FILMS DIVISION’S DOCUMENTARIES TO
BE SCREENED IN MAURITIUS
Films Division, a media
unit under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, engaged
in producing documentaries, short films and animations since 1948,
has gone online at its Film Bazaar stall set up at the ongoing
34th International Film Festival of India (IFFI)-2003.
Over 700 films produced by the Division are available on its internet
website, www.filmsdivision.org.
The stall is humming with activities as curious film buffs are
giving an overwhelming response. Two the Division’s English films
– Uma, a film on famous Kathak dancer, Uma Sharma directed by
Buddhadeb Dasgupta and "The Eye of Fish", the Kalaris
of Kerala directed by Priya Krishnaswamy - are in the Indian Panorama
Section (Non-Feature Films) of the Festival.
Adding another cap
to its feather Films Division has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) with Mauritius Film Development Corporation during the Festival
to conduct an International Film Festival in Mauritius shortly,
in which many good films produced by Films Division will be screened.
Having already produced over 8,000 films on topics like art and
culture, environment, burning issues, harmony etc., Films Division
is churning out 80-90 short films and documentaries every year,
which are also available in the form of CDs and VHSs and are in
great demand.
Director, Shri Sanjay
Pattanaik says that Films Division is currently engaged in exploring
aggressive markets, strategies to tap global audience apart from
market tie-ups so as to establish financial viability. In this
direction the Films Division is tying-up with Doordarshan and
Discovery Channel for better marketing of its films and earn revenues.
In this era of fast
technological advancements, the Films Division has already digitalized
over 3,000 films and the rest are been digitalized from the archival
library. Films Division is also waiting eagerly for its another
gala event-Mumbai Film Festival of India scheduled to take place
at Mumbai from February 3 to 9, 2004. Being exclusively organized
by the Division, the Festival would screen well-known international
films from a number of countries. The event is held once every
two years. Last time, 40 countries had participated with 600 films.
