Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said Friday that the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) played a vital role in the development of arts and culture in the country. Javadekar was in town to attend the 51st edition of the festival, which is slated to begin on Saturday.
The ceremony that takes place here at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium will kick off the first Hybrid Mode edition of the festival, where delegates can take part and watch films and events virtually. The union minister said the physical exams would follow strict coronavirus social distancing guidelines.
“IFFI is an important event from an artistic and cultural point of view. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, 224 films from around the world are shown in seven cinemas, all of which follow coronavirus guidelines: social distancing, masks, disinfectants. “The festival would be hybrid this time around, so the films will also be available online,” Javadekar told reporters. The IFFI, which takes place from November 20th to 28th each year, has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and will now take place from January 16th to 24th.
Hoping the next edition would take place on schedule, Javadekar said everyone has worked hard “to make this edition a success”. The cameraman Vittorio Storaro, who has won several Oscar awards, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening ceremony of the IFFI. Film directors from world cinema also took part in the event, including the Argentine Pablo Cesar, Prasanna Vithanage from Sri Lanka, Abu Bakr Shawky (Austria), Priyadarshan and Rubaiyat Hossain (Bangladesh).
Over 200 films from all over the world are shown on # IFFI51.
This year #IFFI will be a hybrid festival. I congratulate everyone on their hard organization @IFFIGoa & greet all delegates: Union ministers @PrakashJavdekar@ Chatty111Prasad @PIB_India @MIB_India pic.twitter.com/xsKvAey9k8
– PIB in Goa (@PIB_Panaji) January 15, 2021
A delegation from Bangladesh, this year’s “Country of Focus”, will also take part in the opening ceremony. The Land of Focus is a special segment that recognizes the country’s cinematic excellence and contributions.
In addition, the opening of the eagerly awaited NFDC Film Bazar will be opened virtually on this occasion. The festival is jointly run by the Directorate of Film Festivals (under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) and the Goa State Government.