Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The preparations for the 9th Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival (AIFF), scheduled to be held at INOX Prozone Mall in the city from January 3 to 7, is going on in full swing. Hence it is a good opportunity for the film-lovers, art-lovers and the citizens to view 60 best films of national and international level during the festival.
The president of organising committee Nandkishore Kagliwal and director of the festival Ashok Rane said that the AIFF is hosted by Nath Group, MGM, Yashwantrao Chavan Centre, Marathwada Art Culture and Film Foundation and the state government. The aim of the festival is to popularise the name of our historic city as a cultural epicentre and encourage production of Marathi films at the state and the international levels.
Film director R Balki will inaugurate the festival in Rukmini Hall at 6.30 pm on January 3. The film director Anubhav Sinha will also grace the event.
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) general manager D Ramakrishnan, collector Astik Kumar Pandey, MGM University chancellor Ankushrao Kadam, artistic director of the AIFF Chandrakant Kulkarni will be the guests of the honour.
“A total of 60 national and international films, including nine from various Indian languages, will be shown at the festival. The short film competition has also been organised to promote the short film producers from Marathwada. The best short film will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 25,000,” said the duo.
The director Anubhav Sinha will conduct a master class on January 5. Besides, a senior officer of Central Government’s Information and Publicity Department, Prakash Magdum, will deliver the speech on December 6 at 2.30 pm. Under ‘Meet the Directors’ session, at 6.30 pm, the participants can interact with various directors. Besides, a event of veteran actor and director Dhritiman Chatterjee on Mrinal Sen will be held on January 7 at 12 noon.
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Padmapani Award to Javed Akhtar
Noted lyricist, poet and writer Padmashri Javed Akhtar will be presented Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award on January 3. His live interview can also be witnessed in Prozone Mall at 6 pm on January 4.