IFFI to open with
Cannes winner
PIB (New Delhi)
15 November 2007
The Palme D’ OR winner of Cannes 2007- titled 4 months,
3 weeks & 2 day would be the opening film at the 38thInternational
Film Festival of India – 2007.
Shahurkh Khan will oepn the IFFI in Panaji in the presence
of Information & Broadcasting minster Priyranjan Dasmunsi
and Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat.
Addressing a press conference in this regard in the national
capaital, Neelam Kapur, Director of DFF said the inaugural
lamp will be lit with the assistance of Priyamani, the rising
star of southern cinema.
The Director of the opening film Mr. Cristian Mungiu and
the main actress, Anamaria Marinca would also be present at
the inaugural ceremony.
Besides, there would be other foreign delegates representing
various international film festivals from Netherlands, China,
Poland and Mexico. A major delegation from Poland and China
will also be present.
According to Ms Kapur, the Indian Panorama section would
present a bouquet of 36 films, 21 features and 15 non-feature
films. The package is a mixed bag with stalwarts like Budhadeb
Dasgupta and Adoor Gopalakrishnan presenting two films each.
The section would also have Ami Iyasin Aar Amaar Madhubala
(The Voueurs- Feature) and Naushad Ali- the Melody continues
(Non Feature) by Budhadeb Dasgupta and Naalu Penunungal (Four
Women- Feature) and The Dance of the Enchantress (Non Feature)
by Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
The debut directors like Sameer Hanchante, Samir Chanda,
and Bhavna Talwar would present their films Gafla (Scam),
Ek Nadir Galpo (Tale of a river), and Dharm respectively at
the festival.
The Festival Director said, a specialized competition for
feature films by Asian, African and Latin American Directors
is being organized. Films produced after First September 2006
are eligible for the entry. Fourteen films have been selected
from 13 countries for the competition.
The Competition Jury is headed by the eminent award winning
film maker from Hungary Marta Mazaros, who has directed more
than 60 films in her film career and has won awards in Cannes/Berlin/Venice
and San Sebastian Intl Film Festivals.
Other members of the Jury are, Meltem Cumbul a young leading
actress from Turkey; Shaji N Karun, Cinematographer, Film
Director and Script writer from Kerala; a noted Argentinian
film director Pablo Cesar, who has won awards in the Montreal
Intl Film Festival and National awards in Argentina and Robert
Sarkies, a young film maker from New Zealand.
The Director said a special section celebrating 60 years
of India’s independence, India @ 60, would showcase seven
patriotic films including three feature and four documentaries.
Nandini Paliwal, the CEO of Entertainment Society of Goa,
informed that theatre facilities are being significantly upgraded
and increased for IFFI this year.
This year nine theatres with a total seating capacity of
3026 would be part of the Festival complex as compared to
five theatres with a total seating capacity of 2200 last year.
This will ease considerably the pressure on theatres and reduce
the queues witnessed last year.
The theatres are, Inox Multiplex (4 screens), Kala Academy
(2 screens), Ashok & Samrat (2 screens). Two new screens
are being added in Maquinez Palace, which have the capacity
to be looped. She also said that a state of the art media
centre has been set up in the same compound.
By resitricting delegate registration to only online facility,
nearly 2700 applications have already been approved. These
include 1200 from Goa. The last date for applying for delegate
registration is 20th November.
To avoid long queues at the theatre, a system of booking
of tickets in advance has been introduced this time. Tickets,
which are free of cost to the delegates, can be booked 3 days
in advance. This will help the delegates in choosing the films
of their choice and ensure seats in the theatre. 16 booths
will be provided at the festival premises for booking tickets.
There will be real time display on TV screens around the
venue to know about the status of availability of seats for
each screening.
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