Government to introduce new category of award –Most Film Friendly

Shri Sunil Arora, Secretary I&B has said that as part of the Government’s effort to promote the Indian film industry and India’s “Soft Power” it has been decided to institute a new award category under the National Film Awards titled “The Most Film Friendly State/UT”. This award will be conferred for the first time at the 63rd National Film Awards to be held on 3rd May 2016. The award will be conferred by the Hon’ble President of India. Shri Arora announced this while delivering his address at the inaugural function for the Public screening of Indian Panorama-2015 films at Siri Fort Auditorium here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Arora said that it has also been decided to establish a Film Facilitation Office at the NFDC premises under the supervision of the Ministry of I&B. The objective of setting up the office was to provide single window clearance to film makers and promote India as a Filming Destination. This would also enable creating a film friendly environment in the country.

Elaborating further Shri Arora said that Indian Panorama section this year, received a record number of 384 entries including 238 feature and 146 non-feature film. Out of the large number of entries, 26 feature films and 21 non-feature films were selected by the Jury. The package of Indian Panorama includes films in Bengali, Bodo, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil, Wancho and Marathi. Shri Arora also felicitated the Director of the documentary film “Daughters of Mother India”, Ms. Vibha Bakshi and the Director of the Bengali feature film “Cinemawala”, Shri Kaushik Ganguli during the inaugural function. Both the films were the opening films at the inaugural function.

The public screeening of the films selected in the Indian Panorama- 2015 as a part of the 46th International Film Festival of India was organized by the Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at Siri Fort Auditorium Complex The 11 days festival would screen the 26 Feature Films and 21 Non-Feature Films.