Girish Kasaravalli is awarded Padma Shri

Girish Kasaravalli, the noted filmmaker is bestowed with Padma Shri award on 26^th January, 2011. FFSI and the Film Societies  offer heartiest congratulations to Mr. Girish, who is closely associated with the Film Society Movement.

Cine Society Patna conducts regular monthly screenings for their members.

Their programmes are well designed and made with special emphasis on various aspects.

Here is an example, of February 2011 programme, 

where in they have selected film classics of  World literature.

Films to be screened in the month of February 2011.

War and Peace, of  Leo Tolstoy, Historical Epic, Film by King Vidor (1956, English, 208 minutes) *Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Mel Ferrer, John Mills 

Two Women, of Alberto Moravia, on the trauma of an Italian mother and her young  daughter during the second world war; Film by Vittorio De Sica (1960, Italian-English, 99 minutes) *Sophia Loren, Raff Valone, Eleanora Brown, Jean-Paul Belmondo etc; Earned  Oscar award for Sophia Loren as Best 

To Sir, With Love, of E R Braithwaite, on teacher-student relationship; Film by James Clavel (1967, British, 105 minutes) *Sydney Poitier, Judy Geeson, Christian Roberts, Suzi Kendall, Faith Brook, Lulu etc. Perhaps the best film ever made on student-teacher relationships.

Cine Society Patna with Mr. R.N.Dash, (retired IAS officer and a very senior veteran of the Film Society movement) the president and his team are doing an excellent job in running their film society since many years.

S.Ramachandra is no more

S.Ramachandra, who was for many of us Ramu, a well known cameraman who was closely associated with New cinema movement in Karnataka passed away on Monday, January, 10, 2011. His is a loss that will be felt by many of us in the Film industry and in the film society circle. When he came out of Pune Film Institute successfully completing his course in cinematography he took active interest in the Film Society movement. We do remember he was instrumental in helping Suchitra Film society, in 1971, to establish contact with the then Film Institute Director, Jagat Murari in procuring a package of diploma  films made by the students of Pune Film Institute. When Jagat Murari visited Bangalore with the films, S.Ramachandra along with other ex-students UMN Sherrief, Shankarappa, Shanta Iyengar actively participated in the discussion on the films. This association continued and for the last forty years he not only held the fort as ready cameraman for new wave cinema, but also actively participated with us in various activities like film festivals, workshops, seminars and other related events.

While he actively associated with many of the stalwarts like G.V.Iyer, B.V.Karnath, Girish Karnad, Girish Kasaravalli and others he also felt quite at ease in guiding youngsters and debutants to make their own films.  He won large number of awards, of course for his work, but most importantly he also won the hearts of many film lovers and friends as a kind hearted person, it is really sad that we lost him. 

INDO CINE Appreciation Foundation

Inauguration of various film festivals of ICAF

ICA Foundation, Chennai is one Film Society that offers its members a bonanza of films every month in fabulous number and in a variety that anybody would love to become a proud member of this Foundation. If one goes through the activity report of this society one wonders how on earth anybody can organize so many festivals and so many screenings in a year. 

Inauguration of various film festivals of ICAF

                            During the last one year, the socity is able to organise more than 30 film festivals that includes a large number of countries from European, Asian, African and Latin American continents that includes staggering number of films of more than 150.  It is a classic example of how a film society can utilise the Digital technology and build a film culture that covers a wide spectrum of film lovers ranging from students to veteran film buffs from all walks of life. In  addition to  regular monthly screenings, ICAF has successfully completed 8^th edition(2010) of  Chennai  International Film Festivals. This festival has now become an important landmark in the calendar of film events in India.

Inauguration of various film festivals of ICAF

We wish ICAF will now expnd its activity to take cinema to colleges and other parts of Tamilnadu to spread a healthy film culture. Academics of cinema, like conducting workshops and seminars  is another area that ICAF can devote some attention.

SMARIKA - Sachin Dev Burman (1906 – 1975)

SMARIKA

Remembering the immortal musician who Created immortal songs.

