International Children’s Film Festival of India (ICFFI) also
popularly known as The Golden Elephant is a biennial festival that strives to
bring the most delightful and imaginative national and international children’s
cinema to young audiences in India. Outstanding features, shorts, live action
and animation films are screened over seven days of festive celebrations,
attended by more than a hundred thousand children and hundreds of film
professionals from across the world.
Every two years, the festival begins on 14th
November, the birth date of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru – India’s first Prime
Minister – also fondly referred to as Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru), because of
his love for children. Pandit Nehru established CFSI soon after India’s
independence with the hope that indigenous and exclusive cinema for children
would stimulate their creativity, compassion and critical thinking. It is this
vision of Jawaharlal Nehru that guides ICFFI. Cinema is a powerful medium which
will have to be used to play a pivotal role in child’s life and we should also
understand what are the entertainment needs of the children.
In a world that is cluttered with consumerist and often violent
content for children, ICFFI is committed to promoting cinema that is humane and
non-violent, and yet delightful and fun! Special care is taken to program films
that cultivate an understanding of other cultures, lives and experiences and
encourage children to reflect on the world around. Workshops and open forums at
the festival aim towards stimulating critical appreciation and creative pursuit
of cinematic arts amongst young people. The festival also supports the work of
children’s filmmakers by rewarding them for their dedication and talent.
ICFFI is one of the largest and most colourful children’s film
festivals in the world. A unique feature of the festival is its audience. More
than a hundred thousand children travel from little villages and towns from
across India to view high quality international children’s cinema that they
would never be exposed to otherwise. Here they get an opportunity to interact
with other kids, eminent guests and directors from different parts of the
world. ICFFI is dedicated to these little delegates and to those imaginative
film-makers who attempt to make films for the toughest audience of all –
children!
The 18th edition of ICFFI will take place from
14th to 20th November 2013
screening approx 150 plus films from across the world. The
festival will have three Competition Sections: Competition International,
Competition Asian Panorama, Competition Little Directors where international
and national films compete for the prestigious Golden Elephant Trophies,
accompanied by cash awards. The festival will also screen specially curated
Non-Competition Sections including Children’s World that will showcase the most
acclaimed films from the last decade and country specific which will present
the best of one country’s children’s films to young audiences in India.
The main agenda of ICFFI is to give clean and healthy environment
to the children by screening films produced by the countries all over the
world. 18th Edition of ICFFI will take place in the
historic city of Hyderabad, the festival permanent venue for the last 8 editions and is organized by Children’s Film Society of India
(CFSI) – an autonomous body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
in collaboration with Government of Andhra Pradesh.
200 films from 48
countries are going to participate in this event. The countries participating
for the first time are South America, Austria, Greenland, Lebanon, Scotland,
Malaysia etc. Opening film is ‘Gopi Gawaiyya Bagha Baiyaya’ recently produced
by CFSI and Closing film will be the award winning film. Around 1,
50,000 children are expected to participate in the
festival. For the first time ICFFI has received a formidable quantity of
animation films from across the globe: 285 animation
films, focus on sourcing international award winning films featured in 20 most prestigious international children’s film festivals also
including titles screened at Berlinale, Toronto International Film Festival,
Cannes etc. 123 entries for Little Directors Section
containing films made by children from India and around the world received for
the festival. An amount of Rs.3.35 crores which also
includes amount of Rs.25 lakhs towards North East, have
been allocated by Ministry of I&B, Government of India. Contributions from
AP Government are expected in tune of Rs.3.25 crores.
Children’s Film Society, India
Children’s Film Society (CFSI) was established in 1995
to provide value-based entertainment to children through the medium of films.
CFSI is engaged in production, acquisition, distribution/exhibition and
promotion of children’s films. The head office of CFSI is located in Mumbai
with branch offices in New Delhi and Chennai. The mission of CFSI is to
facilitate promotion of children’s films by encouraging strengthening and
spreading the Children’s Film Movement all over the country and abroad. Films
produced/ procured by the society are exhibited through State/ District level
Children’s Film Festivals as well as through theatrical, non-theatrical
exhibition in schools through Distributors, NGOs, etc. Children film society
exhibits films produced by state.
Highlights
Ranbir Kapoor will be the special attraction at the international
children's film festival. Noted lyricist, Gulzar and well known actor Amol
Palekar will also participate in the festivities. The highlights of Opening
ceremony and closing ceremony will be combination of cultural programmes and
screening of films.‘Gopi Gawaiyya Bagha Baiyaya’,a recently produced film of
CFSI will be screened during Opening ceremony at Lalit Kala Thoranam, Public
Gardens, Hyderabad. Renowned director and actor Amol Gupte, is the current
chairperson of the Children's Film Society.
