MIFF to be an annual event: Ambika Soni

Speaking at the inauguration of the 11th edition of MIFF at the NCPA here, she said holding the festival every year would help to further popularise the documentary, short and animation film sector.Soni said even though film production is privately driven, the government has always acted as a facilitator or catalyst.

Admitting the delay in completing the Museum of Moving Images project in the Films Division complex, she said best of technology is being used and it would be dedicated to the nation soon.

Soni said animation has taken great strides and animation movies made across the globe are sourced out of the India.

"However, there is shortage of manpower in this field and the government has decided to set up a national centre for animation, gaming and VFX to train people interested in this field. Similarly, the Film and Television Institute of India will also be upgraded into a global film school," she said.

Soni said all the initiatives be put in place before the centenary celebrations of Indian cinema begin in 2013.The festival kick started with Naresh Bedi's documentary "On a Tiger Trail" and Shih-Ting Hung's "Viola: The Travelling Rooms of a Little Giant".Soni also announced that the one per cent fee on the gross earnings of theatre owners charged by films division in order to screen their films in cinema halls will be waived off. She said this would facilitate screening of more documentaries and other films division movies in cinema halls.

Earlier, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan welcomed the delegates from India and abroad stating that Mumbai is for everybody and he was the perfect host. He also expressed happiness that Mumbai has been the permanent venue of the festival for last 20 years.
Chavan's remarks were welcomed with thunderous applause from the audiences which included several Marathi artistes like Dr Vijaya Mehta, filmmaker Mahesh Kothare, actress Mrinal Kulkarni, singer Vaishali Samant and singer Sudesh Bhosale.

Taking cue from Chavan's statement, Soni hopes that delegates at MIFF would feel at home in the city.

As many as 864 entries were received from 37 countries including India from which 64 films were selected in the competition section and 43 in non-competitive section.
MIFF gives away awards worth Rs 23 lakh for the Golden and Silver conches including the V Shantaram lifetime achievement award which comprises cash prize of Rs five lakh.
Yash Chopra said documentaries were about important issues and not length. "Today's generation was tech-savvy and wanted to see visuals about current happenings," he said.