Date:13/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/13/stories/2004121311850600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Shwaas' to be screened at film festival

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI. DEC. 12. About a hundred films, including Shwaas, India's entry for the Oscars, have been lined up in the two international film festivals happening back-to-back in the city. The Indo-Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF), in association with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), is bringing 70 films from 30 countries for the Second International Chennai Film Festival at the Anand theatre complex and the Film Chamber, starting December 17.

National award winners, director Bala and actor Vikram, will be felicitated at the inaugural function. The week-long festival will feature sections such as `Retrospective,' `Indian Cinema,' `French Films during German Occupation' (brought in association with Alliance Francaise) and World Cinema.

"We are having a `Meet-the-director' programme when delegates will get to interact with some of the filmmakers in the course of the festival," E. Thangaraj, general secretary of ICAF, announced.

NFDC will be screening four of its films during the festival. "Apart from the inaugural film, 1:1.6 An Ode to Lost Love, by Madhu Ambat, we also have Five by four by Roopa Swaminathan, Devi Ahilyabhai by Nachiket Patwardhan and Anand by Sekhar Kammula, which recently completed 50 days in Andhra Pradesh," Ramakrishnan, NFDC official, said.

Actor S.Ve. Shekher, member of ICAF, said he hoped students and aspiring filmmakers would benefit from the festival. "I'm also inviting all local censor board members to see the films and participate in this festival so that they can compare censorship practices followed in different countries."

Delegates need to register in advance. "For students and members of ICAF, we are just collecting a registration and souvenir fee of Rs. 150. For others it is Rs. 300," Mr. Thangaraj said. More details are available on www.chennaifilmfest.org and over email: thangaraj_icaf@hotmail.com.

Minister's assurance

Earlier in the day, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, S. Raghupathy, inaugurated the Film Festival of Tamil Nadu, organised by the International Tamil Film Academy and Seventh Channel. "The Government is all out to support people from the film industry," he said, noting that it was the first time a private entrepreneur was given the nod for a festival of this scale. About 23 films from 11 countries will be screened at Pilot theatre. Rosli Ismail, Assistant High Commissioner for Malaysia, said the festival would further increase cultural exchanges between Malaysia and India and added that he hoped to come back to catch the Malay film that will be screened on December 16, the last day of the festival. Comedian Vivek had the audience in splits.

He lauded the Seventh Channel, headed by Manicam Narayanan, for being pioneers in television entertainment.

Unnikrishnan, the guest of honour, actress Chaaya Singh, Muraleedharan, K.Rajan and A.M. Ratnam from the Producers Council participated.