Sachin Dev Burman (1906 – 1975)

Film Society of Jodhpur, a pioneer Film Society, now in its 42nd year published Smarika a book that profiles the career of one of the legendary figures in our film music, S.D.Burman who held the connoisseurs of music spellbound during the golden age of Hindi films from 1940 to 1970. Even today after several decades when we listen to those pieces, Mera sundar sapna by Gita Dutt, in Do Bhai, Upar gagan vishal by Manna Dey in Mashal, ye duniya agar milbi jayeto kya hai by Rafi in Pyaasa, Nain diawane by Suraiya in Afsar, Rote rote guzar gayi, by Lata in Buzdil, Jeevanke safar mein by Kishore in Munimji, Jayen to jayen kaha by Talat in Taxi Driver, Teri Duniya mein by Hemant in House No.44, Saiyan dil me Aana re by Shamshad in Bahar, and many other songs sung by a galaxy of singers, we get up from our slumber and listen to it with all the attention that we can mobilize. This is the magnetic effect of the melody that was created by Burmanda who ruled the film-music kingdom of India for over three decades in his hey days.

The variety of songs he created with his magic tunes in classical, in folk, tribal music, western, cabaret, devotional and many other styles are creations which remain immortal in our music heritage. The book which is edited by one of our most respected film society activist and veteran, Prof Mohan Swaroop Maheshwari, contains articles written by eminent persons, that cover the life and achievements of this great musician. The book is definitely a collector’s item, particularly for those who love nostalgic memories of that period of music melody created by a galaxy of Music directors like Burman, Naushad, C.Ramchandra, Anil Biswas, Shankar Jaikishan and many others who figure in that illustrious list.

(For copies of the book pl.contact: Film Society of Jodhpur, 762,5th Road, Sardarpura, and Jodhpur-342003.

Review by HNNarahari Rao)

Ist Siliguri Short & Documentary Film Festival

The 1st Siliguri Short & Documentary Film Festival was inaugurated on 17th November 2010 at Dinabandhu Mancha Siliguri by Mr. Premendra Mazumder, Vice President of FFSI (ER) and Ms. Gangotri Dutta, Mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation. This five days long international film festival was organized by the Siliguri Cine Society in collaboration with the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority, Information & Cultural Affairs Department of the Government of West Bengal, Federation of Film Societies of India (ER) and the Jeevika Asia Livelihood Documentary Competition 2010 New Delhi. Mr. Premendra in his inaugural speech requested the organizers to make it a regular event so that Siliguri could also be there in the international film festival map as a significant place of the festival circuit. Mr. Pradip Nag, General Secretary of the Siliguri Cine Society informed that out of 45 entries received from all over the world 24 films could be screened due to shortage of time. Mr. Pradip Nag also informed that film lovers of Siliguri, the second largest city of West Bengal, had accepted the festival very warmly which motivated the Siliguri Cine Society to continue the event in coming years.

First Asian Film Festival at Tenali

1st Asian Film Festival of Tenali-2010 was conducted from December 4th to 8th.  About 30 films were screened from 15 countries.  It was a Grand Success.  Film personalities from Telugu Film Industry participated in the opening & closing functions and in Open Forums. 

Inauguration of the first Asian Film Festival of Tenali-2010.

Tenali Cultural Film society, a very active film society in Andhra Pradesh had conducted an International Film Festival last year. This year they have followed it up with an Asian film festival in which they are able to screen some of the highly acclaimed films from China, Korea, Iran, Mongolia, and also India and other Asian countries. This is another classic example of spreading a healthy film culture with digital format. FFSI south is doing an exemplary job by helping active film societies to take up such promotional activities at non-metro cities. 

Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy members attend IFFK 2010.

Kerala State Chalanachitra Academy, 

Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy and the FFSI members 

with Mr.M A  Baby, Honble Minister of Cultural Affairs -  

At the IFFK-2010

Members of the Kerala and Karnataka Academy members 

and the FFSI had extensive discussions with the 

Minister and the officials on various issues 

including promotion of Film Society movement,

Tie up for the International film festival, 

and other issues of mutual interest. 

