The Hindu : Front Page : Kids' film fete off to a colourful start

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 15, 2005

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Front Page

Kids' film fete off to a colourful start

Special Correspondent

Jaipal promises funds for `magnificent edifice' for film society in Hyderabad

IMBIBE NEW VALUES: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy waving to the gathering during the inaugural of the 14th International Children's Film Festival in Hyderabad on Monday. - PHOTO: K. GAJENDRAN

HYDERABAD: The 14th edition of the International Children's Film Festival got off to a colourful start here on Monday with Union Information and Broadcasting Minister S.Jaipal Reddy promising funds to build a " magnificent edifice" for the Children's Film Society of India campus in the city.

Addressing the gathering after Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy inaugurated the week-long event, the Union Minister said that the campus would enable Hyderabad to become a hub for making films. It could also used for imparting training to children in various film-making aspects.

Mr. Jaipal Reddy also announced that the Chief Minister had agreed to provide 50 acres of land for setting up a science museum for children. He stressed the need for making good films for children which would fire their imagination. Though India produced the highest number of 900 films annually, children's films were not many. He said the ancient tales like Panchantatra were still relevant and should adapted to the medium of cinema as it was a powerful medium.

Mr. Jaipal Reddy turned down the plea of Minister for Sports and Culture M. Satyanarayana Rao for banning films and serials which could not be viewed along with family members saying that he was an unqualified champion of artistic freedom. " I will never do the censor's job," he added.

The Chief Minister called for imbibing moral values in children and hoped that the weeklong festival would inspire them to better morals.

Budget for films

Children could learn many innovative things from the proposed science museum.

Chairperson of the Children's Film Society India Nafisa Ali Sodhi urged the Central Government to earmark "large budget" for making children's films and said that CFSI was working hard to make value-based films.

Mr. Satyanarayana Rao urged filmmakers to make more chidlren's films. Information Minister Shabbir Ali, film stars Govinda, Sridevi and Tarun also spoke.0

Principal Chief Postmaster-General T. S. Govindarajan released a commemorative postage stamp to mark CFSI's golden jubilee.

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