45th International Film Festival of India 2014

The 45^th International Film Festival of India is organized by the IFFI Secretariat under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, Directorate of Film Festivals in collaboration with the Government of Goa and the Indian Film Industry. The festival brings cinema from around the world to the country and presents a boutique of contemporary and classic cinema from India to the world, through a variety of film screening programmes, academic sessions and cultural exchange programmes. It is based on the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the whole world is one family). The festival will feature the best of world cinema touching upon nuances of emerging trends in the world of cinema.  This cultural exchange of sensibilities and perspectives, take Indian cinematic sensibilities across the continents. IFFI 2014 would provide opportunities to showcase the variety of the festival in its various formats to facilitate international co-operation in the film sector. China would be the focus country for the festival and the first meeting of the “Indo-China Joint Working Group” would be held on the sidelines of the festival. This partnership provided a platform for opening new avenues for film makers from both the countries by sharing best practices and technologies. Shri Amitabh Bachchan would be the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony of IFFI scheduled to be held on 20th November 2014.  Shri Rajnikant, popular Tamil actor would be bestowed with Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year and Chinese Film maker Wong KarWai would receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

HIGHLIGHTS
            IFFI 2014 would screen 179 films from 75 countries across different categories which include World Cinema (61 films), Master-strokes (11 films), Festival Kaleidoscope (20 films), Soul of Asia (7 films), Documentaries (6 films), Animated Films (6 films). Besides, Indian Panorama section would include 41 Feature and Non-Feature Films. North-East being the focus region of the festival, IFFI 2014 would be showcasing 7 films from North Eastern part of India. Regional cinema would also be an integral part of the festival. Retrospective sections on Gulzar and JahnuBaruah, Special Homage films on Richard Attenborough, Robin Williams, ZohraSehgal, Suchitra Sen, and special tribute to Farooq Sheikh would be other attractions of this year’s film festival. A special section of films that focus on dance, personality based retrospectives, and Master classes, workshops would also form a part of IFFI 2014. 

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

            The first edition of IFFI was organized by the Films Division, Government of India, with the patronage of the first Prime Minister of India was held in Mumbai from 24 January to 1 February 1952. The Festival was subsequently taken to Madras, Delhi and Calcutta. In all it had about 40 features and 100 short films. In Delhi, the IFFI was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 21 February 1952. Since its beginnings in 1952 the IFFI has been the biggest event of its type in India. Subsequent IFFI’s were held in New Delhi. From the 3rd edition in January 1965, IFFI’s became competitive. In 1975 the Filmotsav was introduced and was later merged in IFFI’s. In 2004 the IFFI was moved to Goa. Since then the IFFI has been an annual event and competitive nature. Goa is permanent venue for IFFI.

The IFFI aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excellence of the film art; contributing to the understanding and appreciation of film cultures of different nations in the context of their social and cultural ethos; and promoting friendship and cooperation among people of the world. The IFFI’s founding principles centre on discovery, promotion and support of filmmaking of all genres – thus bringing together the diversity of the forms, aesthetics and contents. The Festival is an assembly of people and nations where the world’s greatest film artistes hold hands with emerging talents on an equal footing. It is also a forum for film professionals to communicate face to face with film lovers around the world. IFFI aims to nurture, encourage and inspire Indian cinema and introduce it to the world outside as well as the many audiences that coexist in this vast and diverse country. With rapid technology changes, the importance of this festival will only grow as it will bring viewers and filmmakers together and expose them to emerging technologies and the challenges of the emerging new and social media. New interactions are envisaged; new strategies would be formulated so that with each edition of the IFFI, the viewing experience is enhanced, enlarged and enriched.

DIRECTORATE OF FILM FESTIVALS 

Directorate of Film Festivals organizes the Film Festivals at home and abroad. The Directorate of Film Festivals was set up under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1973 with the prime objective of promoting good cinema. This is undertaken by organizing a range of activities under many broad categories. The main categories are The International Film Festival of India, The National Film awards and the Dada Saheb Phalke Awards, Cultural exchange programmes and organizing screening of Indian films through the missions abroad, the selection of Indian panorama, participation in international film festivals abroad, special film expositions on behalf of Government of India and print collection and documentations. These activities provide a unique platform for exchange of ideas, culture and experiences between India and other world nations in field of cinema.

THE CENTRAL BOARD OF FILM CERTIFICATION (CBFC)   

 The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), set up under the Cinematographer Act, 1952, certifies films for public exhibitions in India. It consists of a Chairperson and twenty- five other non-official members. The board has its headquarters at Mumbai and nine regional offices. The regional offices are assisted in examination of films by advisory panels consisting of persons from different walks of life.

