Star News Agency

Mumbai (Maharashtra).The 11th edition of M.I.F.F. (Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films) organized by the Films Division will be held from 3rd to 9th February, 2010 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point, Mumbai.

Addressing a Press Conference in Mumbai on Friday, Mr.Kuldeep Sinha, Chief Producer, Films Division and Festival Director said “MIFF, which began in 1990 has come a long way to be rated as one of the world’s best and largest documentary film festival being manned by film makers. It is now gained recognition on par with renowned International Film Festivals like Leipzig, Berlin, Oberhausen, Krakow, Tampere etc.”

Beginning this edition of the festival, the International and Indian Competition Sections have been merged into one Competition Section. Mr.Sinha said, “Indian documentary producers have now achieved high level of creative as well as technical excellence, to compete with the best in the world’. He said the award money has been enhances in each category and the total award money now stands at Rs 22.75 lakhs. The best short film / documentary (upto 30 minutes) will be awarded a Golden Conch and Rs 3,00,000 cash prize. Another Golden Conch and Rs 3,00,000 award will be given to the best film/ documentary over 30 minutes duration. There also awards for best animation film, fiction film and student’s film. Government of Maharashtra’s Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari will give a Trophy and Rs 1,00,000 for best debut film of a director.

“Dr. V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award” will be awarded to an Indian film maker for his/her contribution to documentary film movement.

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 immigration issues, environment, global warming, Cinema legends and icons of Indian Freedom Movement and in Country Focus, films from Bhutan, and Argentina as well as Student’s package from L.V. Prasad Institute, Chennai, SRFTII, Kolkata, and NID, Ahmedabad, films from North East India, treasure from NFAI, Puppet Films etc. and lots more are being showcased.

National Film Archives of India, Pune will also stage a unique show of pre-cinema projection technique called ‘Shambharik Kharolika’ or the magic lantern.

This year M.I.F.F. has received a record 864 entries from 37 countries. The Selection Committee consisting of eminent film makers, journalists and critics had previewed the films, the total duration of which crosses more than 400 hours. 64 films have been selected in Competition Section and 43 films have been selected in Non-Competition Section.