NEW DELHI: The National Film Awards for 2010 had reiterated the strength of regional cinema and also shown that one did not need do big budgets to make a good film, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Choudhury Mohan Jatua said.
Inaugurating the National Film Festival of the award winning films of 2010, he was particularly appreciative of the work of students of film institutes – particularly the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata.- for their exemplary achievements in winning awards.
Jatua said the Directorate of Film Festivals had taken the lead in promoting non-mainstream, regional cinema across the country including in smaller towns and cities through special festivals. It had taken the Indian Panorama films to Shillong and Kohima in the North East, to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and to Shimla, Bhopal and Kolhapur. This initiative had helped strengthen national integration across the country through the medium of cinema.
The Minister added that another major achievement of the Directorate related to the clearing of the backlog of National Film Awards by organising awards of three years in a record time of 12 months, thereby updating the Awards calendar.
Nagraj Manjule of the opening film “Pistulya” which got the award for debut director of a non-feature film and “Dabangg” (winner of the Film providing Wholesome Entertainment) star Sonakshi Sinha were present on the occasion.
A total of 40 films selected for the National Film Awards 2010 will be screened at the festival which will conclude on 16 July. The films are to be screened in Auditorium II of the Siri Fort complex.
