Documentaries catching on digital technology

New Delhi, Nov 27 : Documentary film culture is not there in India but with the advent of digital technology it is fast catching on, said Kuldeep Sinha, Chief Producer, Films Division and Director, M.I.F.F.-2010 (Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films).

“Forty or perhaps more documentary film festivals that take place annually in the country are an indication of growing popularity of documentary films in the country,” Sinha said at the press conference for the Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films 2010 at IFFI Goa 2009 today.

Commenting on commercial influences, Sinha saiddocumentary is a very serious business as it creates future of the country.

“Documentary should not be commercialized and the Films Division takes it as a means to explore serious issues, he added. He also disclosed that Films Division CDs on documentary on Satyajit Ray and Mohmmad Rafi are a big hit at the CD counter IFFI Goa and they have so far exhausted there stock,” he said.

The 11th edition of M.I.F.F. organized by the Films Division will be held from 3rd to 9th February, 2010 at the prestigious National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point, Mumbai. The Festival is held with the active support of the Government of Maharashtra.

M.I.F.F. is a competitive biennial event which has gained recognition on par with renowned International Film Festivals like Leipzig, Berlin, Oberhausen, Cracow, Tampere etc. Began in 1990 in Mumbai, M.I.F.F. is currently rated as the world’s best and largest documentary film festival being manned by film makers.

Apart from this edition of the Festival, International and Indian Competition Sections have been merged into one Competition Section.

Another salient feature is a new award being introduced for “Best Student Film/Video”. The award money has also been enhanced from this M.I.F.F. in each category and the total award money now is Rs. 22.75 lakhs along with Golden/Silver Conches in different categories of Competition.
“Dr. V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award” will be awarded to an Indian film maker for his/her contribution to documentary film movement, with cash award and trophy.

Apart from Competition Section, there will be screening of Retrospectives and Special Packages, Spectrum India, Seminars and Open Forum during M.I.F.F.-2010. In Retrospectives & Special Packages, Jury’s retrospectives, Women packages, Oscar nominated films, films on cinema legends and unsung heroes of Indian Freedom Movement and in Country Focus, films from Bhutan, France, Chile, Argentina as well as Student’s package from FTII, SRFTII, NID etc., are being showcased.

So far, M.I.F.F. has received 864 entries from 37 countries which is an all time record. The Selection Committee consisting of eminent film makers, journalists and critics has already started previewing the films, the total duration of which crosses more than 400 hours.

According to Sinha, his entire team is working tirelessly to make the 11th edition of the Festival a memorable one for the cineaste attending the M.I.F.F. from India as well as from abroad.