I&B Ministry promoting regional language films at top global events

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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken several steps to promote regional language films at the national and international level with several such movies screened at top film events across the globe, the Lok Sabha was informed Friday.

Every year, films are selected for Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and from these entries, 47 Films, including 26 feature films and 21 non-feature films are selected in various Indian languages for screening in IFFI as well as in various Indian and international film festivals and Indian film weeks or festivals abroad, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said.

The ministry also organises national film awards annually wherein films from across the country in Hindi and regional languages are awarded under different categories, he said in a written reply in the lower house.

In addition to the Indian Panorama films at IFFI, films selected for the national film awards are also sent for participation as well as special screenings in the various Indian and international film festivals organised by the I&B ministry through the directorate of film festival.

Under BRICS film festival, world-class film productions from the BRICS nations i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa are being screened to inspire more collaboration, Javadekar said.

I&B Ministry also provides financial assistance to Indian films which are selected in various International Film Festivals namely Oscars, Toronto, Bussan, Berlin etc. During recent years, financial assistance has been provided to 'Newton' and 'Loktak Lairembee' which were selected in the Berlin International Film Festival, he said.

It also held a patriotic film festival to mark 70 years of Indian Independence under the banner '70 Saal Azaadi, Yaad Karo Kurbani' as part of the Defence Ministry's programme related to Independence Day celebrations from August 12-18, 2016, at Sirifort Auditorium Complex, New Delhi, the minister added.