Benegal announces MAMI's 10th International Film Festival

Mumbai, Feb 22 (UNI) Noted filmmaker and Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) Chairman Shyam Benegal today announced the tenth edition of the International Film Festival.

The week-long festival will start on March 6 and will screen 140 films from 45 countries at three theatres in the city - Adlabs Wadala (four screens), Metro Adlabs (two screens) and Cinemax Versova (one screen).

To commemorate a decade of excellence, MAMI is introducing a host of new initiatives in this edition. The Global Lifetime Achievement award has been instituted this year and an international director for his/her contribution to world cinema will be awarded. The award will be conferred to Carlos Saura, the renowned Spanish director, who will be here to attend the function.

Speaking to the reporters, Mr Benegal said ''Opening gala night will be mark screening of Polish master Andrzej Wajda's latest film 'Katyn' nominated for an Oscar in the foreign film category and on the closing gala night Japanese film 'The Mourning Forest' will be screened. The award function will be held on March 13.

''Lifetime Achievement award will be presented to Dharamendra by Dev Anand, Award for Significant Contribution to Cinema over 25 years to an Actor - Director will be given to Rishi Kapoor, Award for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Film music as Lyrics Writer to Gulzar and Kodak Award for Technical Excellence will be presented to Hitendra Ghosh,'' he informed.

An Italian silent film ''Pinocchio'' (1911), restored by Cineteca, will be another attraction and the festival will celebrate 50th year of Andrej Wajda's legendary film ''Kanal''.

In order to nurture talent and provide a new platform to new generation of filmmakers, MAMI is introducing a new initiative called ''Dimensions Mumbai''- a short film competition under which digital films of five minutes duration depicting various aspects of life in the city are being invited.

The best entry will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 1,50,000.

This competition has been initaited by Jaya Bachchan, who is one of the trustees of MAMI.

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