The Hindu : New Delhi News : National Children’s Film Awards from next year

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Saturday, Nov 10, 2007
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New Delhi

National Children’s Film Awards from next year

Staff Reporter

To encourage quality in cinema meant for children

NEW DELHI: The Children’s Film Society of India will launch National Awards for Children’s Films from next year to encourage quality in cinema meant for children. To be held biennially, the award function will be on the lines of the National Film Awards organised by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry every year.

Announcing this at a press conference here earlier this week , CFSI chairperson Nafisa Ali said: “The first awards ceremony will be held on November 14, 2008, and preferably in the Capital. The event will be held biannually as the International Children’s Festival is held every alternate year.”

The first edition of the national awards in the children’s category would be open to films made during the past three years, she said, adding, “we will allow the directors of the best films in the children’s category made during the past three years to send in their works for the awards.”

Pointing out that there was a need to “reward” and “encourage” filmmakers to produce quality cinema for children, Nafisa Ali said: “The CFSI has asked for Rs.11-crore enhancement in the annual budget. Currently we have Rs. 2.3 crore allocated to us and we spend about Rs. 75 lakh on the International Children’s Film Festival -- The Golden Elephant that will be held in Hyderabad from November 14.”

The 15th edition of the festival in Hyderabad, which is supported by the Andhra Pradesh Government, has attracted 300 entries from about 40 countries. About 40 films will compete for the top honours at the international competition, while another 20 will vie for the awards in the Asian Panorama section.

Film star Aamir Khan, whose new film for children, “Taare Zameen Par”, is awaiting release, will be present for the closing ceremony of the Golden Elephant along with the I&B Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

Urging stars and filmmakers from the mainstream to support CFSI, Nafisa Ali said: “We have a small budget, we cannot afford super stars, but that should not stop them from supporting CFSI. I also have a script for Amitabh Bachchan, but am yet to discuss the details with him.”

She said films like “Krish”, “Koi Mil Gaya” and “Iqbal” that are targeted at children have also raked in profits at the box-office. “Filmmakers like Rakesh Roshan and Subhash Ghai have realised this and their films have done well.

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