Octogenarian actor Dev Anand will inaugurate the eighth Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) at the Balgandharva theatre here on January 7.
From this year, the PIFF will be Maharashtra’s official festival.
Lifetime achievement awards will be given to actor Rajesh Khanna and theatre and film actor Shreeram Lagoo, Pune MP and festival chairman Suresh Kalmadi told a press conference here on Friday.
Music and Sound award
The PIFF has also set up the Sachin Dev Burman International Award for Creative Music and Sound. This year it will go to Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma of the Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo, whose music is legendary in the Hindi film world.
More than 160 films from 48 countries will be shown at the festival, to be held at five venues till January 14. There are three categories of competitive films: international film, Marathi film and student film.
Through the PIFF week, the National Film Archives of India based in Pune will hold an exhibition of rare film posters at the Municipal Corporation’s art gallery.
With filmmaker Jabbar Patel as festival director, the PIFF has grown from strength to strength over the years.
Starting with 50 films from eight countries in 2002, it will screen thrice that number now.
It is also the only festival in India which offers cash awards for international cinema.
Last year, the award for the Best Director (Marathi film) went to Paresh Mokashi for Harishchandrachi Factory, which eventually became India’s official entry for the Oscars.
