It is indeed creditable that in spite of facing innumerable hurdles(including financial strains) Asian Film Foundation (Chaired by Shri Kiran Shantaram) was able to organize this 8 th edition of Asian Film Festival. Abut 50 Asian films, some new and some old, were screened. There was a competition section too, the jury members for which were Mr Kourosh Jahed of Iran, Ms. Gonul Donmez-Colin from Turkey and S K Ghosh from India.
The festival opened with the Paresh Mokashi film “Harishchandra’s Factory” (India) and closed with veteran Adoor Gopalkrishnan’s film “A Climate for Crime” (India).
AWARD WINNING FILMS
The Jury awarded the best feature film award jointly to the films; Rustem Abadrashov’s “The Gift to Stalin” (Kazakhastan) and to “Beyond the Circle”(Bangaldesh), made by Golam Rabbany Biplob. The award consisted of a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh and trophy. Jury also gave a special mention to Seema Kapoor’s “The Haat—weekly Bazaar” (India).
HIGHLIGHTS of Award Events
ASIAN CULTURE AWARD
The prestigious “Asian Film Culture Award ‘ is given every ear to a master of Asian cinema, whether from India or any other Asian stalwart film maker. This year it was conferred on the millennium star thespian of India Amitabh Bachchan for his immense contribution to creating and spreading of indian film culture through his films, promotions of Indian films in India and abroad by staging IIFA like events for years. This was done with his grand felicitation at a specially organized evening on 7 th Dec. Chief Guest for the occasion was “Sholay” creator Ramesh Sippy . Amitabh in his acceptance speech credited the award to the spirit of Indian films
(especially Hindi mainstream) which is the harmonious uniting bridge between the diverse Indian cultures, faith and religions. When people watch a movie in the theatre, they forget who is sitting next. They all enjoy the film in unison. His star son Abhishek Bacchan was also present with him on the occasion.
SATYAJIT RAY AWARD
In the closing function, this award was conferred on the most deserving person and noted film maker Basu Chatterjee, who was one of the pioneers in creation of Film Society movement in India. And rightly so, he emphasized that “ Had it not been for film societies, I would be a commercial film maker today. Film societies have made me a film maker what I am”.
As this year marked the completion of 50 years of film society movement in india; a book on the subject “The Film Society Movement In India” was also released compiled and edited by the veteran film society person from Hyderabad H N Narhari Rao.
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