Big screen bonanza

IT MIGHT be a grim scenario. A dark viewing hall. Or a picture of apathy. The Children's Film Society, India (CFSI) has not given up yet. What the festival might fail to achieve, the CFSI would probably make up with its VHS tapes. Widescreen right at home or school.

To facilitate a better reach and find a more meaningful viewership, the CFSI will now sell VHS tapes of popular children's films, priced at Rs. 300, especially for educational institutions.

``The idea is to make these films an extension of education. Schools could stock these films in their libraries and screen them for children. Screening sessions could be backed up by group discussions, essay-writing and other activities that would ensure that children do take cinema and the issues seriously,'' says Mr. K. P. Ramakrishnan, Distribution Officer of the CFSI.

``Through these diverse films, we are sure children will be able to develop a taste for good cinema,'' CFSI officials say.

The list of Tamil films available to schools here in Chennai is impressive. It includes Santhosh Sivan's `Halo', `Achchamillai' and `Adisaya Coat' which are part of the children's film festival that is under way, apart from other national award winners such as Romulus Whitaker's `Mudhalai', `Meendum Varuven', `Ennai Nesikireengala' and `Ankura Maina Pura'.

What's more, there is a 10 per cent discount for schools that buy 10 tapes or more. The CFSI can be contacted on 4981159.

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Section  : Entertainment
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