An award winning film will be screened during closing ceremony.
Celebrities from Hindi film industry (Bollywood) and Telegu film industry
(Tollywood) are expected to be associated with opening and closing ceremony. 200 films from 48 countries will be
showcased in 10 Screens across Hyderabad with 30 shows everyday and 150,000 expected
child viewers. Besides Opening film for the festival i.e. ‘Gopi Gawaiyya Bagha
Baiyaya’ & ‘Kaphal’, Jaldeep (First feature of CFSI), Adventures of a Sugar
Doll (First animation of CFSI), RajuaurTinku (puppet animation short), Hangama
Bombay Ishtyle, CharandasChor, Dost Magarmachch, Sunday, Halo, Karamati Coat,
Gattu wiill also be exhibited. Animation section is introduced for the first
time in the history of this event. A number of open forums and workshops will
be organised like a master class on marketing locally produced children’s film
internationally and Open Forums will be organised on Rights of Child Actors,
Inclusive Cinema – representing the differently abled, Challenges and Potential
of Indian Animation and Invisibility of Girls in children’s content. During
this festival, the films are being screened through Digital Cinema Package
(DCPs). Also, separate arrangements have been made for special children with
one of the theatre in Hyderabad. The film will be screened at the Prasad IMAX
Multiplex and 7 other theatres.
Main Programs and Events
Programming a Competitive Animation section, given the
unprecedented quantity and quality of animation features and shorts received
from across the world. Country Focus Retrospective of Czech films in
collaboration with Zlin Film Festival, Czech Republic – the oldest children’s
film festival in the world.
A Retrospective on the Best of Indian Children’s Films in
commemoration of 100 years of Indian Cinema, the package
will showcase National Award winning and Classic Indian Children’s films, in
collaboration with DFF and NFAI. Special focus on Children with Special needs
through dedicated film screenings and open forums. Topics screened for open
forums are One Master Class on marketing locally produced children’s film
internationally and 4 Open Forums on rights of Child
Actors, Inclusive Cinema – representing the Differently abled, Challenges and
Potential of Indian Animation, Invisibility of Girls in children’s content.
Awards
Four Golden Trophy Awards and a cash prize of 2
lakhs will be given for each for the best live action feature, best live action
director, best live action screenplay and best live action screenplay. Special
Mention Certificates may be awarded at the discretion of the jury. Awards and
cash prizes of same cadre will also be given in all other categories namely
Competition Animation, Competition Shorts and Competition Little Directors.
These awards will be decided by four juries of 5 members
each of eminent film personalities.
Moreover, Members of Selection Committee are very well known faces
in film industry. Ayesha Sayani is a filmmaker. Amrit Gangar is a cinema critic
and academic, Dolly Thakore is a film and theatre professional, Jeroo Mulla is
a professor of media and communication at Sophia College, Mumbai, Meher
Marfatia is a journalist and children’s story writer and also conducts
workshops, Rashid Irani is a well-known cinema critic, Rekha Bhimani is a story
writer, translator and voice-over artist.
Country Focus-Czech
The 18 ICFFI will have a Country Focus
Retrospective of Czech films in collaboration with Zlin Film Festival, Czech
Republic. The Zlin Film Festival is the oldest children’s film festival in the
world which has had over 50 editions! The Country focus
with Czech Republic is in keeping with the aim of the ICFFI which is to
introduce children in India to the culture, lives and experiences of countries
and people that they have limited access and exposure. In order to present the
best of children’s cinema from an important child’s film producing country, and
invite key players from their industry to inspire and encourage exchange of
information, ideas and skills among Indian children’s filmmakers and film
professionals. This will help to build an artistic and cultural relationship
with film producing and film exhibiting organizations across the world and
catalyze exchange of cinematic and cultural products and activities. The
Country Focus will show a very beautifully curated package of children's films
from the Czech Republic right from 1950's along with their
most recent productions. The package will have live action as well as Animation
features and shorts from across the years. There will be a delegation of 5 distinguished members visiting India from the Czech Republic,
which will include the festival director of the Zlin Film Festival and famous
children's film director's from Czech Republic.
Children Delegates
Total of 111 children delegate confirmed from
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Andaman
Nicobar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh & Jammu and two children from Chicago.
Also, 65 children delegates from Japan, Germany, Morocco
and other schools of India are expected to participate in this film
festival.
(PIB Features.)
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