MUMBAI: The Directorate of Film Festivals, a media unit under the Information & Broadcasting ministry, has set in motion the process for inviting entries for the 58th National Film Awards for 2010. The deadline for submission of entries has been kept for 7 April.

The awards (Swarna Kamal and Rajat Kamal) will be presented in three sections - feature films, non-feature films and best writing on cinema. 

In case of feature films, there are 30 different awards that include: best feature film, the Indira Gandhi award for best debut film of a director, award for best popular film providing wholesome entertainment, the Nargis Dutt award for best feature film on National Integration and awards for films in regional languages.

Non-feature films carry twenty two different awards that has best non-feature film, best debut non-feature film of a director, best Anthropological/Ethnographic Film and best biographical/historical reconstruction/compilation film. In addition, there is also a National Award for Best Writing on Cinema which consists of two different awards – Best Book on Cinema and Best Critic.

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.

Only films certified by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) are eligible for entry in these awards.