Journalism of Courage
Film students look forward to the countrys maiden national students film festival.
This year marks the 100 years of Indian cinema,a journey from the silent Dadasaheb Phalke movies to the hi-tech films of today. Here in Pune,where the countrys cinematic journey began with Phalke,the celebrations have carried on with the National Film Archives of India and Pune International Film Festival paying marking the occasion through special screenings. Now,its the turn of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to mark the occasion with Indias first-ever national festival and awards competition solely for students films.
Another promising entry is Kachho Gadulo,a DSK Supinfocom graduate film,which has also won many domestic and international awards. Apart from winning an award for the Best Animated Short Film at the Pune International Film Festival,the film has also won the Best Film and the Audience Choice awards at International Broke Students Film Festival in the US. Kachho Gadulo is the story of a man who teaches his grandson about the ways of life,his country and its culture through a board game. FTII is known for its student films and a festival organised by it will give a proper and credible dais to films by students in the country, he says. While the final lists of selected films and awards are still not out,students are thrilled at the prospect of a film fest organised especially for them.
The festival is jointly organised by FTII,the Directorate of Film Festivals,Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. The event will be hosted at FTII campus,where the films will be screened and a multi-tier jury will select the winning films and announce them at the end of the fest. Apart from the screenings and award ceremony,the festival will also include workshops,discussions and seminars.