Mysore Film Society conducts 3 day course on Visual Design in Cinema and Theater.

Workshop in Session 

Shri M.S.Sathyu conducted 3 day workshop on Visual Design in Cinema and Theater at Mysore, organized by Mysore Film Society and LACE films – 24 to 27, December 2010.

Workshop in Session 

Mr. Sathyu was ably supported by Mr. G.S.Bhaskar the noted cinematographer. 

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More than 40 participants attended the course and it was an excellent interactive workshop with screening of Feature and Documentary films and clippings. Congrats: Mysore FS and LACE

Film Fraternity protests Panahi jail sentence

Jafar Panahi has been sentenced to a 6-year prison sentence by an Iranian court and banned from making films for two decades. Panahi won Camera d'Or honors at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival for his first film, The White Balloon, and he won the Golden Lion in 2000 for The Circle. Another Iranian filmmaker, Muhammad Rasoulof, recently was also dealt a 6-year jail sentence by a regime determined to silence dissident artists. This underscores why the internationality of cinema is so important.

According to UK's Guardian newspaper, Panahi and Rasoulof were originally arrested last year for publicly mourning protesters killed following the presidential election. He was arrested againin February and sent to prison in Tehran. The formal charge: collusion and propaganda, his attorney Farideh Gheyrat told an Iranian news agency.

"He is therefore sentenced to six years in prison and also he is banned for 20 years for making any films, writing any scripts, traveling abroad and also giving any interviews to the media including foreign and domestic news organizations," the attorney told The Guardian. The conviction will be appealed. There is widespread dismay and protests from the film fraternity around the world. 

IFFS General Assembly 2010 - FFSI is represented at IFFS

Mr. Premendra Mazumder, Vice President of FFSI(ER) went to Recife, Brazil during 10th and 11th December 2010 to take part in the General Assembly (GA) of the International Federation of Film Societies (IFFS) as the Official Delegate of the FFSI. Delegates and Representatives from the countries: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Bogota, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, New Zeeland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela were present in the Assembly. A 19-members Executive Committee of the IFFS has been elected in the GA for the term 2010-12. Eminent film personality Ms. Luce Vigo of France has been elected as the Cultural President of IFFS and Mr. Claudino de Jesus of Brazil has been elected as the Executive President. Mr. Golam Rabbany Biplob of Bangladesh has been elected as the Vice President and Mr. Julio Lamana of Spain has been elected as the Secretary General.

Mr. Premendra Mazumder of India has been elected as a Member of the Executive Committee of IFFS as the Secretary of the Asian Group. After restructuring of IFFS in 1999, this is the first time any representative from the Indian Federation (FFSI) has been elected as the Secretary and Member of the Executive Committee of the IFFS. The 3rd World Conference of Film Societies was also held on this occasion. Two Meetings of the Asian Group were also held during this period. Several decisions regarding exchange of films amongst the countries, expansion of the activities of IFFS throughout the world, enrichment of IFFS Archive in Switzerland, usage of authorship and intellectual property rights et al were discussed in details in the conference. As the Secretary of the Asian Group of IFFS and the EC Member of IFFS.

Premendra Mazumder has been entrusted with the job of expansion of the activities of IFFS all over Asia. He will also look after the promotion of Asian Cinema in the IFFS network.

8th Chennai International Film Festival

Mr. D.Napoleon, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, the chief guest at the closing function of 8^th Chennai International Film Festival is being felicitated by Mr. E,Thangaraj and Mr. Ramakrishnan, of ICAF,  on 23^rd December 2010.

The festival has grown in both size and reputation having made a big stride this year with the support of the Government of Tamilnadu, Film Federation of India, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce and many sponsoring institutions. As many as 120 films from India as well as abroad were screened in the festival. This festival has come to stay as an event of importance where selected films are screened and it is of great significance that the film industry has actively associated with this event in a big way to make it a meaningful celebration.

It is also heartening to note that the festival is now able to institute an award for the best Tamil film of the year with quite a handsome cash award to the producer and the director.

