PANAJI
The 52nd edition of the International Film Festival of India got off to grand start with a star-studded line-up of Bollywood actors gracing the occasion at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium, Bambolim on Saturday.
This year’s festival has many firsts associated with it. OTT platforms have been brought on board for the first time, BRICS festival is held alongside IFFI and 75 young creative minds of tomorrow from across India have been recognised during the festival.
Welcoming film lovers to Goa, the Union minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur laid out the roadmap for the future of Indian entertainment industry.
He said, when India celebrates its 100th year of Independence, the country should be a power house of content creation specially regional cinema, post production hub for the world by leveraging immense tech talent amongst skilled youth, a destination for film festivals and the most favoured place for film makers and film lovers across the globe.
The Minister informed that with this perspective in mind, IFFI 52 has brought together a diverse bouquet of films and filmmakers from around the world.
There are more than 300 films being showcased this time. 148 international films from nearly 75 nations will also be screened at the festival.
The Union minister also highlighted the enormous employment potential of the sector. He noted that many in film-making were young professionals.
“The youth are the powerhouse for fresh content. The media and entertainment sector builds on three unique propositions India offers “ abundant and competent labour, ever-growing consumption expenditure and a diverse culture and linguistic heritage”, he said.
With this unique combination of connectivity, culture and commerce, India is poised to be at the epicentre of the cinematic ecosystem.
Thakur extended a passionate invitation to all filmmakers in India and across the world, to come and be a part of the cinematic kaleidoscope of collaborative diversity of the world’s largest democracy.
Thakur also congratulated Hollywood filmmaker Martin Scorsese and Hungarian filmmaker Istevan Szabo, who have been conferred the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening ceremony.
He appreciated ‘Dream Girl’ Hema Malini, who has enthralled generations of film lovers and extended his appreciation to acclaimed lyricist and chairperson, CBFC, Prasoon Joshi, who too is being conferred Indian Film Personality of the Year Award for 2021.
Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr L Murugan said that IFFI allows the understanding of various social and cultural ethos and appreciation of world cinema. “Our actors bring alive legendary heroes and great events in the past.”
The minister said that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India aims to become the attractive destination for filmmaking. “We have opened Film Facilitation Office, as a single point of contact to facilitate filmmakers,” he said.
