A peep into the Wonderous World of Cinema Hyderabad
www.cfsindia.org
Issue: 1
November 14, 2011
The Best in Cinema awaits the young at the 17th International Children’s film Festival Gajju Trumpets his Welcome For me, Gajju , the International Children’s Film Festival in Hyderabad this year is very special. A pleasant surprise awaited me as I arrived in the City of Pearls: not merely because the number of films keeps going up every time, but the Festival has a whole new look this year. Are you surprised then that I am dancing despite my large weight and trumpeting a welcome for all to come? Did I hear a little voice ask me who Gajju is? Well, I am the mascot of the 17th ICFF and you must have seen my photographs in posters all over this beautiful city. No? Did you not see the little Golden Elephant with a colourful banner on his back? Well, that is little me. My full name is Gajraj, but I am a very friendly person and so I want my young friends to call me Gajju. But first I must tell you about the new venue. Unlike previous years, the Festival will be held at Shilparamam, a crafts village situated just about few kilometers from Hyderabad city. It is a beautiful park on a hill spread over seventy acres with a lot of greenery all around, apart from a sparkling fountain. Shilparamam also has a Crafts Village and a Museum of Natural History, all this goes so well with my own nature. You know I am basically very environment friendly and just love to live in the green areas! Three new theatres – coloured red, blue and green – and called Wonderland, Magic Land, and Dream Land respectively have been built in the Rock Heights area of Shilparamam. But that is not all, this year the Festival will have 150 films from 37 countries which is a new record because the festival in 2009 had eighty films from around twenty countries. There are several new competitive sections. The Competition International has 15 films,
Children's Film Society, India
From the Chairperson Nandita Aunty is so nice. When I asked her to give me an interview, she agreed immediately. She said the Golden Elephant was back with the most delightful and imaginative films from around the world, ‘cultivating an understanding of other cultures and experiences’. She said this edition has many firsts, including films from Africa and South America; and a 'Country Focus' section for which there is collaboration with the Chinese Children's Film Association to get the best of their children's cinema. The 'Children's World' section will showcase never seen before award-winning films from the last decade while the 'India Competition' will feature some of India's best recent films. Another first is the introduction of age-wise programming. She said the Festival has associated with FICCI for a two- day summit, where exchange of ideas and content for business in children's content will take place. She said the Festival will give a lifetime opportunity the children who will travel all the way from their villages and towns to participate in this carnival. ‘But we have tried to make this experience richer and more meaningful for each one of you’, she told me. She thanked the entire CFSI team for their tireless efforts, the many friends of CFSI who have given their time and expertise and most of all the Government of Andhra Pradesh for ensuring that this festival becomes a memorable experience for all!
Competition India has ten films, Competition Shorts has 24 films, and Little Directors has eleven films. So there are four eminent juries for these, apart from a child jury. In addition, there is the non-competitive Children’s World with around 90 films, which includes six films from China in the ‘In Focus’ section. A new idea being tried out this year is the films being divided age-wise: ‘6+’, ‘10+’ and ‘13+’, each with a different colour code. But the festival has a lot more, with many interesting workshops and Open Forums on subjects related to children and cinema. Ten other theatres around the city will show these films to around 150,000 viewers coming from all over the country and overseas! The inauguration will also be at a new venue – Global Peace Auditorium. The Festival will be inaugurated by Uncle Jatua (you know, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting C M Jatua) and Uncle N Kiran Kumar Reddy (the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh) in the presence of Aruna Aunty (Information and Public Relations Minister Ms D K Aruna), Nandita Aunty (our charming Chairperson, Ms Nandita Das), the Chief Executive Officer Sushovan Banerji, and senior APSFTVTDC officials. My favourite actress Dia Mirza will present the programme, with many performances – a violin concert by children, a performance by the Prince Dance Troupe. Rama Murthy and kids, and the great percussion instrumentalist Sivamani. The Festival will open with the film ‘Gattu’ by Rajan Khosa, produced by the Children’s Film Society, India. Being Children’s Day, the opening function will have an audiovisual on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. I will come and see the films with you, and I hope we all have a great time, and make lots and lots of new friends. So, happy viewing!