2nd Visakhapatnam International Film Festival -2010

Vizag Film Society, one of the most active Film Societies in Andhra Pradesh conducted its 2^nd International Film Festival from 17 to 21^st December 2010, at Vizag.

Our efforts to spread a healthy film culture in non metro cities through DVD format is yielding results and because of the earnest and sincere efforts of a dedicated team with Mr. Prakasha Rao, Mr. Ramana, Mr. Raghu and their associates the festival has become an annual event.

Inauguration of the 2^nd Visakhapatnam Film Festival  

on 17^th Dec 2010.

Inauguration of the 2^nd Visakhapatnam Film Festival  

on 17^th Dec 2010.

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This year as many 25 films  including films of the world section, Indian panorama and the Telugu award winning films were showcased in the festival

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Open Forum at IFFK 2010

Open Forum : closing  session on 16, December, 2010.

Open Forum : closing  session on 16, December, 2010.

This year also the FFSI Kerala took active role in presenting the Open forum on all the days during the IFFK 2010 at Trivandrum. this year’s open forum provided space for many interesting dialogues on various subjects, and on the last day evaluation of the festival was the topic in which delegates took active role in the presence of all the festival authorities who interacted with the participants. The above photo shows the session on the last day.

FFSI Kerala is also entrusted with the task of issuing delegate passes, and this year there were more than 9000 delegates – making this a film festival of people, participating in huge numbers. 

Film Appreciation Workshop for College Teachers

FFSI’s Maharashtra Chapter organized 3 day orientation Workshop for College and University Teachers at Pune on 10^th, 11^th and 12^th December in collaboration with National Film archive of India.

32 Teachers from Colleges and Universities participated in the workshop.

Now, there are 25 Campus Film Societies in Maharashtra.  However, it was found that the teacher In charge of Campus Film Society is interested in Cinema but does not know how to run the Campus Film Society throughout the academic year,  that is why this orientation work shop was organized. 

Dr. Mohan Agashe, actor and Ex Director F T I I inaugurated the workshop and emphasized the need of Campus Film societies in his one hour lecture.

Sanjay Ranade reader in Mass Communication Dept. of Mumbai University, Anil Zankar Lecturer at Whistling Wood Film Institute Mumbai, and others were the resource persons. 

It was found that many teachers have not seen ‘Pather Panchali’, ‘Bhuvan Shome’.  That is why ‘Apu Triology’, ‘Bhuvan Shome’ and ‘Two And Half Times in Hell’ were screened in the workshop.  The booklet giving details of Film Society Movement was specially produced and distributed. 

It may be recalled here that FFSI Western Region formed Maharashtra Chapter to launch new film societies in 2004 when there were only 4 film societies.  Now there are 40 Film Societies affiliated to FFSI. 

FFSI (WR) presents a Session of Czech Films

FFSI Western Region is conducting a festival of Czech films in Mumbai.

Films included in the programme to be screened during 8-18, December, 2010 are given below:  

1. Zelary (2003/150 min/color)    

                Director: Ondrej Trojan             

            2. Cozy Dens (1999/115 min/B & W)      

                Director: Jan Hrebejk 

3. The Protector (2009/98 min/color)

    Director: Marek Najbrt

4. Dark & Blue World (2001/112 min/color)

    Director: Jan Saverk

5. Tobruk (2009/100 min/color)

    Director: Vaclav Marhoul

6. Divided We Fall (2000/120 min/color)

    Director: Jan Hrebejk

Obituary - Vijay Hanumant Jadhav

Vijay Hanumant Jadhav, Director of the National Film Archive of India expired after a heart attack on Dec 13, 2010. He had worked with several media related organizations including Press Information Bureau, All India Radio and Doordarshan. Mr. Jadhav also had a stint as Public Relations Officer (Defence), Pune. He was interested in music and was an accomplished tabla player and had trained under Ustad Alla Rakha.  Jadhav was a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from UDCT, Mumbai. Because of his chemical engineering background he could take several initiatives for preservation of films as head at NFAI.   He leaves behind his wife and two daughters.

