The National Children’s Film Festival has now been turned into a platform to promote and propagate government’s 'Make in India' agenda.
The Children's Film Society India (CFSI) announced incorporation of the 'Make in India' theme for the festival to showcase what the organisers called 'India's potential in diverse fields' to the youth. The three-day festival beginning November 14 at Jaipur will even hold workshops and discussions around the theme topic for the children.
Elaborating the 'Make In India' concept being incorporated in a film festival exclusively for Children, Dr Shravan Kumar, CEO of CFSI said: "Our film 'Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya' was screened at Toronto International Film Festival few years ago. We are trying to make India a destination to make products that can make India globally recognizable. Children being the future, we want to make sure children use Indian resources on Indian land and create matter that will be used by children in India and abroad.”
Mukesh Khanna, the Chairperson of Children’s Film Society India, said the films will also be aired of films and documentaries for children on Doordarshan channel from December 24 for 52 weeks, every Saturday from 12pm to 2pm.
These films will be chosen from the 250 movie collection of Children’s Film Society, India (CFSI). CFSI is an autonomous body registered under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting which produces, exhibits and distributes quality content of feature films, shorts, animations, television episodes and documentaries for children. CFSI hosts the International Children’s Film Festival, India every two years on 14th November which displays a delightful collection created for children from all over the world.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Khanna voiced his opinions about children’s films and their importance. He said, “Children have only two entertainment choices to watch: It’s either saas-bahus series or serials on fighting. Even historical ones have come out now but there isn’t something specifically in interest of children. It’s almost like the children are being deprived of their own food. However, making films for children is easy but getting it released is tough. Our focus is to reach out to children everywhere and make children’s films commercial. We want to reach out to children on every level – schools and inner most part of India too.
The National Children’s Film Festival will be hosted across 12 theaters in Jaipur from 14th to 16th of November. With a series of 3-4 cultural programs by Terrence Dance Group on ‘Make In India’ theme, a puppet show by Satyajit Padhye and performance of Assamese ‘Bihu’ dance, 40 children’s films like Gopi Gawaiya, Bagha Bajaiyaa, Kima’s Lode, Budhia Singh (on the run) etc will be screened. A series of workshops on filmmaking, script writing, animation etc have also been arranged.
Dr. Shravan Kumar, CEO of CFSI said the focus is on promoting healthy and wholesome entertainment to children so that they feel complete and motivated. In 2015 he thrust a section in ICFFI called ‘Little Directors’ which gives a platform to films made my children. One such film will be screened at NFCC this year in Jaipur among the 40 films that will be showcased.
