once the ongoing lockdown comes to an end. In order to guarantee the safety of its patrons, Mukta A2 has further enhanced its existing health & public safety measures across India and ensured that all of its locations are compliant with the enhanced safety and precautions plan for cinemas as per guidelines followed across the globe.

    Under this plan, a series of stringent SOP’s on sanitation for health and public safety norms will be implemented for the first few months of operations upon reopening. The newly implemented mandates include:

    ·   The prioritisation of new standards of hygiene and sanitisation. This will include the disinfection of all areas within a cinema’s premise, including the box office, security area, lobby, restrooms, and food and beverage stands. This measure will further be strengthened by daily deep cleaning and sanitisation of strategic locations within the cinema including auditorium seats.

    ·    The implementation of social distancing norms. This will be achieved through compulsory body temperature checks upon entry to the theatre for all guests, employees, and visitors, making masks mandatory, and the proper demarcation of all queues. Patrons will be encouraged to book tickets, food and beverages online and digital, contactless transactions to maintain social distancing.

    ·   Social distancing will be enforced in auditoriums with Matrix Seating, in line with global cinema standards as per the directives received from the government of India. All entry and exits will be done row-wise and monitored to maintain one metre space between guests during this time.

    ·   All cinema employees will be held to the highest standards of cleanliness, with only medically certified staff, permitted to work. The usage of masks, gloves and the Aarogya Setu app will be mandatory.

    Mukta A2 Cinemas managing director Rahul Puri said, “The spread of the COVID2019 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the world, confining millions of families to their homes. At Mukta A2 Cinemas, we understand the passion and love that people in our country have for cinema and remain confident that they will return to the big screen once operations resume,”

    Puri added, “In order to ensure our patrons a safe and stress-free cinematic experience, we have implemented the health and hygiene guidelines in accordance with Global Standards. With these measures in place, we stand ready to resume business and look forward to welcoming all our guests back at the earliest.”

    Mukta A2 Cinemas business head Sachidanand Shetty said, “We at Mukta A2 Cinemas have always believed that our guests' safety and well-being matter the most to us. Hence, when the current pandemic scenario drastically changed the way we look at the future, Mukta A2 Cinemas has during this downtime period geared up for the new normal hereafter.”

    He further added, “The new normal will consist of proactive measures taken to increase public health & safety by ensuring disinfection, increased pest control, and repetitive sanitation processes along with social distancing will be the action plan for us to move forward. We at Mukta A2 Cinemas pray that all our guests take care of themselves in these trying times and look forward to hosting them once we re-open."