Mr. Jadhav’s association with the FFSI in conducting Film Workshops and Film Appreciation courses in Regional languages for the film society activists instilled unbounded enthusiasm in the Film Society circles. Particularly after he took up the Digital Restoration project in the Archive, expectations rose high and many of us eagerly awaited for the day when we could have DVD prints of some of the rare classics of the Indian heritage cinema including the short length of the first feature Phalke’s Raja Harischandra. Most the Film Festivals that are being held now invariably had the old classics of both Indian and foreign classics from the Archive and Mr. Jadhav always responded positively to our requests.  

NFAI salutes DG Phalke Winners at IFFI 2010

NFAI presented an Impressive exhibition this time at the IFFI 2010 with photographs and profiles of all the D.G.Phalke Award winners from its inception to till date. We happened to meet Mr. Vijay Jadhav Director, NFAI, Pune and offered our compliments to him at the Exhibition. While writing in the visitor’s book about our admiration we also mentioned that next year we can have a presentation of the similar details of the films which have won Swarn Kamal, National Award Winners of Best films.

While accepting our compliments smilingly, he readily agreed to put up a similar exhibition on Best Film Award winners. He was about to return to Pune and at that particular time we exchanged pleasantries and wished that we would soon meet at a Short Term Film Appreciation course which we are planning in regional language in Telugu in Hyderabad.

But later, we got the shocking news, on 13^th December, 2010, when we were in IFFK Kerala that he passed away suddenly in the morning. We felt so bad, how unkind is the fate that he is snatched away from us when he was so young at 43, and bubbling with enthusiasm to do so many things. 

FFSI (WR) conducts Open Forum at IFFI 2010.

Mr. Manoj Srivastava, Mr. S.M.Khan and Mr. Shankar Mohan  

interacting  with the delegates on Dec, 01, 2010. 

FFSI this time conducted Open Forum in a new location, thanks to the festival authorities, it really became Open and not a closed one as it happened earlier.

It started on 25th Nov 2010 in the presence of H.N.Narahari Rao, President FFSI,

Dilip Bapat, Vice President (WR), and Mr. Subhash Desai Secretary, (WR) and Mr. U.Radhakrishnan the convener.

Mr. U.Radhakrishnan took active role in contacting the panel speakers and organizing the event during the entire festival period.

COCANADA FILM CLUB INAUGURATED AT KURNOOL

COCANADA FILM CLUB INAUGURATED IN PR GOVERNMENT COLLEGE AT KURNOOL
FFSI South makes further headway in bringing youngsters to the movement through Campus Film Societies.

Campus Film Society- inauguration 

A section of the Students 

IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LETTER FROM CCE, P.R.GOVERNMENT COLLEGE, KAKINADA has inaugurated CAMPUS FILM CLUB on 7th December 2010.

TheCollege Principal Dr.M.Satyanarayana chaired the event and explained to the students regarding OBJECTIVES and activities of the club and inspired the students to know about the media and meaning full cinema. The Chief Guest of the function Sri Aanand Varala,(Librarian of SRR Govt college Karimnagar and Secretary, Federation of Film societies of India) delivered the inaugural lecture.

KCA's Unique Film Festival in Digital Format

FFSI joins Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy to present a Unique Film Festival in Digital format


Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA) associated with the Federation of Film Societies of India, in presenting a unique International Film Festival, held during November 8-25^, 2010, as an academic activity to cater to the needs of students and lovers of cinema. It is unique for several reasons. It may not be a mammoth festival with a huge budget like other well established film festivals taking place in India. The festival was an event not exclusively limited to Bangalore City alone. It was an experiment to take cinema to different cities in Karnataka, such as Bidar, Dharwar, Mangalore and Shimoga. Very soon it will be extended to Mysore, Bellary and other districts. This festival is of low budget, but not at the cost of quality, at the same time it was a sincere attempt to be more effective and find a method through which we can embark on a path that eventually pave way for an ongoing dissemination of film culture throughout the state, particularly in Educational Institutions. 

Mr. Nagabharana, Ms Joy Yen of Taiwan Embassy, Mr. Jayarama Raje Urs, 

Mr. Basant Kumar Patil and Mr. H.N.Narahari Rao at the inauguration of the Festival.

