Cinema in Himachal & Film Festivals

How can we develop cinema in Himachal Pradesh if there is no cinema hall for the people to watch films? This is the question many filmmakers shoot in response to producing Pahari films. Off course they are not wrong but they are not right either. Cinema halls are for mainstream cinema and which have always been. They always play the mainstream films where millions or billions of rupees are spent to produce them. Being a less populated state, it's not easy to run a cinema hall in Himachal Pradesh. But the saying is that necessity is the mother of all. If we focus on producing the films for international audiences, the local audience will also come forward to watch the film.

Well filmmakers produce Pahari films or not, the businessmen build cinema halls or not, but the demand for cinema has already been increasing in Himachal. In response to that some people have started providing good cinema to the people over here. As of now, two film festivals are being organized in Himachal every year. 

Shimla Film Festival was organized in the beginning of this year in Shimla which received an overwhelming response from local community as well as from the tourists. Although some of the delegates were not happy with the management and the judges decision but all this happens during the first time. 

On the other hand Dharamshala International Film Festival was started in 2012 and is being organized this year for 3rd time subsequently. Dharamshala International Film Festival is a non-profit venture presented by White Crane Arts & Media, a trust set up by long-term Dharamshala residents and internationally renowned filmmakers, Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, to promote contemporary art, cinema and independent media practices in the Himalayan region.

Soon there are some other groups looking forward for the development of Cinema in Himachal and working on certain projects. Hopefully we will be able to see some good and meaningful cinema in Himachal soon.

Upcoming Festival

Dharamshala International Film Festival 2014

30 October - 2 November 2014

Venue : Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA)

Mcleodganj, Dharamshala

For more details visit

http://diff.co.in/

Article by : +Ajay Saklani  (Silent Hills Studio)

SCRIPT International Short Film Festival 2015

Social and Corporate Responsibility International Promotional Theatre (SCRIPT). The Fifth Edition of the Festival SCRIPT 2015 is scheduled at Fidelity Theatre, IMA House, Kochi on 20 and 21 Feb 2015. The Festival is organized by the Rotary Club of Cochin Metropolis in association with Rotary District 3201. The Festival aims to highlight the Clubs humanitarian efforts in adopting Kothad Village a backward island village off Kochi and generate Corporate and organizational Support for the same. The Club has adopted a multipronged approach to development of the island community in terms of Geriatric Care, Education, Drug Rehabilitation, Employment Generation, etc.

 

SCRIPT 2015 focuses on socially relevant short films and documentaries of a maximum of 30 min duration. SCRIPT 2015 is supported by the Indian Documentary Producer’s Association (IDPA) and Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT). The festival is also registered with the International Film & Festival Organisation. The Kuala Lumpur International Short Film Festival and Curtas da Ribeira Grande Festival in Portugal have become a partner Festival for this event. The categories of competition are : -

• Film Makers
• International
• Documentaries
• Students (Should produce certificate from College)
• Mini/ Ad films (with  social message) (Max 2 min)

There will be a first Prize of Rs 25,000 and a second Prize of Rs 15000/- in each category, alongwith the Golden Halo Award. Special Jury Awards will be given where deserving.   The last date for Registration is 01 Dec 2014. This time a token entry fee has been instituted and details are in the RULES section in the website, as well as on the registration form when downloaded. Registration should be done online, but filled registration forms with signature should be submitted along with the two copies of CDs/ VCDs  of Films.  Publicity material like posters and stills can be submitted once the final selections are announced. The address to which films should be send is “SCRIPT 2015, Mathewsons Building, Near St Antony’s Church, Kaloor, Kochi – 682017, Kerala, India Mob : +91-9895323777.”

For Details of rules and previous year’s results, please visit www.scriptfilmfest.in.  Those who are on Facebook, please join the SCRIPT short Film Festival Group https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127560387274236