THE FILMS DIVISION 

The Films Division was constituted in January 1948 by rechristening the erstwhile Information Films of India and the Indian News Parade set up in 1943, primarily for war coverage. The Cinematography Act of 1918 was Indianised in 1952 which made the screening of documentary films compulsory through out the country. Since 1949, Films Division has been releasing a documentary or news-based or an animation films every single Friday for the theatres spread across the country, in 15 national languages.  The aim and objective of the Film Shows focuses on national perspectives (to provide largest publicity platforms to the Plans, Policies, Programmes and Projects of the Government envisaged for the development of the masses), to educate and motivate people in the implementation of national programmes and to project the image of the land and the heritage of the country to Indian and foreign audiences. These film shows are one of the essentials of Films Division. The Film Division of India is undertaking the Digitization and Web Casting of films. Over a period of 60 years, Films Division has became a treasure trove of national history with a collection of more than 8100 films including archival footage, News Reel, New Magazine Documentary, Animation and Short films. Since the filmic materials are fragile and ephemeral, they start decomposing if not stored under ideal condition. Thus, a plan scheme called “Web casting and Digitization of Films Division Films” was envisaged for protection and storation of filmic materials. Films are kept in duly digitalized formats through Telecine Machine after which they will be stored on High Definition Tapes on DG Beta, which are latest technique in the world. Thereafter, Films Division has classified three broad groups, viz. Most precious and precious films are being transferred on High Definition tapes and normal films are being transferred on DG Beta. After Telecine transfer and restoration, films are being authored in DVDs/VCDs for regular use.

THE NATIONAL FILM ARCHIVES OF INDIA            

 The National Film Archives of India in Pune is a rich repository of Indian films. The importance of preserving cinema as an art and historical document has been recognized all over the world. The task of preserving cinema in all its varied expressions and forms is best entrusted to the national organization having adequate resources, a permanent set-up and the confidence of film industry. The National Film Archives of India was established as an independent media unit under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in February 1964. The aim of National Film Archive of India is to trace, acquire and preserve the heritage of national cinema for posterity and to build up a representative collection of World Cinema. The major functions of this organization are to classify and document data related to film, undertake and encourage research on cinema, their publication and distribution. It also acts as a centre for dissemination of film culture in the country and to ensure the cultural presence of Indian Cinema abroad.

THE NATIONAL FILM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED (NFDC)

The National Films Development Corporation Limited (NFDC), incorporated in 1975, (100 per cent owned by GOI body) was formed by the Government of India with the primary objective of planning and promoting an organized, efficient and integrated development of Indian Film Industry. In recognition of the need for a body that could facilitate the growth of Indian film industry, the Government of India merged the Film Finance Corporation (FFC) and Indian Picture Export Corporation (IMPEC) into NFDC. The NFDC has so far funded and produced over 200 films. These films, in various Indian languages, have been widely acclaimed and have won many national and international awards. 

OPENING AND CLOSING FILMS

Chinese film actress, Zhang Ziyi, Swedish film maker, Jan Troell, and Poland film maker, Krzysztof Zanussi would be the Guests of Honour. The President directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf (Iran) will be the opening film and The Grandmaster by Wong KarWai (China) would be the closing film of the festival. 

CENTENARY OF INDIAN CINEMA    

            In the centenary of Indian Cinema a special Website was launched on 13.7.2012 with the intention to invite the articles from general public. In order to commemorate, the Indian Cinema Centenary, the first Centenary film festival at state capitals was held with the Government of Puducherry from 24-26 August 2012. In order to commemorate the Centenary of Indian Cinema, NFAI released a DVD of three Indian silent films on 31.8.2012 with specially composed music of the two surviving reels of “Raja Harishchandra” (1913), DG Phalke’s master piece “Kaliya Mardan” (1919) and an excellent comedy film “Jamai Babu” (1931) by Kaliapada Das which is the only Bengali silent film available.

            The Film Institute of India was set up by the Government of India in 1960 under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Following the addition of Television wing in 1974. The Institute was redesigned as Film and Television Institute of India. The Institute became a Society in October 1974 under the Registration of Societies Act 1860. The Society consists of eminent personalities connected with Film, Television, Communication, Culture, Alumni of Institute and Ex-Officio Government members. The Institute is Government by Governing Council, headed by a Chairman. The Film wing and the TV Wing and offers courses in both Film and Television. The three-year Diploma Courses lead to a Post Graduate Diploma in Film Direction, cinematography, Audiography and Film Editing. The Institute also offers a two-year Post Graduate Diploma Course in Acting. Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SFRTI), Kolkata was established by the Government of India as an autonomous educational institute under the administrative control of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and was registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act 1961. Located at Kolkata and named after legendary film maestro Satyajit Ray, SFRTI is the second national level film training institute. The institute offers three-year post-graduate diploma courses in Direction and Screenplay Writing, Cinematography, Editing and Audiography.