Prez to give away 55th National Film Awards

New Delhi, Oct 19: The 55th National Film Awards for 2007 will be presented to the winners by the President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Wednesday (Oct 21) here.

Eminent music personality Manna Dey will also be conferred the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 2007 in the ceremony scheduled to be held at Vigyan Bhawan on Wednesday.

The National Film Awards aim at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance contributing to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country in cinematic form, thereby also promoting integration and unity of the nation.

In the feature film section, the awards are given in 31 categories which include Award for Best Feature Film, Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a director, Award For Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, Award For Best Direction, Actor, Actress, Editing, Lyrics, Choreography etc.

In the Non-Feature Film section awards are given in 22 categories like Best Non-Feature Film, Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film, Special Jury Award, Best Audiography etc.

National Award for Best Writing on cinema and Best Film Critic are also given. The awards aim at encouraging study and appreciation of cinema as an art form and dissemination of information and critical appreciation of this art-form through publication of books, articles, reviews etc.

It may be recalled that the 55th National Film Awards for 2007 were announced on Sept 7.

As per recommendations of the Jury, Kanchivaram (Tamil) was announced the Best Feature Film. Kanchivaram actor Prakash Raj was declared the Best Actor for his sensible multi-layered portrayal of a weaver in the film.

Chak De India (Hindi) was adjudged the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Taare Zameen Par was adjudged the Best Film on Family Welfare. Taare Zameen Par also got award for Best Male Playback Singer and for Best Lyrics.

Umashree was declared the Best Actress for her role in Kannada Film Gulabi Talkies. Gulabi Talkies was also declared the Best Feature film in Kannada.

Sharad Goekar was adjudged the Best Child Artist for his role in Marathi Feature Film Tingya.

Adoor Gopalakrishnan won the award for Best Direction for the Malayalam feature film Naalu Pennungal. The film also won the Best Editing Award for B. Ajith Kumar.

The Children's Film Society, India produced Hindi Film Foto was adjudged the Best Children's Film. The Jury for the Feature Films Awards was headed by Sai Paranjpye. Thirteen other members of the Jury were involved in judging the 92 entries for feature film categories for the 55th National Film Awards.

Hope Dies Last in War was adjudged the Best Non-Feature Film. Jayaraj was selected for the Award for Best Director for his Malayalam Non-Feature Film Vellapokathil.

The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata produced Bengali film Lal Juto by Director Shweta Merchant was adjudged the best first non-feature film of a director. Films Division produced Hindi Film Antardhwani by Dr. Jabbar Patel was selected under the best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/compilation film category.

Ninety-three entries for non-feature film section were viewed by six member jury headed by Ashoke Vishwanathan.

The Jury on Best Writing on Cinema headed by Namita Gokhale viewed 27 entries to declare From Raj To Swaraj : The Non-Fiction Film in India, the Best Book on Cinema. The Best Critic Award was given to V.K.Joseph for his intellectual and aesthetic integrity in writing about regional, national and world cinema.

Eighteen entries were received for Best Film Critics Category.

--IBNS