Ms. Joy Yen, Mr. Shaji Karun and Mr. H.N.Narahari Rao at the function.

FFSI feels happy to record here that a large number of college students participated in several hundreds at each centre as delegates and watched the films with lot of interest.  This festival was in Digital (DVD) format. It is obvious that handling of the prints becomes simple and easier. This also means we need not hire regular Cinema theaters for this purpose.
85 films including 8 Kannada, 10 other regional language films, 10 Old film classics starting from the Silent era, and the most recent films from Argentina, Iran, Romania, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Norway and Korea and others were screened in the festival.

We can conduct screenings in acoustically good auditoriums where we can install LCD projectors and screen the films. By introducing this process we are exploring a new avenue for serious filmmakers to find an alternate path for reaching more people in non metro cities. Our experiment became a very good success. It is decided now to make it an annual event.

Mr. Anurag Mishra, the Director, Directorate of Film Festivals took initiative in offering 10 panorama films for the festival and it was one of the major attractions of the event.

This programme was designed by Mr. H.N.Narahari Rao, the Festival Director and President, FFSI, and executed with the support of Mr. Nagabharana, Chairman, Karnataka Academy, Government of Karnataka, and its members. 

9th Asian Film Festival, Mumbai

9th Asian Film Festival, Mumbai, 
Third Eye October 28 to November 04, 2010

Mr. H.N.Narahari Rao  President, FFSI  being presented with 

Satyajit Ray memorial  award   for promoting film as an art. 

This year Mr. Shyam Benegal, the world renowned filmmaker was conferred with the prestigious Asian Film Culture Award. 

Highlights of this year festival was country focus on Iran, the short film fiction competition, focus on Taiwan, Retrospective of Kon Ichikawa and a section of Netpac award winners. 

2nd Asian Film Festival at Kolhapur

2nd Asian Film Festival at Kolhapur 
October, 28 – November, 04, 2010


Under the Chairmanship of District Collector Lakshmikant Deshmukh, a festival of Asian cinema with the support from Asian Film Foundtion, Mumbai was held in Kolhapur. Japanese Film Director Kon Ichikawa's three films and Israeli director Dan Wolman's three films were ther in the  Retrospective and Spectrum sections of the festival.

''Akaler Sandhaney'' (Bengali), ''Mrigaya'', ''Ek Din Pratidin'' (both Hindi) by Mrinal Sen were  screened under the Asian Masters section. Five films from Taiwan, seven Marathi films-- ''Aarambha'', ''Pangira'', ''Hallo Papa'', ''Nirutter'', ''Platform'', ''Mee Sindhu Sakpal'', ''Sumbarana'', six films from Poland were also included in the festival.

The festival had more than 50 films that included films from Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Iran, Philippines, Korea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan along with many other notable films.  

On the last day of the event, actress Bebi Shakuntala and sound recordist Ramnath Jathar were presented with Lifetime Achievement Award for their contribution to the film industry.

Film Appreciation Workshops in Karnataka.

Film Appreciation Workshops at Colleges and Film Societies in Karnataka.


Under the auspices of FFSI, KCA, and the Asian Film Foundation and aided by HIVOS, Mr. H.N.Narahari Rao conducted 15 Film Appreciation workshops in the months during July – November, 2010 at different towns in Karnataka.


Below are some of the photographs taken at the Workshops conducted at different places in Karnataka. There is enormous enthusiasm among the college students and it is up to the FFSI and the film society activists to take it up and initiate more film societies through DVD format at different places.

FA workshop at Darshana Cinema Society, Bangalore 

FA workshop at Darshana Cinema Society, Bangalore 

Workshop at Shimoga,

Workshop at Shimoga 

Workshop at Mysore 

Workshop at Mysore 

Workshop at Belgaum 

Workshop at Belgaum 

Workshop at Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts, Mysore.

Workshop at Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts, Mysore

Workshop at Mandya

Workshop at Mandya

Workshop at Chamarajanagar

Workshop at Chamarajanagar