Subhash Ghai's film institute looks global way

Mumbai, Nov 10 (UNI) Filmmaker Subhash Ghai and Ebrahim Rasool have signed a letter of intent for establishing a Film and Media Institute in Cape Town.

Both Mr Ghai, who is the founder chairman of Whistling Woods International, and Mr Rasool said that a collaborative strategy to establish a film and media institute in Cape Town would be chalk out.

The announcement was made on Wednesday at a get-together organised by Mr Ghai and actor Anil Kapoor, who is the brand ambassador of South Africa Tourism Board.

Salient features of the letter of intent include members of the senior Management of Whistling Woods International visiting South Africa to undertake a feasibility study jointly with Wesgro (the official investment and trade promotion agency of the Province of Western Cape,mandated to develop trade related infrastructure and encourage investment in Cape Town) and Cape Film Commission (mandated to develop and promote the film and multimedia sectors in the Province of Western Cape).

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rasool said his government is honoured to be associated with Whistling Woods as they greatly respect the education being imparted here and would like to apply a similar model in Cape Town so that it produces original film work and does not remain just a destination for the rest of the world to shoot their films. He further said that South Africa have thousands of stories to tell the world starting from Mahatma Gandhi's first satyagraha.

Mr Ghai said, ''for the first time rather than looking to the West, we have a developed country looking at the east to assist them in film making. Such recognition and bilateral endeavours will lead to co-productions, exchange of students, faculty, cultures, training methodologies and India increasing its presence and influence in the world media market.'' UNI MR ADG VKG SK BD0928