Akshay Kumar will inaugurate the festival which starts on November 24, 2012
Panaji:
The 43rd edition of IFFI willkickstart tomorrow with Akshay Kumar flagging off thecinematic extravaganza that will showcase 100-year-old journeyof Indian cinema besides screening of nationally andinternationally acclaimed movies.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee's Indian story Life ofPi is making its Asian premiere by opening the festival whileMira Nair's Reluctant Fundamentalist will be the closingfilm.
Bollyood singer Kailash Kher and a dance troupechoreographed by Saroj Khan will be performing at the openingceremony of the 11-day-long festival, which will be followedby the screening of Life of Pi in 3D. The Hollywood movie,which marks the debut of Delhi boy Suraj Sharma as Pi, is amajor attraction at IFFI.
Though Lee won't be present himself, the film's cast Tabuand Irffan Khan will be walking the red carpet at thepremiere.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist, a book adaptation ofPakistani author Mohsin Hamid's celebrated novel of the samename, is coming to IFFI after making a buzz in internationalfilm circuits. The film stars Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson, RizAhmed and Kiefer Sutherland.
When asked whether the cast of the movie will attend thefestival, IFFI director Shankar Mohan said, "We are not sureabout that. It is on Mira who she can get along. These actorsare very busy and have prior contracts. So we cannot name whowill come."
The festival is celebrating 100 years of cinema with aspecial centenary package this year which will feature 27films, 36 documentaries covering all the eras of cinema fromblack and white, silent to coloured.
"We are not representing Indian cinema but trying tocelebrate it. It is very difficult to portray 100 years in asmall package so we have tried to represent it asauthentically as possible. To get these old movies is verydifficult so we were dependent on National Film Archives ofIndia and Films Division," Mohan said.
To celebrate the centenary, IFFI will be staging a 20-minute dialogue between Dadasaheb Phalke and his wifeSavitri. The skit, made by Phalke's grand niece SharayuPhalke, throws light on what inspired Phalke to make India'sfirst full-length feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913.
Theatre artist Mohammad Ali Baig has directed the playand will be playing the role of Phalke while actress LilleteDubey will play Savitri. It is curated by filmmaker M SSathyu.
"We have a biography on Dadasaheb Phalke made by hisgrand niece which we will showcase. To celebrate the 100 yearsof cinema we thought it is just apt to do this. It is a 20-minute dialogue between Phalke and his wife Savitri which willbe adapted into a skit," Mohan added.
The lifetime achievement award will be given to renownedPolish filmmaker Krzysztof Zanussi, man behind acclaimed filmslike Camouflage and Family Life. The 73-year-old directorwill be presented with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
Indian-American film producer Ashok Amritraj, MuzaffarAli, Girish Kasaravalli, Kim Ki-duk and Susan Baer will alsobe present at the festival.
IFFI has sections like International Competition, whichwill have 15 films from 18 countries, Cinema of the World,which will screen 52 movies and A Cut Above, where the moviesare not in competition but will be screened for itsoutstanding content. There is also a section titled 'MasterStrokes'.
Other sections include Country Focus, Indian Panorama,Indian Retrospectives and Tributes, Animation and 3D cinemaand Film Bazaar.
Indian Panorama section will screen 20 feature films and19 documentaries. Jahnu Barua's Baandhon will be the openingthe feature film section while Celluloid Man, based on P KNair's life and work will open the non-feature film section.
Mohan said IFFI has progressed immensely over the yearand in the coming years it can be called as "Cannes of theEast".
"Although it is not good to draw comparisons betweenfestivals but we have changed our pattern and choices of filmsso much that I am sure in the coming years we will be par atother international film festivals," Mohan said.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee's Indian story Life ofPi is making its Asian premiere by opening the festival whileMira Nair's Reluctant Fundamentalist will be the closingfilm.
Bollyood singer Kailash Kher and a dance troupechoreographed by Saroj Khan will be performing at the openingceremony of the 11-day-long festival, which will be followedby the screening of Life of Pi in 3D. The Hollywood movie,which marks the debut of Delhi boy Suraj Sharma as Pi, is amajor attraction at IFFI.
Though Lee won't be present himself, the film's cast Tabuand Irffan Khan will be walking the red carpet at thepremiere.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist, a book adaptation ofPakistani author Mohsin Hamid's celebrated novel of the samename, is coming to IFFI after making a buzz in internationalfilm circuits. The film stars Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson, RizAhmed and Kiefer Sutherland.
When asked whether the cast of the movie will attend thefestival, IFFI director Shankar Mohan said, "We are not sureabout that. It is on Mira who she can get along. These actorsare very busy and have prior contracts. So we cannot name whowill come."
The festival is celebrating 100 years of cinema with aspecial centenary package this year which will feature 27films, 36 documentaries covering all the eras of cinema fromblack and white, silent to coloured.
"We are not representing Indian cinema but trying tocelebrate it. It is very difficult to portray 100 years in asmall package so we have tried to represent it asauthentically as possible. To get these old movies is verydifficult so we were dependent on National Film Archives ofIndia and Films Division," Mohan said.
To celebrate the centenary, IFFI will be staging a 20-minute dialogue between Dadasaheb Phalke and his wifeSavitri. The skit, made by Phalke's grand niece SharayuPhalke, throws light on what inspired Phalke to make India'sfirst full-length feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913.
Theatre artist Mohammad Ali Baig has directed the playand will be playing the role of Phalke while actress LilleteDubey will play Savitri. It is curated by filmmaker M SSathyu.
"We have a biography on Dadasaheb Phalke made by hisgrand niece which we will showcase. To celebrate the 100 yearsof cinema we thought it is just apt to do this. It is a 20-minute dialogue between Phalke and his wife Savitri which willbe adapted into a skit," Mohan added.
The lifetime achievement award will be given to renownedPolish filmmaker Krzysztof Zanussi, man behind acclaimed filmslike Camouflage and Family Life. The 73-year-old directorwill be presented with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
Indian-American film producer Ashok Amritraj, MuzaffarAli, Girish Kasaravalli, Kim Ki-duk and Susan Baer will alsobe present at the festival.
IFFI has sections like International Competition, whichwill have 15 films from 18 countries, Cinema of the World,which will screen 52 movies and A Cut Above, where the moviesare not in competition but will be screened for itsoutstanding content. There is also a section titled 'MasterStrokes'.
Other sections include Country Focus, Indian Panorama,Indian Retrospectives and Tributes, Animation and 3D cinemaand Film Bazaar.
Indian Panorama section will screen 20 feature films and19 documentaries. Jahnu Barua's Baandhon will be the openingthe feature film section while Celluloid Man, based on P KNair's life and work will open the non-feature film section.
Mohan said IFFI has progressed immensely over the yearand in the coming years it can be called as "Cannes of theEast".
"Although it is not good to draw comparisons betweenfestivals but we have changed our pattern and choices of filmsso much that I am sure in the coming years we will be par atother international film festivals," Mohan said.
